If you’re already a matcha-lover, you’ll appreciate these cooling recipes easy enough to prepare at home. And if you’re not yet familiar with the wonders of matcha, start right here. Saraya shares with us the potent benefits to making it your daily go-to beverage (perhaps even as a substitute to your morning caffeine fix?). And if you prefer having your refreshing matcha prepared for you, check out these 5 trendy cafes.    

Written by: Saraya van Dreumel (founder of Awaken Matcha)

The heat is slowly melting us, wherever you are. And it’s not just in the cities or in Italy, most of Europe has been hit with intense heat waves in recent weeks.

Other than good air conditioning, avoiding the sun during peak hours, and plunging into water whenever our schedules allow, is there anything else we can do?

Here’s one ritual that never fails me…

…making something cold, delicious, and energizing - with minimal prep and maximum impact.

A simple iced matcha is one of the most refreshing drinks you can sip, and it comes with more than just good taste.

Why Matcha is the Perfect Summer Drink

Matcha is naturally rich in antioxidants - especially catechins like EGCG - which help protect cells from oxidative stress caused by heat and sun exposure (source: Journal of Chromatography A, 2003).

It’s also a source of L-theanine, a unique amino acid that promotes calm focus. It helps with the slow release of caffeine found in matcha. It provides an uplifting, yet non-jittery energy, for up to 4 to 6 hours. Unlike cold brew or sugary energy drinks, drinking matcha doesn’t lead to that post-caffeine crash, and is much healthier than artificial options like energy drinks.

And when you prepare it cold?

You reduce the bitterness and enhance its smooth, vegetal sweetness even more, making it the perfect summer refreshment.

Why does it reduce the bitterness you may ask?

Because the temperature of the water changes the extraction of certain components within the matcha.

Up to 80 degrees celsius L-theanine - which gives the matcha is vegetable sweet and umami taste - is extracted the most, with any temperature after this its extraction of catechins and caffeine will over power more.

The caffeine and catechins are present in the plant to protect the plant from pests, hence their astringent and bitter taste.

However, in a high quality matcha, the chlorophyll and L-theanine content contrast these flavours with sweetness and earthy umami. 

Keep in mind that when your matcha covers your mouth completely in bitterness even after you have swallowed it - this isn’t how it should be.

Ditch it.

Perhaps use it to bake, but this is not the type of matcha you want to use for your drinks.

What makes for a high-quality matcha? 

To reap all of the health benefits, high-quality matcha should be:

• Shade-grown for at least 21 days

Shade growing keeps the L-theanine content that is initially stored in the roots of the plant. It’s not true that shading the plant ‘boosts’ this content, it rather keeps the already existing L-theanine inside the plant. Without shade, it gets converted into substances like catechins. 

• Picked during the first harvest (spring)

  • This is a basic - any harvest other than the 1st one is not for drinking matcha. The 1st harvest has the highest L-theanine and nutrient content. For our Awaken matcha only the last 4 leaves are picked, other farms often use the last 8. This leaves a less nutrient-dense matcha.

    
    

• Ground in small batches on stone mills

  • Stone milling is a lengthy process - 1kg per day! But it is the most traditional and best way for tencha milling. It keeps all the aroma and nutrients inside, and leaves a powder that does not feel sandy in your mouth!

    
    

• Grown away from pollution and tested for purity

  • Pollution, when in contact with the plants and the soil, will result in heavy metals in the final product. These heavy metals are not good for you. This is the reason why our matcha comes from Kagoshima, and not from Uji. In Uji we were not able to find matcha that was completely free of heavy metals. And you might think a bio certification logo means that the product is safe…Unfortunately this is not necessarily the case. It often just means that it is within acceptable parameters. 

  • Pesticides & Herbicides - I don’t think that I have to explain why it is better for your health, the health of the farmers and the health of our beautiful planet to choose products that are grown completely without pesticides and herbicides. Our farmer uses no chemicals of any kind on his plants. To fertilise the soil he makes his own compost that ferments for 4 years before using, weeds are removed by hand, and for the removal of pests he relies on nature - like ladybugs. Cross contamination is an important factor to consider, if the farm is not surrounded by other organic farms there will still be cross contamination of chemicals like pesticides and herbicides. So for a real clean matcha, the farm has to be surrounded by other organic farms.

