It’s worth giving a little background on my history with matcha to give you context for my review the new Trader Joe’s Sparkling Matcha Lemonade. My first introduction to matcha—the earthy, slightly bitter powdered green tea—was the Matcha Lime Crumble doughnut when I worked at Blue Star Donuts here in Los Angeles. I fell in love with the dang thing! I couldn’t get enough—I had one every morning for breakfast and took a few home for my days off.
But here’s the thing: My affinity for that particular doughnut tricked me into thinking I liked matcha in general. And that led to me having my first and only actual matcha, a drink that tasted so damn grassy that I couldn’t swallow more than a sip. We must then ask the question: Will a close cousin of the matcha-and-lime pairing I fell in love with, Trader Joe’s Sparkling Matcha Lemonade, fair well among people who don’t necessarily go mad for matcha or will that earthy “goodness” take center stage?
Pros: This new Trader Joe’s canned bev lands squarely in the “citrusy enough to cover up the flavor of lawn clippings” camp. And while I realize some people really love that vegetal flavor, I think it was smart for TJ’s to lean into the mass appeal of lemonade. It is sugary and tart with a bit of earthy matcha flavor that peeks in. I think it makes an ideal summer drink to sip by the pool or at the beach when you need something that’ll keep you refreshed while packing a little caffeine to keep you going on that afternoon drive home.
Cons: For your sake, don’t make eye contact with this drink. Drink it straight out of the can if you have any aversion to consuming what bears a striking resemblance to swamp water. Maybe you’re Shrek and that’s no problem. It did, however, take a little bit of work on my end to get over the sickly color. And I know I went on an on about appreciating the mildness of the matcha flavor, but I’m docking another Spork in honor of the matcha fanatics out there. You can certainly find a bit of matcha to enjoy in each sip, but real matcha heads will be disappointed. The rest of us who want the clout of drinking matcha without having to force it down after we snap a pic for Insta will definitely appreciate the balanced experience.
Vinz Karl is a freelance contributor to Sporked and self-proclaimed Guy Fieri superfan. He believes in breakfast supremacy and is on a never-ending mission to try every flavor of Oreo out there. Originally from the Midwest, Vinz now resides in Los Angeles, where you can find him going on hikes, checking out new restaurants, and preparing for his eventual casting on CBS's Survivor.
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