Our second Chicago Matcha Club gathering was a hit! After such positive feedback from our July meetup, we decided to try something new this time—splitting into morning and afternoon sessions. Both sessions sold out quickly, and we more than doubled our attendance from the previous month. The perfect August weather didn’t hurt either.

Getting Our Hands Dirty: The First 30 Minutes

We kicked off both sessions with old-fashioned shop talk. People brought their own whisks and bowls, and we dove into the practical stuff that makes or breaks your daily matcha routine—water temperature, ratios, whisking techniques, and even some latte art discussion.

The Main Event: Spotting Fakes in a Blind Tasting

Here’s where things got interesting. We’ve been noticing more and more counterfeit matcha flooding the market lately, especially products trying to capitalize on respected Japanese brands. So we decided to put it to the test.

Our reference point was Marukyu Koyamaen’s Izusu matcha from Uji, Kyoto—nothing fancy, just a decent, honest matcha that’s been around forever. Against this, we pitted three Chinese products, all suspiciously using the “Izusu” name and implying authentic Uji matcha — while also bearing “Made in China” on the tin.

What We Tasted

We sourced four matchas total for our blind tasting:

• One authentic Marukyu Koyamaen Izusu from Japan
• Three Chinese products that use the “Izusu” namesake (all acquired from Taobao)

The Verdict

While the majority of our group did prefer the original Japanese Izusu, it wasn’t as cut-and-dried as we expected. Several people had trouble distinguishing between the Japanese and Chinese products, which honestly makes the point even better—the counterfeit problem is real, and it’s getting sophisticated.

This wasn’t about Japanese superiority or anything like that. It was about authenticity, transparency, and understanding what you’re actually buying when you shell out for “premium Uji matcha.”

As popularity has grown, so has quality and it’s just a matter of time until some of these “fake” matchas become real contenders.

Making It Happen

None of this would have been possible without some serious behind-the-scenes help. Huge thanks to Ling in Shanghai who helped us source the Chinese samples, and to Elle from Sugoi Sweets for translation work and additional product research.

And of course, massive appreciation to Ian at Move Along Coffee and the team at Handcrafted Barbershop for letting us take over their space again. Their support makes these gatherings possible.

Some might try to pivot here and say that the real stars of the show were our matcha club members. But let’s be real, it’s all about the matcha. That said, we’re delightfully blown away by the thoughtful questions, genuine curiosity, and good-natured willingness to try whatever we put in front of you. Having such an engaged group of matcha lovers is what makes these events truly worthwhile.

---

Looking ahead, we’re sticking with the split session format—it seems to work well for everyone’s schedules. Keep an eye out for details on our next meetup, and as always, feel free to reach out with questions or suggestions.

---

Wanna be the first to register for next time? Sign up here and we’ll let you know!