Dirty Matcha (Matcha with Espresso) for Cafés: 8 Official Recipes Compared, How to Layer It, Caffeine and Cost per Cup

Cafés that serve matcha lattes sometimes get asked, “Can you add espresso?” Dirty matcha, a matcha latte with espresso, is a drink with visible green and dark brown layers, and coffee companies and equipment makers publish official recipes for it. This article compares the ratios and pouring order in those recipes, then covers how to make the layers, caffeine per cup, cost, and how to name and label it on a café menu.

What is dirty matcha?

Dirty matcha is a matcha latte with espresso added. Starbucks sells the same combination under the name “Espresso & Matcha Fusion.”

Where the name comes from, and other names

Dallmayr, a German coffee company, explains that the name comes from the espresso darkening the bright green of the matcha and creating a layered look. Barista Magazine, a U.S. trade magazine, describes it as a matcha latte, typically iced, topped with a double shot of espresso, sometimes nicknamed the “camo latte” or “swamp latte.”

Kurasu, a coffee company in Kyoto, writes that adding a shot of espresso to a matcha latte to make “Dirty Matcha” is one of the popular customisations at its cafés. Starbucks Australia describes it as a layered drink combining its Espresso Roast (its espresso beans), green tea powder and milk. Starbucks Indonesia lists an Iced Espresso & Matcha Fusion and says it can be enjoyed hot and iced.

“Matcha espresso” can mean a different drink

In English, “matcha espresso” can also mean strong matcha with no coffee. Matcha.com, a matcha seller, uses the name for 1/2 teaspoon of matcha whisked with 2oz (about 60ml) of hot water, a small, strong serving like an espresso. Matcha is tencha (tea leaves grown under shade and dried without rolling) ground into a fine powder. For the matcha latte itself, see how to make a hot matcha latte and how to make an iced matcha latte.

Comparing official recipes

In official recipes, matcha is about 1 teaspoon (about 2g), espresso is a single or double shot, and milk is around 100–180ml. The biggest differences are the amount of espresso and the order in which the liquids are poured.

8 official sources compared

These are recipes and product descriptions published by an equipment maker (Breville), coffee companies (Dallmayr, Kurasu, Starbucks), matcha sellers (HEALTHBAR, Aprika Matcha) and a syrup maker (Monin).

Source	Matcha	Water to dissolve	Espresso	Milk	Sweetener	Pouring order (bottom first)
Breville (hot)	1 tsp	1 tbsp boiling water	Double	Steamed milk (amount not given)	Vanilla syrup 2 tsp	Matcha and syrup → espresso → milk
Breville (iced)	1 tsp	1 tbsp boiling water (cooled)	Cold double	Full cream milk 120ml	Vanilla syrup 20ml	Ice, espresso, syrup → milk and matcha
Dallmayr (iced)	150ml whisked matcha (powder amount not given)	Hot water (amount not given)	Double	100ml	Vanilla syrup, optional	Ice, cold milk → matcha → espresso
HEALTHBAR	1 tsp	60ml at about 80°C	About 30ml	Plant-based milk 150ml	Agave or honey 1–2 tsp, optional	Matcha and milk → espresso
Aprika Matcha	1 tsp	2oz (about 60ml) at about 80°C	1oz (about 30ml)	6oz (about 180ml)	Optional	Milk → espresso → matcha (reverse or stir also fine)
Kurasu	Sweetened matcha 12.5g	12.5g	1 shot	150g (hot latte)	Sugar is in the matcha	Not given
Starbucks Australia and Indonesia	Amount not given (matcha powder)	―	Espresso Roast	Milk	―	Described as layered
Monin	Matcha concentrate 30ml	―	1 shot	Listed (no unit)	Cinnamon bun syrup 30ml	Blended with ice (no layers)

What the table shows

Most recipes use about 1 teaspoon of matcha, not much different from a regular matcha latte. Ippodo Tea in Kyoto gives 2g of matcha as “1 level teaspoon.” Matcha powder changes weight depending on how tightly it is packed, so weigh it when you set your café recipe. For espresso, HEALTHBAR and Aprika Matcha use a single (about 30ml), and Breville and Dallmayr use a double. Three recipes, Breville (hot and iced) and Dallmayr, use vanilla syrup.

