10 Dutch Bros Matcha Green Tea Drinks, Ranked Worst To Best

Matcha, the finely ground green tea powder from Japan, has been used not only in traditional tea ceremonies, but also in many other culinary applications. While its ceremonial roots emphasize mindfulness, presence, and ritual — with each sip meant to engage all the senses by offering clarity, calm, and gentle energy — nowadays, matcha has been picked up by most coffee chain brands as yet another ingredient for on-the-go energy. Matcha delivers a much more concentrated dose of antioxidants than regular green tea and a slow release of caffeine that energizes without causing anxious jitteriness.

So it makes sense that Dutch Bros, a chain known for its drinks and seemingly endless selection of flavors, has created a lineup of iced matcha beverages that rival other brands. According to my barista, Dutch Bros' matcha drinks are made with a proprietary liquid concentrate that fully incorporates the powdered leaves, creating a drink that is always smooth even without any whisking. Its dark emerald green color hints at matcha's distinct umami flavor profile: Earthy with grassy notes and an obvious chlorophyll-like bitterness that lingers on the palate.

I wanted to see how Dutch Bros matcha would taste with different bases and flavored syrups. I sampled all ten matcha drinks listed on the Dutch Bros online menu – four creamy lattes and six bright lemonades — all with their own distinct personality before ranking them from worst to best based on their flavor balance, matcha presence, texture, and overall drinkability.

The Watermelon Matcha Lemonade comes in as my least favorite matcha beverage. The lemonade is juicy, refreshing, and well balanced — but only once most of the ice has melted. At full strength, the initial combination of watermelon and matcha syrups at the bottom of the cup hit my palate hard, like artificial cherry-flavored cough syrup. It was a sharp, jarring first impression that I don't recommend trying.

Stirring the drink improves it considerably. The watermelon flavor became more discernible while matcha faded into the background, creating a more harmonious profile. Despite this rough start, the watermelon and matcha actually pair quite naturally. Over time, as the ice melted further, the flavors mellowed out; the sweetness softens and takes on a subtle watermelon rind-like quality. 

The earthy, grassy notes of the matcha blended well with the watermelon flavor, which isn't overly sweet. The flavor ended up feeling like a light, summery base that highlighted the matcha's slight bitterness. Aromatically, it smells bright and fruity with hints of fresh-cut grass. Out of all the lemonades I tried, it came the closest to having the most pure matcha experience and most subtle fruit personality. Yet, because of the initial cherry cough syrup shock, this drink ultimately ranked as the least enjoyable overall.

I'm not going to lie: I struggle a bit with lavender. While it's a beneficial nervine that reduces stress and anxiety, my mind automatically associates the scent with hand soap and laundry detergent. Unsurprisingly then, in Dutch Bros' tangy, slightly bitter matcha lemonade, lavender struggles to find harmony with the other main ingredients. It's not so much that the aromatic lavender overpowered the tart and earthy matcha lemonade base, but more that it created a somewhat dissonant flavor profile with tart, bitter, and soapy flavors that just don't harmonize — at least not on my palate.

Each sip began with a bright, tangy hit of citrus, followed by sweetness, and that "perfumed soap" note that lingered on the tongue and masked the green tea's natural complexity. The matcha provided a subtle vegetal undertone, but it is mostly backgrounded, making the drink more of a novelty than a satisfying tea experience. 

Texture-wise, it's light and refreshing the way lemonade should be. For adventurous drinkers or those who know they enjoy lavender, it offers a unique experience, but I ranked it the second-to-lowest because the soapy lavender dominated the matcha. If you are a home cook who is a fan of lavender, you may be better off whisking in some matcha to your own refreshing springtime lavender lemonade.

The Lavender Matcha Latte is more pleasant than the Lavender Matcha Lemonade. In this drink, the lavender syrup is mixed with a milky base. The matcha base used in its lattes, per the barista who prepared my drinks, is diluted with water and added to the top of the drink for a layered effect.

The lavender flavor hit the milk at the bottom hard, but stirring it seemed to help considerably. The texture felt cool, smooth, and silky, and the milk's creaminess coated my tongue. The cold temperature tightened the texture, giving it a crisp, refreshing edge compared to a hot latte's plush warmth. The lavender provided the same calming, aromatic profile that the previous lemonade-based drink offered — the one that many people associate with freshly laundered sheets or spring herb gardens — which helped to soften the green, vegetal notes of the matcha. Meanwhile, the creamy texture of the milk tempered the matcha's natural bitterness. 

As the ice melted, however, this drink did start to feel like watered-down milky tea, meaning it may not be as satisfying as a thirst quencher. My guess is this latte works best for those who enjoy a strong lavender flavor, a visually pleasing lavender-to-green gradient, and sweetly fragrant aroma. 

