The recipe behind the "best matcha in Christchurch." Three ingredients. Three minutes. No excuses.
Prep time: 3 minutes | Serves: 1 | Difficulty: Beginner
This is where it all started. Before the pistachio foam, the tiramisu lattes, the matcha flights — there was just an iced matcha latte made with Carnival Matcha IroIro and whole milk. That's the drink that built Blue Moon's matcha reputation.
We get asked constantly: "What matcha do you use?" and "Why does yours taste so different?"
The answer to both: IroIro. It's our everyday matcha and the most versatile blend in our range, sourced from Uji, Japan. Vibrant green, well-balanced brightness, zero powdery taste. Most café matcha in New Zealand is either too delicate for a latte or cheap bulk powder. IroIro sits in the sweet spot — bold enough to hold its own against milk, smooth enough to drink daily.
What You'll Need
- 1½ tsp Carnival Matcha IroIro (about 2g)
- 30ml hot water at 80°C (not boiling — boiling water burns matcha and turns it bitter)
- 200ml cold milk (whole milk gives the best body; oat milk is our top dairy-free pick)
- Ice
- Optional: ½ tsp vanilla syrup or honey for sweetness
Method
- Sift the matcha. Put IroIro through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl or cup. This takes 10 seconds and eliminates every lump. Skip this step and you'll get clumps floating in your drink.
- Add hot water and whisk. Pour 30ml of 80°C water over the sifted matcha. Whisk vigorously with a chasen (bamboo whisk) or a small regular whisk until completely dissolved and slightly frothy. You should see a bright, vivid green with a thin foam layer. This is your matcha shot.
- Build the drink. Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour cold milk over the ice.
- Pour the matcha shot. Slowly pour your matcha over the back of a spoon onto the milk. This creates the layered look — green on top, white below.
- Sweeten if you want. We serve ours medium sweet at the bakehouse (about half a pump of vanilla syrup). But IroIro is smooth enough to drink with zero sweetener. Try it without first.
Why IroIro Works for Lattes
Not all matcha is interchangeable. Here's the breakdown:
Premium sipping blends (like our Kasumi or Komorebi) — these are designed for drinking straight with water. Delicate, nuanced, premium. Putting them in a milky latte is like putting a premium wine in sangria. You lose the subtlety you're paying for.
Cheap bulk matcha — designed for industrial baking. Yellow-green, bitter, powdery aftertaste. This is what most cafés use because it's cheap from a wholesaler. It's also why most people think they don't like matcha.
IroIro — Everyday Matcha — the most versatile blend in our range. Bright green, balanced flavour that holds up in milk, and smooth enough to drink daily. Available from 30g up to 1kg if you're serious about your matcha habit.
The Blue Moon Tips
Water temperature matters more than you think. 80°C is the target. If you don't have a temperature kettle, boil your kettle and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Boiling water (100°C) releases tannins in the matcha that make it bitter and dull.
Whisk properly. The goal is to break up every particle of matcha and aerate slightly. 15-20 seconds of vigorous whisking. If you're making matcha daily, a Carnival Matcha Home Starter Set includes a chasen, bowl, spoon, and a tin of matcha — everything you need.
Cold milk, not room temp. Straight from the fridge. Cold milk creates better contrast against the matcha shot and keeps the drink cold longer without diluting from melted ice.
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