![Matcha ado about [some]thing!“Tastes like grass.” Matcha gets this description quite a lot. So it was interesting to spe...](https://img4.foodyas.com/029/385/122232781520293857.jpg)
08/10/2026
Matcha ado about [some]thing!
“Tastes like grass.”
Matcha gets this description quite a lot. So it was interesting to spend an evening learning a little more about it and the whole science behind what we taste.
A couple of weeks ago, we joined a tasting organised by brut tea, Sproud, Tribe Coffee, and Pact Coffee | B Corp™. Two different matchas, each tried straight, with oat milk and with Sproud’s pea milk. We practised our whisking and compared tasting notes along the way. brut tea | elevate your matcha Sproud Pact Coffee B Corporation UK
Here comes the science…
The team explained how compounds in pea protein can enhance our perception of matcha’s umami—that savoury depth of flavour. Interesting how much the choice of milk can change the experience. Plenty to think about for what we serve at Almari.
I’m still a coffee drinker. No plans to convert to matcha! But the uptake at Almari Coffee has been good, and it’s something we take seriously. If our customers enjoy it, we want to understand it and serve it well.
Something else stayed with me too.
When it came to evening prayer time, I asked a member of the Pact team about somewhere to pray. They immediately understood what I needed and offered me a quiet spot. No fuss. Just a thoughtful, welcoming response.
This is one of the reasons I love London. People with different backgrounds coming together, sharing what they know and making space for one another.
Thank you to everyone involved for the learning, conversations and hospitality.
Also, it’s not every day you get to meet a UK Barista Champion. h/t Laura Metcalfe 👏
Raphael Chow Gene Ke Laura Metcalfe
Laura Metcalfe Raphael Chow