From here on is our view. If you already serve a matcha latte, you can start without extra prep by keeping your current latte recipe and deciding only between a single or double shot. A double makes the coffee flavour stronger, so taste both with your own espresso to check that the matcha still comes through.

How to make the layers and pouring order

Official recipes use two orders: espresso on top, or espresso at the bottom. In both, the second liquid is poured slowly on top of what is already in the glass.

Water’s weight changes with temperature and what is dissolved in it

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), water’s density (weight per unit of volume) changes with temperature and with the amount of material dissolved in it. The density of water is 1.00000g per cm³ at 4°C, 0.98338g at 60°C and 0.95865g at 100°C, so warmer water is lighter. USGS also says water becomes denser as more material is dissolved in it. These are values for water, not measurements of milk or espresso.

The two orders in official recipes

Dallmayr puts ice and cold milk in the glass, slowly pours in the whisked matcha, then gently adds a double espresso last. Dallmayr says pouring the matcha and espresso over the back of a spoon makes the best layers. HEALTHBAR also slowly pours the espresso over the matcha and milk.

Breville’s iced version uses the opposite order. It pours cold espresso and vanilla syrup into a glass of ice, then tops it with milk and matcha that has been dissolved in hot water and cooled.

Source: Breville, “Vanilla Dirty Iced Matcha” https://www.breville.com/inspiration/en-au/recipes/coffee-espresso/vanilla-dirty-iced-matcha

Choosing the order for your café (our view)

With espresso on top, customers can see the espresso being poured at the counter, and you can add a fresh shot after the order comes in. With espresso at the bottom, the green layer sits on top and the drink reads as a matcha drink. To follow the USGS explanation, dissolve the sweetener in the liquid you want at the bottom, and keep that liquid cold. Drunk as layers, the first sips taste only of espresso or only of matcha, so we suggest serving it with a straw or stirrer so customers can mix it. Why matcha sinks in liquid is covered in matcha lemonade, tonic and soda.

Iced and hot methods

Make the iced version as a drink that shows its layers, and the hot version with espresso under the milk foam. For both, dissolve the matcha first in a little hot water so there are no lumps.

Iced

An example with espresso on top, based on Dallmayr’s order:

Sift about 2g of matcha and dissolve it in water at about 80°C (add any sweetener here)
Fill a glass with ice and pour in cold milk
Pour the matcha slowly over the back of a spoon
Gently add the freshly made espresso the same way

HEALTHBAR uses cold milk for the iced version and says it can be made without frothing. How to dissolve matcha without lumps in cold milk is covered in how to make an iced matcha latte.

Hot

Breville’s hot version dissolves the matcha in boiling water in a cup and adds vanilla syrup. The cup goes under the espresso machine’s portafilter so the shot pours straight in, and steamed milk goes on top. Starbucks Australia also describes its hot Espresso & Matcha Fusion as a layered drink. For milk temperature and frothing, see how to make a hot matcha latte, and for choosing plant-based milk, see oat milk matcha latte.

Caffeine per cup

The caffeine in dirty matcha can be calculated by adding grams of matcha × 32mg and grams of espresso × 2.12mg. With 2g of matcha and a double espresso, it comes to about 190mg (calculated).

Calculated values by recipe

In the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), matcha contains 3.2g of caffeine per 100g, or 32mg per gram. In the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) FoodData Central, restaurant-prepared espresso contains 212mg of caffeine per 100g, and 1 fluid ounce is 29.6g.

Recipe	Matcha	Espresso	Total (calculated)
2g matcha + single	64mg	About 63mg for 1 fl oz (29.6g)	About 127mg
2g matcha + double	64mg	About 126mg for 2 fl oz (59.2g)	About 190mg
3g matcha + double	96mg	About 126mg for 2 fl oz (59.2g)	About 222mg

We calculated a single as 1 fl oz and a double as 2 fl oz. Most official recipes do not give the volume of a double in ml, so this amount is our assumption. Espresso caffeine changes with the beans and the amount of coffee used per shot. The table is an estimate from the Japanese food composition tables and USDA values, not a measurement of a cup made in a café. Adding a double to a latte with 2g of matcha only (64mg) makes the caffeine about three times higher (calculated).

