Can sencha be ground to make a good green tea powder (matcha)?

Question

I can't find any matcha in my town. I would imagine I could buy it in San Francisco, but I don't go there often. I don't want to buy a huge quantity online, either. Sencha is readily available, but would it taste like matcha if I grind it in my coffee maker? I was wondering if anyone has tried this before I go and spend my money experimenting with green tea leaves.

Answer 1

I actually tried this in my blender with sencha

It didn't work. I just couldn't get it ground finely enough, and the color was nothing like as vividly green as matcha. It just didn't look right in the cup, and the taste was just like plain sencha.

Apparently, they use special leaves to make proper matcha, and they grind it with stones.

I would just buy some actual matcha. It isn't that much more expensive than sencha.

Answer 2

i've tried it, it tastes terrible, and nothing like matcha. matcha is made from gyokuro, which is shaded for a few weeks before harvesting. I wouldn't suggest wasting your sencha by grinding it like that, but if you'd like to purchase matcha online a website i would recommend are www.tanabatagreentea.com