How to Make a Matcha Americano (No Milk Needed)

Recipe · 4 minutes

Ceremonial-grade Guizhou matcha, water, and ice — no milk, no sugar. When the matcha itself is this good, an americano is the simplest way to taste it.

  • Iced
  • 1 serving
  • Ready in 4 minutes
A smooth matcha americano made with single-origin Guizhou ceremonial matcha powder

A matcha americano is the simplest way to drink matcha there is: whisk matcha into a smooth concentrate with hot water, then pour it over ice and cold water — still or sparkling. No milk, no sugar, nothing to round out the flavor. What you taste is the matcha itself.

That simplicity is exactly why the matcha you start with matters so much more here than it does in a latte. This recipe is built on Matcha 007, our ceremonial-grade single-origin Guizhou matcha. It's the grade we make for drinking straight, and an americano — matcha, water, ice — is about as straight as it gets.

Why Ceremonial Matcha Makes the Better Americano

There's no milk or sugar in this drink to round out a rough matcha — so an americano tests the matcha itself more than any other way of drinking it. A thinner, everyday matcha tends to turn flat or bitter over just water and ice. Matcha 007 was made to be sipped this way.

Naturally Sweet, No Sugar Needed

Matcha 007 is our ceremonial grade, picked and milled for a rounder finish and a natural sweetness that lingers after each sip — the kind of gentle aftertaste that lets this drink stay unsweetened. Whisked with nothing but water and poured over ice, it stays smooth and layered instead of turning sharp or one-note.

Whisks Smooth With Water Alone

Milled fine enough to dissolve completely with just water, Matcha 007 whisks into a silky concentrate with no clumping, no gritty texture, and nothing settling at the bottom of your glass. Every batch is third-party lab tested, so it's a cup you can feel as good about as it tastes.

How to Make a Matcha Americano

Whisk the matcha into a concentrate first, then build it over ice and water. That order keeps the texture smooth and the flavor clean.

What You'll Need

HOT WATER

60 ml · 80–85°C, for whisking

COLD WATER

120–150 ml, still or sparkling

ICE

As desired

WHISK

Bamboo or electric frother

  1. Sift the matcha. Sift 1–2 teaspoons (3 g) of Matcha 007 into a bowl or wide cup to break up any clumps. With no milk to hide behind, texture matters more here than in a latte.
  2. Add hot water and whisk. Pour in about 60ml of hot water at around 80–85°C — never boiling, which can make matcha taste bitter. Whisk briskly in a "W" or "M" motion until the matcha is fully dispersed into a smooth, glossy concentrate.
  3. Build over ice. Fill a glass with ice, pour in 120–150ml of cold still or sparkling water, then slowly pour the whisked matcha over the top so it settles through the glass.
  4. Stir once, serve straight. Give it one gentle stir to bring the layers together. No milk, no sweetener — just matcha, water, and ice.

Why We Like This Recipe

An americano doesn't leave a matcha anywhere to hide. There's no milk to smooth over a flat or dusty powder, so we built this recipe on Matcha 007 — our ceremonial grade, milled from single-origin Guizhou matcha and reserved for drinking closer to straight.

It's the same reason we make it in the first place: when the matcha itself has the depth to carry a cup on its own, the simplest preparation is often the best one. Water, ice, and a good matcha — that's the whole recipe.

Make it at home

Start with Matcha 007 — Ceremonial Matcha Powder, then add the simple tools that help you whisk a smooth matcha americano at home.

Frequently asked questions

What is a matcha americano?
A matcha americano is matcha whisked into a smooth concentrate with hot water, then poured over ice and cold water — still or sparkling. There's no milk, similar in spirit to a coffee americano but built on whisked matcha instead of espresso.
Why use ceremonial-grade matcha instead of everyday matcha for an americano?
With no milk to round out the flavor, an americano shows the matcha's character directly. Matcha 007, our ceremonial-grade single-origin Guizhou matcha, tested at 2.09% L-theanine — the amino acid behind matcha's natural umami and sweetness — higher than our everyday-grade Matcha 003 at 1.98%. That makes it the grade we reach for when drinking matcha close to straight.
Can I use sparkling water instead of still?
Yes. Sparkling water adds a light effervescence that pairs well with matcha's fresh, vegetal notes, while still water keeps the focus purely on the tea. Either works — use whichever you have on hand.
Should the water be hot or cold when I whisk the matcha?
Whisk the matcha itself with hot water first, around 80–85°C — never boiling, which can make matcha taste bitter — to dissolve it fully into a smooth concentrate. Only after that do you pour it over cold water and ice to build the americano.
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