Starbucks’ published values

Starbucks Australia lists the caffeine in its hot Espresso & Matcha Fusion as 150mg for a Short (237ml) and Tall (354ml), 260mg for a Grande (473ml) and 300mg for a Venti (591ml). These are approximate values calculated from its standard recipes.

Source: Starbucks Australia, “Espresso & Matcha Fusion” https://www.starbucks.com.au/product/espresso-matcha-fusion/

How it compares with matcha lattes and coffee, and the daily guidance from public bodies in different countries, is covered in matcha caffeine.

Choosing matcha, coffee and sweetener

Companies recommend different matcha grades. Make the drink with your own beans and check the amount and grade of matcha that holds up against the espresso and milk.

Matcha grade

HEALTHBAR uses ceremonial grade matcha (the grade sold for drinking whisked with hot water only, as in a tea ceremony) and says the matcha flavour still comes through with espresso. Aprika Matcha says to use culinary or café grade. The writer at Barista Magazine recommends ceremonial grade if possible.

From here on is our view. With espresso, the aroma of matcha is easily hidden. So you do not need a grade as high as matcha for drinking straight; a latte grade used in the right amount can still give flavour. For the differences between grades, see matcha grades, and for choosing a grade for lattes, see choosing matcha for café lattes.

Coffee beans and sweetener

The writer at Barista Magazine says matcha pairs best with light-roasted coffee with fruity notes (for example, a single-origin Ethiopian espresso, meaning beans from one origin), and advises against espresso that is too dark or too bold, which can overwhelm the subtle flavour of matcha. Dallmayr gives one of its own coffees as an example.

For sweetener, Breville and Dallmayr use vanilla syrup, Monin uses cinnamon bun syrup, and HEALTHBAR uses agave syrup or honey. The writer at Barista Magazine says most shops add a light sweetener, and that a little vanilla syrup works. Using a syrup made by dissolving matcha in sugar water is covered in how to make matcha syrup.

Cost per cup

The ingredient cost of dirty matcha is the cost of a matcha latte plus the coffee beans for one espresso shot. If the amount of matcha stays the same, the only addition is the coffee.

The formula

The ingredient cost per cup is the sum of these four:

Matcha: purchase price per kg ÷ 1,000 × grams per cup
Coffee beans: purchase price per kg ÷ 1,000 × grams of coffee per shot × number of shots
Milk and sweetener: amount per cup × price per ml or per gram
Ice, cup, lid and straw

How to turn the price of 1kg of matcha into the cost per cup is covered in what decides the price of matcha.

Setting the price (our view)

For a drink with added espresso, taking your matcha latte price and adding your usual charge for an extra espresso shot is easy to explain to customers. If you offer a single or double, work out the coffee cost for each number of shots.

Put a word in the menu name that shows the drink contains coffee. In Singapore, drinks made in food outlets also fall under rules on labelling sugar and saturated fat.

Naming

The names in use are “Dirty Matcha” (Breville, Kurasu, Dallmayr) and “Espresso & Matcha Fusion” (Starbucks). As noted above, “matcha espresso” can mean strong matcha with no coffee. We suggest writing what is in it next to the name, as in “Dirty Matcha (matcha latte + espresso).” This stops customers who limit caffeine from mistaking it for a matcha latte by the name alone.

Sugar labelling and allergens

According to Singapore’s Health Promotion Board (HPB), from 30 December 2023 freshly prepared drinks sold in places such as food outlets also came under Nutri-Grade, which grades drinks by their sugar and saturated fat. Drinks graded C or D must carry the mark. Smaller businesses with revenue of not more than S$1 million that sell at fewer than 10 premises have a concession for now, which HPB says it will review over time. Syrup and milk change the sugar and saturated fat, so check the grade for each recipe. The rules are covered in more detail in how to make a strawberry matcha latte.

