The Disappointing Type Of Matcha Dutch Bros Uses, According To Reddit

Dutch Bros is known for cultivating an image and lifestyle (Broista lifestyle, if that's a thing?) and being easily accessible via their drive thru oriented shops. They're even cutting into Starbucks and Dunkin's market share quite quickly, with plans to open 150 locations per year. They serve massive, sweet drinks and bump trendy music. So while expectations were never high, a lot of customers were excited to see matcha added to their menu. There's just one catch: it's not matcha, it's a syrup made from green tea extract.

Matcha is supposed to be made from green tea that's been ground into a fine powder, then whisked with hot water. It creates a grassy, intense, and powerful little drink, somewhat akin to tea espresso. Rumors on Reddit say the syrup is made from some kind of matcha concentrate, but Redditors and reviewers online aren't really sold on it. It's described as overly sweet and totally lacks any of the distinctive characteristics matcha is supposed to be known for. It seems these matcha drinks share matcha's signature color, and not much else.

It's hard to bag on Dutch Bros for this matcha mishap, because while Starbucks claims to use real matcha in their drinks, the powder they use comes presweetened. It seems if you desire raw, unadulterated matcha, it's a matcha bar or a fancy, craft coffee place for you. But this raises a point for me that I find fascinating: differences in taste across cultures.

Matcha is an interesting drink simply because, when made with high grade matcha (which is hard to come by because it is bonkers expensive), it yields a cup of tea that is sweet, savory, umami, grassy, vegetal and bitter. It's not as simple or straightforward as say, a cup of bagged green tea or even most common loose leaf green teas.

But we've come to think of drinks like matcha as a quick fix for energy, something trendy and fun to partake in, as something that should be made like a latte. And while innovations and cultural adaptations of food are, in general a good thing, matcha is supposed to take time. As a barista, nothing was worse than a string of matcha orders during a rush. The dosage, the whisking, the proper water temperature — it's just hard to say it's an efficient drink to make. So it's no surprise big chains use syrups and other shortcuts. But we should at least have the decency to say it's not really matcha.