From the 15th to the 17th of February, coffee took over Madrid with an intense weekend fair packed with events, tastings, workshops, and talks.
This time, we heard there would be a bit of buzz around matcha… so we had to check it out!
We’ve been aware of matcha’s growing popularity in Spain – where coffee usually reigns supreme, and tea often takes a back seat. However, what we saw surprised us. In the midst of coffee-focused stands and events, matcha definitely made its mark. While there weren’t many stands offering tea, and matcha was mostly served as a latte, the stands that did offer it had long queues of curious people eager to try the mighty green beverage.
Among the stands at Coffee Fest, Tesuko stood out, focusing entirely on Japanese teas. They offered a selection of loose-leaf teas like sencha and hojicha, along with a variety of matcha, ranging from usucha to lattes to taste. The Matcha Bowl was also matcha-focused, serving both lattes and usucha. Hidden Coffee Roasters, with whom we have collaborated in the past at events in Barcelona, dedicated a section of their stand to matcha lattes. They organized a matcha latte art contest on the final day!
One of the highlights was watching matcha being presented, prepared, and thoroughly discussed by our Tea Fellow, Veronica Hegar of Tesuko, and matcha enthusiast, Laura Jado of Entrepintxos.
Veronica gave an insightful talk to a curious audience about matcha’s origins, the importance of recognizing its quality on the market, and the misinformation often found abroad regarding its production, benefits, and grades. Her insights were invaluable to an audience not yet familiar with the complexities of tea, who often view matcha as just another product.
Laura, on the other hand, prepared a comparison of three high-quality matchas from three different brands: Tesuko and Req Matcha from Spain, and Matsucha from the Netherlands. She whisked each matcha in the traditional style and offered tastings of usucha – something most attendees weren’t accustomed to, as matcha is often consumed with milk here.
With the ongoing matcha boom, we can’t help but wonder what the near future holds. We hope more people will come to appreciate it for more than just a trend. We’re thrilled to see so much interest and passion around matcha!