Starbucks Australia states on its product page that it cannot guarantee the absence of allergens because equipment is shared. Dirty matcha uses milk, and some customers switch to plant-based milk, so decide whether to use separate milk jugs and how to label it.

Sources

Breville, “Dirty Matcha” https://www.breville.com/inspiration/en-us/recipes/coffee-espresso/dirty-matcha
Breville, “Vanilla Dirty Iced Matcha” https://www.breville.com/inspiration/en-au/recipes/coffee-espresso/vanilla-dirty-iced-matcha
Dallmayr, “Dirty Matcha Latte” https://www.dallmayr.com/deen/academy/magazine/dirty-matcha-latte/
Kurasu, “Matcha Kurasu Blend (With Sugar)” https://kurasu.kyoto/products/gl-matcha-kurasu-blend-with-sugar
Starbucks Australia, “Espresso & Matcha Fusion” https://www.starbucks.com.au/product/espresso-matcha-fusion/
Starbucks Indonesia, “Iced Espresso & Matcha Fusion” https://www.starbucks.co.id/menu/beverage-list/espresso-beverages/iced-espresso-matcha-fusion
HEALTHBAR, “Dirty matcha” https://health-bar.com/en-us/blogs/recipes/dirty-matcha
Aprika Matcha, “Dirty Matcha Latte (Matcha & Espresso)” https://aprikamatcha.com/blogs/tea-recipes/dirty-matcha-latte-matcha-espresso
Monin, “dirty dirty matcha” https://monin.ca/products/dirty-dirty-matcha
Matcha.com, “Matcha Espresso” https://matcha.com/blogs/recipes/matcha-espresso
Ippodo Tea, “Usucha (Classic Matcha)” https://ippodotea.com/blogs/recipes-to-brew-japanese-tea/usucha-thin-matcha
Barista Magazine, “Dirty Matcha: Yes or No? Dissecting the Trending Beverage” (10 October 2023) https://www.baristamagazine.com/dirty-matchas-yes-or-no-dissecting-the-trending-beverage/
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Food Composition Database, “抹茶茶” (Matcha, food No. 16035, in Japanese) https://fooddb.mext.go.jp/details/details.pl?ITEM_NO=16_16035_7
USDA FoodData Central, “Beverages, coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant-prepared” (SR Legacy, FDC ID 171891) https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171891/nutrients
U.S. Geological Survey, “Water Density” https://www.usgs.gov/water-science-school/science/water-density
Health Promotion Board Singapore, “Measures for Nutri-Grade” https://hpb.gov.sg/healthy-living/food-beverage/nutri-grade

FAQ

QWhat is dirty matcha?

AIt is a matcha latte with espresso added. Dallmayr, a German coffee company, explains that it is called “dirty” because the espresso darkens the green of the matcha. Starbucks sells the same combination under the name “Espresso & Matcha Fusion.”

QHow much matcha and espresso go into dirty matcha?

AMost official recipes use 1 teaspoon of matcha. Ippodo Tea gives 1 level teaspoon as about 2g. For espresso, HEALTHBAR and Aprika Matcha use a single shot of about 30ml, while Breville and Dallmayr use a double. Milk is around 100–180ml.

QHow do you make clean layers in dirty matcha?

APour the second liquid slowly on top of what is already in the glass. Dallmayr says pouring the matcha and espresso over the back of a spoon makes the best layers. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), water is lighter when warmer and heavier when more is dissolved in it, so putting a cold, sweetened liquid at the bottom makes the layers separate more easily (our view).

QHow much caffeine is in dirty matcha?

AAdd grams of matcha × 32mg and grams of espresso × 2.12mg. With 2g of matcha and a double espresso (calculated as 2 fl oz, about 59g), it comes to about 190mg. Starbucks Australia lists the hot Espresso & Matcha Fusion at 150mg for a Tall and 260mg for a Grande.

QWhich matcha suits dirty matcha?

ACompanies recommend different grades. HEALTHBAR uses ceremonial grade, while Aprika Matcha says to use culinary or café grade. Make it with your own espresso and milk, then choose the grade and amount at which the matcha flavour still comes through.