Cream tops, sweet clouds, and lush toppings are everywhere right now. They look beautiful—but while developing our new autumn drinks, we consciously asked ourselves one question: Why do we actually drink matcha?
For us, matcha is much more than the green base for a trendy drink. Over 800 years ago, the Zen monk Eisai wrote in the Kissa Yōjōki about tea in the context of yōjō—the nourishment and preservation of life. Today, thanks to numerous scientific studies, we know much more about the special components of green tea, including catechins like EGCG, L-theanine, and caffeine.
This history and our own experience with tea also shape the way we develop new beverages.
Of course, matcha should be fun. It can be fruity, spicy, hot, cold, and surprising. But we don’t want to turn it into a milkshake. A thick crown of cream, sugar, syrup, or cream cheese can quickly turn a fine matcha into a dessert—and, above all, mask one thing: the taste of the tea itself.
That is why we are taking a different path this autumn. We are combining matcha and hojicha with ingredients that accompany the tea rather than hiding it: yuzu and freshly grated ginger, black sesame, maple and a hint of sea salt, chestnut, orange, and the warm roasted notes of hojicha.
Modern drinks, yes. But the tea remains at the center.
Or, to put it somewhat tongue-in-cheek: Over 800 years ago, Eisai did not write about how to decorate tea with a cream crown. He wrote about tea as a healing beverage and how it can contribute to the nourishment of life.
And that is exactly where our autumn drinks begin.
First, a quick note on our matcha selection: of course, you can use our Gofun for all matcha lattes, and soon our new matcha for lattes, Uzu. But for those who want something a bit more refined, you should switch to the smoother Saigo, or the slightly wilder Kaimon or Geppaku. The color will naturally be greener, too.
Yuzu Ginger Matcha
Our Shinkoko signature matcha for autumn: fresh, slightly spicy, wonderfully aromatic, and a boost for your immune system.
Naturally, we also experimented with real yuzu juice. It tastes great—but with the quantities required, the drink unfortunately becomes pretty unaffordable. Fortunately, we discovered the yuzu syrup from 1883, which combines yuzu with lemon.
With ginger, however, we make no compromises: it has to be freshly grated. For this, we use our new Japanese ginger grater, which we import directly from Japan and which you can also find in our shop.
Ingredients
- 3 g matcha as described above
- 30 ml water, approx. 80 °C
- 5 g freshly grated ginger
- 15 ml 1883 yuzu syrup
- 180 ml oat drink or whole milk
Preparation
Grate the ginger finely. Whisk the matcha separately with the water. Add the yuzu syrup and ginger to the warm milk and then combine with the matcha.
By the way, it also works wonderfully as an iced latte.
Our tip: 5 g of fresh ginger packs a real punch. Feel free to start with less and find your own personal favorite amount.
Black Sesame Matcha Latte
Black sesame and matcha are a dream team, and not just in terms of looks. The nutty, intense aroma of the roasted sesame creates an exciting contrast to the fresh green of the matcha.
We recommend 100% black sesame paste and not sesame syrup. In Vienna, you can find authentic Japanese sesame paste, for example, at Nippon-Ya on Faulmanngasse.
Ingredients
- 3 g matcha as described above
- 30 ml water
- 15 g black sesame paste
- 15 ml vanilla syrup
- 180 ml milk or oat drink
Preparation
First, stir the sesame paste thoroughly. Then mix well with the vanilla syrup and about 30 ml of warm milk until a uniform emulsion forms.
Add the remaining milk and pour the freshly whisked matcha over the top.
It looks especially beautiful as an iced drink: the gray-black sesame milk at the bottom, with the bright green of the matcha on top.
A little freshly grated black sesame on top provides the perfect Insta-look.
Maple Sea Salt Matcha Latte
We simply associate maple syrup with autumn. And a tiny pinch of sea salt gives the sweet maple a little kick, making the drink surprisingly sophisticated.
Ingredients
- 3 g matcha as described above
- 30 ml water, approx. 70–75 °C
- 15 ml maple syrup
- 180–200 ml milk or oat drink
- 1 small pinch of fine sea salt
Preparation
Whisk the matcha until smooth with the water. Add the maple syrup and just a small pinch of sea salt, and top up with hot, frothed milk.
We prefer using organic Grade A maple syrup. As a cheaper and very practical alternative for the catering industry, the maple syrup from 1883 also works well.
Of course, this matcha works iced as well.
For us, autumn is hojicha latte time
When the days get shorter and cooler, the warm, roasted aromas of hojicha really come into their own. That’s why it gets several appearances in our autumn drinks.
Chestnut Orange Hojicha
Austria—and especially Vienna—is chestnut country. And chestnut harmonizes so wonderfully with the roasted aromas of hojicha that our mouths are watering just writing this.
The orange adds freshness and prevents the drink from becoming too heavy. And for adults, you can occasionally use a dash of Grand Marnier instead of orange juice.
Ingredients
- 4 g Shinkoko Hojicha powder
- 40 ml hot water
- 15 g chestnut puree
- 160–180 ml oat drink
- 15 ml vanilla syrup
- approx. 30 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
- alternatively 15 ml Grand Marnier
- finely grated organic orange zest
Preparation
Mix the hojicha with hot water until smooth. Stir the chestnut puree, vanilla, and orange juice together and smooth it out with a little warm milk. Froth the remaining milk, add it, and then pour in the hojicha.
For the alcoholic version, we use 15 ml of Grand Marnier instead of orange juice.
Finally, grate fresh organic orange zest over the milk foam. That way, you can smell the orange with the very first sip.
We recommend pure chestnut puree by Schenkel without added vanilla.
Salted Caramel Hojicha Latte
Salted caramel and hojicha are a perfect match. Caramel, salt, and the roasted notes of the tea don't really need much explanation.
Ingredients
- 4 g hojicha powder
- 40 ml hot water
- 15 ml caramel syrup
- 180–200 ml milk or oat drink
- 1 small pinch of sea salt
Preparation
Mix hojicha with hot water, add caramel syrup and a small pinch of salt, and top up with frothed milk.
It's even easier with 1883 Salted Caramel Syrup—then no additional salt is needed.
Amaretto Hojicha
Almond liqueur and hojicha—for us, a combination made for each other. The almond notes and the roasted aromas of the tea complement each other wonderfully.
Ingredients
- 4 g hojicha powder
- 40 ml hot water
- 10 ml amaretto syrup or 15 ml amaretto liqueur
- 10 ml vanilla syrup
- 180–200 ml milk or oat drink
Preparation
Mix hojicha with hot water. Add the syrup or liqueur and vanilla syrup, and top up with frothed milk.
Finally, sprinkle with a small amount of hojicha powder—done.
Our classic: Pear Cardamom Hojicha
For us, pear and cardamom belong together like tomato and basil. The fruity sweetness of the pear, the fragrance of the cardamom, and the roasted aromas of the hojicha make this one of our favorite autumn drinks.
Ingredients
- 4 g hojicha powder
- 40 ml hot water
- 10 ml vanilla syrup
- 50–70 ml pear puree
- 180–200 ml milk or oat drink
- cardamom powder to taste
Preparation
Place the pear puree in a glass, sprinkle a little cardamom over it, and stir well. Stir in the vanilla syrup and top up with frothed milk.
Mix the hojicha with hot water until smooth and pour over the top.
Finally, sprinkle a small pinch of cardamom over the drink—the scent alone is part of autumn for us.