That’s exactly what Awaken Matcha offers, because without these specifics, your matcha can do you more harm than good. 

Now let’s move on to the drinks that can help you feel hydrated and cool this summer.

3 easy recipes to make cooling matcha drinks

How to make an iced matcha (the simplest ritual)

A classic, if you like to keep things simple. This drink is naturally refreshing and a great thirst-killer.

You’ll need:

• 1 gram of Awaken Matcha

• 60 ml hot water (max 80°C)

• Ice (a generous amount)

• Extra water to top off

  
  

How to make it:

1. Fill a tall glass with ice and water.

2. Whisk the matcha with the hot water.

3. Pour the matcha over the ice.

4. Stir and enjoy.

How to make an iced matcha latte (creamy & cooling)

In the picture shown I used real strawberries for a bit of a twist, making it a healthier, sugar-free option (instead of using a syrup, for example). For an extra creamy option, I recommend cashew or coconut milk.

You’ll need:

• 2 grams of Awaken Matcha

• 40 ml hot water (max 80°C)

• 200 ml milk of choice (oat is my favourite)

• Ice

  
  

How to make it:

1. Fill your glass with ice and pour in the milk. Leave a few cm of space at the top.

2. Whisk your matcha with hot water.

3. Gently pour the matcha over the milk—it should swirl beautifully.

4. Mix and sip.

   
   

How to make an iced ginger matcha (surprisingly addictive)

This is a special one as I love ginger beer in general-so this combo is amazing! 

You’ll need:

• ½ gram of Awaken Matcha

• 40 ml hot water (max 80°C)

• Ginger beer or ginger tonic (Fever Tree works great)

• Ice

Optional: a splash of strawberry syrup at the base.

How to make it:

1. Add ice to your glass and pour in the ginger beer, leaving some space at the top.

2. Whisk the matcha with hot water.

3. Pour over your drink, stir, and enjoy.

4. If using syrup, add it before the ice for a layered effect.

   
   

If you prefer to go out for matcha instead of making it at home, I can suggest the following spots:

Where to find matcha in Milan:

• The Seed (iced matcha latte, or iced matcha)

• Serra di quartiere (iced matcha latte, or iced matcha)

• MICA (iced matcha latte)

Where to find matcha in Vimercate:

• Sottocasa, they have a lovely outdoor terrace, perfect for the early mornings on Saturday and Sunday! (I’d recommend booking in advance). They make a mean strawberry iced matcha latte, but their normal iced matcha or iced matcha lattes are also made to perfection.

Where to find matcha in Lombardy:

• DAL COL in Bassano Del Grappa. Perfect for a weekend trip, and a huge selection of iced matcha drinks (they also have fantastic pastries!) 

If you’d like to start making your matchas at home and make it a nourishing, daily ritual for yourself, why not take a look at our subscription options on the website? We’re working on making your morning routines even more special by introducing different types of Japanese and handmade tools in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for more!

I hope this post brings you a little refreshment and a lot of inspiration this summer. I’ve just inspired myself, so I'm off to make an iced matcha latte (again).

Take care, stay cool, and until next time.

October 2025 will be an exciting period - I’m hosting ‘The Matcha Movement’ retreat, a 3-night retreat in the hills of Spain, designed to help you unplug from the noise and come back to yourself.

With mindful movement, nourishing plant-based meals, daily journaling, and moments shared over Awaken Matcha, this experience is your invitation to rest, reflect, and realign. All in the company of likeminded women from around the world.All details are right here, I hope to see you there!

Love, 

Saraya van Dreumel

Founder - Awaken 

@awakenbysaraya 

www.awakenbysvd.com

Proofread and edited by Ché Milani

Ready to dive in & join MWN? Check out our events 

With 3 membership options to choose from (including free), connect with us here

Follow us on Instagram