Bamboo Matcha Whisk (Chasen) in Tbilisi
One piece of bamboo, split by hand into around a hundred tines. It is the cheapest thing in the shop and the one that makes the biggest difference to what ends up in the cup.
Why a hundred tines
Matcha does not dissolve. It hangs in the water, and it only hangs there evenly if something has broken every clump apart first. A hundred fine bamboo tines do that in fifteen seconds and beat air in at the same time, which is what gives you the pale green foam on top. A metal whisk or a milk frother gets the lumps out but never quite gets the foam.
How to use it
Soak the tines in warm water for half a minute before the first use of the day — it softens them so they do not snap. Then whisk in a fast W or M shape from the wrist, not the arm, keeping the tines just off the bottom of the bowl. Fifteen to twenty seconds is enough. Finish with a slow circle to pop the biggest bubbles.
Making it last
Rinse in warm water immediately after use — never soap, never a dishwasher — shake it out, and stand it upright so the tines dry facing up. A chasen kept that way lasts a year or more of daily use. A few tines will break eventually; that is normal and the whisk keeps working.
Questions people ask
Can I use an electric frother instead?
It will get the lumps out, which is most of the job. It will not build the fine foam, and it tends to whip the milk rather than the tea.
How long does a whisk last?
About a year of daily bowls if it is rinsed and stood upright to dry. Left wet in a drawer it will go mouldy in weeks.
Do I need the sifter too?
It helps more than people expect — matcha compacts in the tin, and sifting is what stops the first lump forming at all. It comes with the matcha set.
Delivery
Delivery across Tbilisi, usually the same day or the next. Message us on Instagram, or add it to the cart and check out on the site — pay by bank transfer or cash on delivery.
Wholesale
Wholesale for cafes, bakeries and shops: the 500 g and 1 kg tiers are already the wholesale price, with no minimum order beyond them. Tell us what you pour in a month and we will quote you.
Keeping it
Keep the tin closed, cool and out of the light. Matcha fades in daylight and picks up smells in a fridge, so a cupboard beats a fridge door. Once opened it is at its best within two months.
