Matcha · Zero proof
Uji Tonic
Two ingredients and a technique. The current standard zero proof serve in Tokyo listening bars.
GlassHighball, large ice cubes.
- 2 ggood matcha
- 40 mlcold water
- 130 mlchilled tonic water, to top, or soda for a drier version
MethodWhisk the matcha and water in a bowl until smooth and slightly frothy. Fill the glass with ice, add tonic first, then pour the matcha slowly over the back of a spoon so it layers green over clear.
GarnishA lime wedge on the rim. Serve unstirred and let the guest fold the layers together.
Cost estimateBetween roughly CHF 1 and 4 in matcha alone (2 g), per the booklet's own balance note. Tonic water is not priced in the source material, so a full drink cost cannot be given.
What to expect in the glass
The most photogenic drink in the book and the least forgiving. Unstirred, the first sip is quinine and bubbles and the last is concentrated tea. Stirred, it becomes one clean bittersweet green drink. Both are correct. Serving it unstirred hands the guest a small decision, which is the whole charm.
Tonic's quinine bitterness and matcha's tannin stack, so this leans bitter. Soda water instead of tonic gives a drier, cleaner drink and lets the tea speak. If you are serving people who do not already like matcha, use soda.
The lime is not decoration. A squeeze cuts the tannin and makes the whole thing suddenly refreshing rather than serious.
Balance note
Printed as written, with one correction to the technique.
Two grams of matcha will not properly disperse in 40 ml of cold water. Matcha is a suspension and cold water leaves it gritty. Whisk it first into about 15 ml of water at roughly 70 degrees to make a smooth paste, then whisk in the remaining cold water. Same temperature, none of the grit.
On economics, worth saying out loud: at Swiss prices, 2 g of matcha is between one and four francs of tea in a single glass depending on what you bought. This recipe makes the shortage argument better than any chart in this booklet.
Simon's note after tasting
Aroma: clean green tea over citrus and quinine, more restrained than the color suggests.
Palate: bittersweet and lively. The tonic pushes quinine forward and the matcha answers with tannin and a vegetal depth. Stirred it reads as one drink; unstirred it changes from top to bottom.
Finish: dry, green and slightly bitter, cleaned up considerably by the lime.
Overall: the one to serve when you want a zero proof drink that nobody apologizes for. Use soda for a first-timer, tonic for someone who already drinks matcha.