What Puts The 'Dirty' In A Dirty Matcha Latte?

Although more caffeine is usually in a matcha than a typical brewed green tea, to really get your day off to a buzzing start, you might consider upgrading your matcha latte to a dirty matcha latte. Why would someone want a "dirty" morning drink? Well, it's certainly not the same type of "dirty" as a martini with extra olive brine. What makes a matcha latte dirty is adding a shot of espresso. Would you like some more caffeine with your caffeine?

If you are not that familiar with matcha, but see it featured in an exploding category cropping up on coffee menus, it is helpful to know that matcha is made from the same plant as green tea, but what separates matcha from green tea is that the leaves are dried and ground into a powder. This powder is whisked with hot water to create the base of a matcha drink. So, you are actually drinking the pulverized tea leaves, as opposed to just steeping the leaves and drinking the water like you would with brewed green tea. Matcha is often described as tasting grassy or earthy. Although it has inspired legions of ardent followers around the globe, it is somewhat of an acquired taste, so adding a bitter, rich espresso shot on top may sound even more curious.

If you are already a fan of the bold and deep flavors of espresso and would like to dabble in the world of matcha, a dirty matcha latte might just be your next go-to order. By combining matcha with your espresso, you can enjoy both the vegetal notes of the matcha itself and perhaps the more familiar rich notes of coffee. This can obviously work in reverse, as well, if you are a devoted matcha drinker feeling the lure of espresso. 

But the real draw for many people is the caffeine kick. Matcha typically has 18 to 44 milligrams of caffeine per teaspoon of ground leaves, while an espresso shot offers around 64 milligrams. Made with 1 to 2 teaspoons of matcha, a "dirty" matcha latte can deliver a whopping 100 milligrams of caffeine.

You could try these popular chain matcha drinks and add a shot of espresso (either in-store or hack it with a pod at home or the office). Or, you could get artisanal and create your own dirty matcha latte at home, just be sure to avoid common matcha mistakes, like using too much matcha powder, using boiling water, or worst, not using a whisk, which can leave you with super unpleasant clumps of matcha powder. It's hard to come back from that even with twice the caffeine in your drink.