How Should You Store Matcha? Everything You Need to Know

You have gone to the effort of sourcing good matcha. How you store it once it is open determines how long it stays that way. Matcha is more sensitive than most people realise, and the difference between a tin stored correctly and one handled carelessly shows up quickly in both colour and taste.

What matcha is sensitive to

Four things degrade matcha faster than anything else. Light, heat, air and moisture.

Light breaks down chlorophyll. The vivid electric green of a first flush ceremonial grade matcha is one of its most reliable quality signals. Expose it to light regularly and that colour fades, along with the compounds responsible for the flavour.

Heat accelerates oxidation. The catechins and L-theanine that make ceremonial grade matcha worth buying begin to degrade at elevated temperatures. A kitchen shelf near the oven, kettle or window is one of the worst places to keep it.

Air is the most common problem. Every time you open the tin without resealing it properly, you introduce oxygen that begins breaking down the powder. Matcha has a significantly larger surface area than whole leaf tea, which means it oxidises faster.

Moisture causes clumping and can compromise the powder quickly. A damp environment or a wet spoon introduced into the tin is enough to cause problems.

Where to keep it

The fridge. That is the answer, and it is the only one worth following.

The fridge provides a stable, cool, dark environment that slows oxidation significantly. The one condition is that the tin needs to be properly sealed before it goes in. Open it, take what you need, seal it again, and put it back. If you leave an open tin sitting on the counter in a warm kitchen and then refrigerate it, condensation can form on the powder. The process needs to be quick and consistent.

Do not leave your matcha on the counter. Do not store it in a cupboard near a heat source. The fridge is the right answer and the habits around it are simple once you get used to them.

How long it keeps

An unopened tin of good quality matcha will hold its quality for around a year from the production date when stored correctly in the fridge. Once opened, use it within four to six weeks for the best colour and flavour.

This is why we sell our matcha in 30g tins. At two grams per bowl, that is fifteen servings. Enough to get through comfortably within that window without the quality dropping off before you reach the bottom. Buying in smaller quantities more regularly is better than buying a large tin and using it slowly over months.

How to tell if your matcha has turned

The colour is the first indicator. A matcha that was vivid green when you opened it and has since shifted to a dull, olive or yellowish tone has oxidised. The flavour follows, more bitter, flatter, with less of the natural sweetness that first flush ceremonial grade matcha should have.

If your matcha tastes noticeably worse than when you first opened it and it has been sitting for more than six weeks, storage is almost certainly the reason.

Why Origin Transparency Matters

Matcha picked up at a market, a health food shop, or in bulk online often has no production date on the label. Without knowing when it was harvested and ground, there is no way of knowing how much of its quality you are actually getting. Our Signature Ceremonial Matcha and Masters Reserve both have clear lot information so you know exactly what you are working with from the start.

Our matcha is available in-store at our Sea Point cafe and online, delivered nationwide across South Africa.