Does Matcha Expire?

Ensuring the freshness of your matcha powder is pivotal to retaining its vibrant green hue and reaping its health benefits. Matcha powder, known for its fine consistency, is susceptible to external factors that can compromise its quality over time. To extend the shelf life of your matcha and keep it from turning stale, store it in an airtight container. An unopened matcha, kept in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and moisture, can remain fresh for an extended period. However, once opened, it's advisable to consume it within a few weeks to preserve the matcha's quality and prevent it from becoming stale.

Whether you have already been drinking matcha for a while, or you have only just discovered this unique and flavorsome brew, you will soon discover that there are many things you can do to enhance your experience of it. One of the things to that end is to make sure that you are using matcha which is good quality, but also in good condition. And for that, you’ll have to ensure that it is as fresh as possible.

Aligned with this concern is the important question: does matcha expire? If it does and it has a shelf life, then you can be sure that you need to pay attention to that. So let’s see whether matcha expires and what to do about it if it does. As we will shortly see, matcha can certainly ‘go bad’, and there are many factors at play as to whether that happens sooner or later.

Factors Affecting Expiry

Matcha is a dried goods product, and they generally are able to last a very long time before expiring. However, there are certain factors that will certainly increase the rate at which this happens. With matcha, one vulnerability here is that it has a large surface area, because it is effectively a finely ground powder. That means that it is more susceptible to oxidation, which can lead to the deterioration of the compounds in matcha.

Over time, that can mean that it loses some of its distinctive bitter flavor, and even some of its bright green color too. You can help to avoid this by storing matcha properly, keeping it dry and cool, and using proper packaging. Also, if you buy high grade matcha like Encha in the first place, it will generally take longer to expire.

Signs Of Expiry

But how do you actually know when matcha has gone bad, or when it has started to expire? There are a few signs that you may want to be aware of here. First of all, and perhaps most noticeably, you will find that the matcha is starting to lose that distinctive bright green color, and it may instead look pale in comparison to how it used to. That is a sure sign that it is starting to lose its potency.

Also, if you taste it, you will notice that it is lacking in the same astringency you would expect of good matcha. So with these signs, you can expect the matcha to be expiring.

Anything loses quality as it expires, and matcha is no different. The impact however can be quite gradual, again because it is a dried good and it can take a while to really go bad. Nonetheless, you will find quite early on that the matcha is going to start tasting bad, and that it won’t give you the same health benefits that you might want from it either. Clearly, it is best to opt for high grade Encha matcha that is less likely to expire, and to make sure that you are storing it properly at all times, to avoid these issues.

Debunking Misconceptions

Some people think that matcha is dangerous when it expires. The truth is it doesn’t really expire in that sense - it just loses its taste, potency and health benefits. It is safe to drink expired matcha - generally - but it will probably taste bitter.

Another common misconception is that matcha only lasts a couple of months. In fact, good quality Encha matcha will last a lot longer than that, somewhere in the region of 12 months before it starts to lose its potency.