The white chocolate matcha latte is a sweet and indulgent drink that leans more toward a dessert-like treat than a traditional tea experience. Because this drink is assembled with milk and syrup on the bottom, the creamy sweetness of the white chocolate syrup made itself known on the very first sip, immediately coating the roof of my mouth with a rich buttery sensation that lingers.

Stirring the drink better incorporated the matcha, allowing the white chocolate flavors to blend seamlessly with the grassy notes and giving the drink a subtle, almost custard-like flavor that invites slow, luxurious enjoyment rather than casual drinking. The flavor complexity is quite limited. The matcha itself, which, in traditional preparations, would offer grassy bitterness, subtle umami, and layered depth, was softened almost to the point that it disappeared. A faint whisper of green tea remained, but it served more as a supporting note than a central flavor.

Texturally, the latte is silky, smooth, and well-integrated, though you'll need to keep stirring as the ice melts. Ultimately, I thought this latte was best suited for someone seeking a sweet, caffeine-infused treat rather than an authentic or nuanced matcha experience.

The most visually stunning of all the Dutch Bros matcha beverages I sampled, the Raspberry Matcha Latte introduced a bright, fruity twist that contrasted nicely with the earthy, vegetal character of the matcha. The aroma was inviting as well, hinting at a fruity freshness with a subtle green undertone. On first sip, you get sweet raspberry syrup infused milk, but stirring the drink instantly elevates the flavors, creating a dynamic interplay between tart berry and umami notes against the milky backdrop, making the latte feel lively, energizing, and satisfying.

The grassy undertones of matcha were clearly discernible and nicely balanced by the berry's vibrancy, though some sips were more fruit-forward than tea-forward. The milk softened both flavors, producing a smooth, creamy texture that made each sip approachable, but like the other matcha lattes, as the ice melted, the drink took on a blander, watered-down "pink milk" flavor that might feel a bit too juvenile for some drinkers. 

While the raspberry felt fun and playful, it never overwhelmed the matcha, making it an excellent choice for those who enjoy their matcha sweetened and brightened with natural fruit flavors. Overall, I thought the Raspberry Matcha Latte was a balanced, fun drink that nicely highlighted both key flavor components. And if you enjoy the combination of matcha and raspberry, be sure to make this vegan raspberry matcha bar at home, too. 

Out of the four Dutch Bros matcha lattes, the vanilla one was the most balanced and approachable. The first sip introduced that classic creamy vanilla flavor on the bottom, almost like melted ice cream, which set the stage for the rest of the experience. Stirring the drink helped distribute the matcha uniformly. The vanilla didn't overpower the matcha; instead, it elevated the tea, letting its earthy, umami richness remain at the forefront.

Texturally, the creamy milk gave the beverage a silky mouthfeel that made it highly drinkable. Likewise, the aroma was comforting, like a subtle blend of milk, sweet vanilla, and faint green tea notes. The flavor was steady throughout, with no single element dominating the palate, although the drink does fade quite a bit into that watered down milky feeling as more ice melts. The mouthfeel also changes as the ice melts, making it feel thinner, more ghostly, and unsubstantial, like a mere memory of milk.

Overall, this latte delivers an authentic matcha experience that's accessible to newcomers yet is still capable of satisfying seasoned matcha enthusiasts. Its balance of sweetness, creaminess, and earthiness earned it the top spot in the matcha latte category, making it a classic go-to that I think showcases a milky matcha latte at its best.

The Strawberry Matcha Lemonade was perhaps the least visually appealing in the lineup. It looked more like an iced tea due to the red strawberry syrup and dark green matcha concentrate mixing into a muddy brown hue. At least it tastes better than it looks. The bright, summery strawberry flavor brought this Dutch Bros lemonade to life, blending cleanly with both tart lemonade and earthy matcha. The strawberry sweetness provided an approachable front note, while the lemonade's citrus cut through to keep the drink lively and thirst-quenching.

The matcha was more noticeable here than in other fruit-forward drinks, offering a subtle vegetal backdrop that deepened the flavor without clashing with it. The texture was nice and refreshing, ideal for a hot day, and the aroma evoked a mix of fresh berries and mild green tea. The interplay between sweet, tart, and earthy created balance and complexity, making this drink both playful and satisfying.

Like all the other Dutch Bros lemonades, the lemonade base provided a crisp, tangy, and refreshing mouthfeel. Though approachable and satisfying, the drink leaned slightly toward fruit-forward artificiality and simplicity, and ultimately lacked the same brightness and complexity as the higher-ranked matcha drinks. 

