In short: a dirty matcha is a matcha latte with a shot of espresso poured in last. Whisk 2 to 3 g (1 tsp) of matcha with 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water at 75-80 °C (167-176 °F), pour it over 200 ml (about 7 fl oz) of milk heated to 60-65 °C (140-150 °F) and frothed, then add 30 ml (1 fl oz) of espresso in the centre: it's ready in 5 minutes, hot or iced. I use Barista No.1, made for milk (about $1.06 of matcha per cup).
If you're coming from coffee, it's the easiest way to switch to matcha without giving anything up, with the roasted flavour of espresso and the foam of matcha.
Recipe card
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 g (1 tsp) Barista Matcha No.1 ($52.90 for 100 g), sifted
- 30 ml (1 fl oz, 1 shot) Espresso (or 60 ml of strong brewed coffee)
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) Water at 75-80 °C / 167-176 °F (20 ml in the mini shaker)
- 200 ml (about 7 fl oz) Milk of your choice (barista oat for the creamiest foam)
- 1 tsp Maple or vanilla syrup (optional)
- As needed Ice cubes (iced version)
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Step-by-step method
- 1Pull the espressoBrew 30 ml of espresso (one shot) and let it rest for a minute while you make the matcha. No machine? 60 ml of strong drip coffee or a moka pot brew will do.
- 2Sift the matchaSift 2 to 3 g of matcha into a bowl or straight into your shaker. It prevents lumps and gives a fine foam.
- 3Whisk with the waterAdd 60 ml of water at 75-80 °C (167-176 °F), never boiling, and whisk with a chasen in a W motion for about 30 seconds, until smooth and frothy. In the mini shaker: 20 ml of that water, 10 seconds of shaking, done.
- 4Heat and froth the milkHeat 200 ml of milk to 60-65 °C (140-150 °F) without boiling it, then froth it with a frother or a steam wand. Barista oat milk gives the creamiest foam.
- 5AssemblePour the hot milk into a large mug, then the whisked matcha. Add the maple or vanilla syrup if you like.
- 6Pour the espresso lastPour the espresso slowly into the centre. It sinks through the matcha and draws the brown-and-green marbling that gives the dirty matcha its name. Take the first sips without stirring, then mix halfway through.
What you need
Why it works
- The espresso goes in last. Poured slowly over the whisked matcha, it sinks through without breaking the foam. If you whisk the matcha straight into the coffee, the heat and acidity of the coffee break the foam and the green fades.
- A little water first. 60 ml is enough to dissolve the powder before the milk goes in: that's what prevents lumps.
- A matcha with body. Against milk and espresso, a dense latte matcha like Barista No.1 stays present: its light roasted notes answer the coffee.
The right doses
2 g of matcha for a mellow dirty matcha, 3 g if you want the matcha to stand up to the espresso. Below 2 g, the coffee wipes out the matcha.
| Version | Matcha | Water | Milk | Matcha cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mellow | 2 g | 60 ml at 75-80 °C | 200 ml hot | $1.06 |
| Stronger matcha | 3 g | 60 ml at 75-80 °C | 200 ml hot | $1.59 |
| Iced | 3 g | 20 ml at 75-80 °C (mini shaker) | 150 ml cold + ice | $1.59 |
In all three: one espresso shot, 30 ml.
If something's off
- Lumps: sift the matcha and whisk it in the 60 ml of water first, never straight into the milk or the coffee.
- It tastes bitter: the water was too hot. Stay at 75-80 °C (167-176 °F); boiling water makes matcha bitter.
- You can't taste the matcha: go up to 3 g of matcha and keep it to one espresso shot.
Variations
🧊 Iced dirty matcha
Shake 3 g of matcha with 20 ml of water at 75-80 °C (167-176 °F) in the mini shaker, pour over a tall glass of ice, add 150 ml of cold milk, then the espresso on top. The coffee trails down through the green: it's the version where the marbling shows best.
🍵 With Ceremonial No.3
Ceremonial No.3: drink it straight first, whisked with water; it's also great in a latte, and it works very well in a dirty matcha at 2 g (about $2.20 of matcha per cup).
🥥 Coconut dirty matcha
Swap the milk for a coconut beverage: coconut adds a richer, sweeter note. To keep a creamy foam, go half coconut, half barista oat.
🍁 Fall dirty matcha
Add a pinch of cinnamon and 1 tsp of maple syrup to the hot milk before frothing.
🌙 Decaf version
A decaf espresso keeps the roasted flavour; almost all the caffeine left then comes from the matcha.
Frequently asked questions
What is a dirty matcha?
A matcha latte with a shot of espresso poured into it. The "dirty" comes from the coffee staining the green as it trails through. Taste-wise, it's bolder and more roasted than a classic hot matcha latte.
Which matcha should I use for a dirty matcha?
A latte matcha with body, built to hold up against milk and espresso. Barista No.1 is made for that. Ceremonial No.3 is meant to be drunk straight first, whisked with water, but it's also great in a latte, so it works here too. I explain the difference in my guide to matcha for lattes.
I don't have an espresso machine, does it still work?
Yes. Use 60 ml of strong brewed coffee (double your usual dose), a moka pot brew, or 30 ml of cold brew concentrate for the iced version. What matters is concentrated coffee: regular drip coffee dilutes the matcha and the result falls flat.
Hot or iced, which should I pick?
Both work. Hot, the dirty matcha is rounder and brings out the roasted notes. Iced, it's brighter, and that's where the green-and-brown marbling looks best.
How do you drink a dirty matcha?
Take the first sips without stirring to enjoy the marbling, then mix halfway through. If you like it sweeter, 1 tsp of maple or vanilla syrup is enough.
How much caffeine is in a dirty matcha?
From the matcha: on average, 2 g of matcha contains about 65 mg of caffeine, with 30 to 90 mg for most matcha analyzed (Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, 2020, and published studies). The espresso adds its own caffeine. Health Canada sets the guideline at 400 mg a day for a healthy adult, and 300 mg during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Details in my article on matcha caffeine.
More recipes to try
Recipe by Greg, Bian Matcha's dad. Questions about this recipe? Write to me.
