Matcha is a popular green tea, and people are using it in food and beverage everywhere. You’ve probably even heard of people ordering it as a custom green tea at Starbucks. Matcha is a pulverized green tea, especially high in antioxidants.
I thought it would be fun to look at some iced Matcha options:
Teavana Sparkling Iced Matcha with Mint:
As a seasonal summer drink, you can order a sparkling, mint iced Matcha. This is not available at all Teavana stores, rather only the special “tea bars” which have food and beverges. There are 5 of the Teavana concept tea bars, including Chicago, New York, Beverly Hills and Seattle. In Seattle, there are actually two Teavana stores where you can get this drink: University Village and Pacific Place mall. The matcha (same matcha in all of these three drinks) is lightly sweetened. This beverage uses matcha, water, and a sprig of mint. The entire recipe goes into the Fizzio carbonation machine, causing the drink to really absorb the mint flavor.
This is my favorite of the iced matcha drinks that I tried. It has both a lot of sparkle and you can taste the mint flavor. This drink is very lightly sweetened with a Teavana syrup made from Teavana “rock sugar.”
The 16-ounce Teavana iced matcha drinks comes out right around $4.33. Prices may vary by region. This is a summer seasonal drink.
Starbucks Iced Matcha Custom Tea:
Sometimes people go to Starbucks and ask for matcha to be added to water. This is a custom green tea. The first time I ordered it (in preparation for this article) I didn’t enjoy it very much, but then I tried it again, and began to see the appeal of ordering this beverage. This would never be my go-to drink but it is light, and not very sweet. If you really wanted something super light, low calorie, and healthy, I could see the appeal of “Matcha water.”
To be clear, when you order a “matcha water” at Starbucks, you should be charged for a “custom iced tea.” I believe that you would be charged for both the “matcha” and “custom iced tea” charge, but I’m not 100% on that. I’ve heard two different things. As you can see, my 16-0unce Starbucks matcha water was about $3.34. Prices may vary. It is not an 88 cent beverage.
This drink is available at Starbucks stores everywhere.
The Roastery Sparkling Iced Matcha with Mint:
In theory, this is very close to the 
same drink as the Teavana seasonal iced matcha beverage. There is no Fizzio machine at the Roastery so they use a sparkling water, and just add the sprig of mint at the end. Also, at the Roastery they have a simple syrup called Demerera syrup, which is created by Tom Douglas-created syrup. The Roastery version of this drink uses just a few pumps of Demerera syrup.
It is really close, but somehow I like the Fizzio-created version better. The mint flavor seems to get better infused throughout the drink by putting all the ingredients together into the Fizzio.
A 16-ounce Sparkling Iced Matcha with Mint at the Roastery is $6.03 (after tax) – $5.50 before tax. This is a summer seasonal drink.
Teavana Imperial Grade Matcha:
Also, I want to mention that Teavana sells a high quality, imperial grade matcha in their stores, everywhere. There are roughly 600 Teavana stores in the U.S. and you can order the matcha through teavana.com also. My understanding is that this is hand-pulverized, unsweetened matcha. Use it your smoothies, as an ice cream topping, or whatever you like! (Okay, the ice cream topping idea is just my silly idea!)
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We were instructed to charge just for the custom iced tea and only use the add matcha modifier if more than the standard amount of matcha per cup size was requested.
@Alyssa – I ordered this twice, in preparation for writing this. And the first store I went to – you can see the receipt – said it was custom iced tea plus matcha. The second store I went to was pretty insistent that it was a custom iced tea, and only add the matcha modifier if a very large amount is being used. So my second store had the same thinking of you. I don’t really know the right answer! Both partners sounded very sure of the way you should price this drink!
I wish the sugar would be taken out of the matcha used in drinks. I worked for Teavana for a few years before transferring into a Starbucks, and Teavana’s matcha is absolutely fantastic. The current matcha used in drinks is hardly a match. Starbucks bought Teavana to elevate our tea offerings, but the matcha has not been touched at all.
I would love to be able to try the Sparkling Iced Matcha with Mint. Alas, I live too far away from these stores. Maybe I can figure out a way to recreate it at home. Sounds so good!!
Interesting… I just re-read this article. I tried to order this drink at a Reserve store recently, and I was told they could not put the matcha in the Fizzio machine. Hmmm… I would hate to think they just didn’t want to make it for me. I realize they did not have the sprig of mint, so I suggested a pump of peppermint syrup.
@LisaWaller – I’ve been meaning to reply to you. Sorry it took me several days! I’m disappointed they said “no”. The default at Starbucks should be yes, and you’ve just demonstrated a good example of this. We know it can’t possibly be a problem to make this drink since Teavana tea bars are doing it. I had written an article before about 10 Ways Starbucks Could Improve, and I notice that we’re often very far afield of “yes” to almost “just say no.” And I see that not just a Starbucks thing but a trend that’s very large across many retailers. http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/05/12/10-ways-starbucks-could-improve/
I appreciate your comments, Melody. You are so right, and it is so sad. I say very often customer service has become so much more about “what’s your social security number” than about showing some compassion to the person you’re talking to. When I call a phone number and get a live person it almost startles me. The barista’s comment to me was in part, “We cannot put the Matcha in the Fizzio, because it will get clogged up in the tubes”. Sort of made me think… Hmmm… what about all the syrupy sweetness from the Fizzio ingredients that go in there, too? Are you telling me the Fizzio machine is never cleaned? Here’s the best part, though… and the light at the end of the tunnel… My favorite local Starbucks is the one in Longwood, Florida at the corner of SR 434 and Markham Woods Road. Busiest one in the district… it is always packed, and rarely will you pull up to the drive-through that you won’t have cars in front of you. Speedy, personal, amazing customer service from this store. The SM has been there for 20 years. Yep!! 20 years!! The ASM came to work at the store I was a former partner at during a time we were without an SM. Her name is Beth, and she rocks! I contacted her yesterday… Not only is she going to hold one of the cute little burlap bags for me, but she also said… with enthusiasm… “YOU KNOW IT!!” when I asked she could Fizz Matcha water for me. THAT’S how it’s done!!
Thanks for the information! We love the Green Tea Frappuccinos.
Lisa, as far as I know, the only limitations fizzio has is adding dairy. That’s a no no. But I have consumed many spiced root beer with vanilla bean powder. What’s the difference? Not much I suspect. Again, I’m not at a fizzio store, and I don’t know the rules, but hearing this surprises me.
I do not like matcha plain so I always mix it with something fruity. For example the Peach Green Tea Lemonage or the refreshers such as Strawberry Acai.