Dripworks' Matcha Latte

Bottoms Up

By Kristi Kates | April 29, 2017

The trendy tea product called matcha is currently having its moment in the spotlight. How matcha is made is – dare we say – matchless in the tea world.

Let’s start with what matcha actually is: a finely ground powder made of green tea that’s farmed and processed in a very specific way. The green tea plants that go into matcha are shade–grown for several weeks prior to harvest, which encourages them to produce more caffeine and theanine (an amino acid believed to reduce stress).

During processing, the stems and veins of the leaves are removed before the leaves are stone–ground into matcha tea powder. That powder isn’t put into tea bags. Instead, it’s dissolved by the spoonful into either water or milk, creating a bright green beverage that’s naturally sweet and faintly vegetal.

Petoskey’s Dripworks, already well known for its distinctive coffee drinks and modern atmosphere, is quickly becoming a stop for matcha fans as well. Dripworks serves up matcha in the form of its Matcha Latte, which blends the matcha tea powder with hot steamed milk and a dash of simple syrup. It’s a unique drink, and thanks to some pretty latte art on top, it’s also the perfect drink to welcome in spring.

Find the Matcha Latte ($4.50 each) at Dripworks at 207 Howard Street in downtown Petoskey. For more information, visit dripworkscoffee.com or call (231) 881-9227.