Coming in as my third-favorite drink, the Mango Matcha Lemonade balanced sweet, tangy tropical flavor with tart lemonade for a playful and summery profile. Like all the other lemonades, the flavored syrup and matcha concentrate are on the bottom, so that first sip hit me like a ton of bricks. The lush, juicy sweetness paired really well with the earthy matcha, setting the stage for the entire experience.

Stirring transformed the drink completely by incorporating the lemonade properly. The mango's juiciness evened out into a softer, more rounded sweetness that played beautifully with the lemonade's bright, citrusy tang. The matcha became smoother and more integrated, offering a gentle grassy, umami note that balanced the fruit without overpowering it. The whole profile became lighter, crisper, and far more refreshing after it was well-mixed — exactly what a mango matcha lemonade should be.

Once watered down, the drink's flavor shifted again as it took on a delicate, easy-sipping character. The mango faded into a subtle tropical hint, the lemonade became less tart, and the herbaceous matcha came to the forefront. It's softer and more tea-like, perfect for those who enjoy a lighter, cleaner finish. It stayed enjoyable through every sip, and the evolution from the intense syrupy punch to balanced refreshment is what made the experience fun. 

Although the first sip delivered a strong burst of peach ring gummy flavor, the Peach Matcha Lemonade surprised me in the very best way. Maybe it's the nostalgia associated with that soft, candy-like fruitiness, but the gentle, fragrant peach really worked here. Once stirred, the drink settled into a mellow, rounded sweetness that simultaneously brightens the lemonade's tang while softening the matcha's earthy undertones.

As always, the matcha brought a subtle grassy, umami depth that grounded the drink without ever overpowering it. The texture is light, crisp, and refreshing like lemonade is meant to be — ideal for casual, energizing sipping, especially on hot days. Aromatically, the peach led with a juicy, inviting scent, followed by delicate green tea notes that give the beverage a nicely layered profile.

This one stands above the softer lattes and the more straightforward lemonades because it strikes a balance that many flavored matcha drinks miss. You get the fun, fruity punch of peach, along with the clear matcha flavor for a drink with real personality. If you're tempted to make it at home, try recreating it with peach syrup — it's the best way to capture that same bright, fragrant peachy goodness.

Coming in as my absolutely favorite matcha beverage is the refreshing, Tropical Passion Fruit Matcha Lemonade. Thanks to its unmistakable, intoxicating scent, I was instantly transported to one of my favorite vacation destinations in Thailand. The passion fruit hit hard on that first sip, filling my palate with a sweet floral perfume. Despite the initial bitterness from the matcha concentrate, the drink offered a burst of sunny brightness thanks to its tart, zesty flavor profile that not only awoke my palate, but also my imagination and love of travel.

Like all of Dutch Bros' matcha lemonades, the mouthfeel was juicy, refreshing, and wonderfully tangy. Aromatically, this matcha lemonade was floral, fruity, and tropical, reminiscent of jasmine with a whisper of green tea earthiness grounding the scent. The tang from passion fruit and lemon was a lively combination that lifted the subtle bitterness of the matcha rather than masking it, creating a harmony of sharp citrus, soft earth, and grassy notes.

This drink was refreshing and energizing, making it wonderfully easy to sip once I had stirred it. After the ice melted, the passion fruit aroma continued to linger, offering a pleasurable aroma as if it had come straight from the tropics. Overall, this lemonade lands as a highly satisfying interpretation of matcha, ideal for lovers of tangy and refreshing, tropical-fruit-forward experiences in their cup.

I wanted to evaluate and capture the full sensory experience of sipping Dutch Bros' matcha drinks over time, rather than based on just the first sip. Because Dutch Bros' drinks are uniformly prepared across locations, my approach allowed me to assess the flavor evolution, drinkability, and enjoyment of each drink over time, whether sipping it over several hours while commuting, working at the office, or relaxing at home.

I ordered all the drinks at full strength in a medium, 24-ounce size with "light ice" to ensure the flavors were concentrated and consistent. I tried each drink as soon as I could to capture the fullest, most undiluted flavor, and assess the aroma, sweetness, tartness, and matcha essence. Then, I stirred the drinks and tried them again, assessing those same criteria. Finally, I allowed the ice to fully melt before tasting once more to understand how dilution affects flavor, sweetness, and overall enjoyment over time.

The drinks were ranked based on three key criteria: flavor balance (how well the matcha and flavorings interact), matcha presence (how noticeable and satisfying the earthy, umami character was throughout the drinking experience), and drinkability (meaning overall enjoyment, including texture, refreshing quality, and long-term sipping pleasure). This methodology reflects the full lifecycle of the beverage, mimicking how most people actually consume Dutch Bros drinks throughout their day.