Your Durham college, your matcha flavour

At Durham, your college often says a lot about you, from your personality to your social life, walking distance to Market Square Tesco… and, apparently, your matcha order. Because if we’re honest, Durham colleges have the same energy as matcha flavours: some are classic and slightly intimidating, some are sweetly chaotic, and others, well, they make you wonder who thought it was a good idea in the first place.

Whether your college gives ceremonial grade elegance, strawberry syrup chaos, or “I promise it tastes nice if you add six things to it”, every college has a matcha flavour twin.

St Chads – Strawberry matcha

Chads embodies the quiet chaos that comes with a college so beautiful, yet so small that drama becomes unavoidable. With only around 400 undergraduates, everyone knows everyone, and its sweetly colourful exterior masks a bed of underlying tensions, roommate drama, and situationships that absolutely did not need to happen within such a small dating pool.

So naturally, Chads is strawberry matcha. On the surface, it’s adorable — green, aesthetic, and objectively very pretty to look at. But mix it, and suddenly things get a little chaotic. Sweet, slightly intense, and impossible to ignore, it’s the drink equivalent of living somewhere where everyone knows exactly what everyone else did on Wednesday night.

Hatfield – Fishy matcha

Hatfield: You either love it or you hate it. Infamously renowned in Durham for its stereotypical “poshness”, Hatfield is none other than matcha that somehow tastes a little bit… fishy.

As bizarre as it sounds, people often say matcha has a slightly fishy aftertaste (Google it, we promise we didn’t make it up). And honestly, given Hatfielders’ alleged appreciation for the finer things in life — we’re talking caviar, black tie formals and a healthy dose of tradition — it kind of makes sense. It’s an acquired taste: some people swear it’s elite, others simply cannot get on board.

Castle – Ceremonial grade matcha

Having been oversubscribed since 1832, University College, or Castle, is rooted in popularity, prestige and quite often, a superiority complex. Being in Castle is often seen as the “ultimate Durham experience”, so ceremonial grade matcha is only fitting for a college so highly sought after by the entire student population. Surely calling a UNESCO World Heritage Site home awards Castlemen this status.

Given that June Ball features on Forbes “top one-hundred things to do before you die” list, ceremonial grade matcha essentially sums up what its like to be a Castle student. From dining in the Great Hall to formals, endless history and college tradition, there is no doubt that Castle deserves this title.

Stephenson – Matcha beer

Stephenson is none other than a matcha  beer. Boozy yet brainy, Stevo students are locked in for the summative season, yet still enjoy a good pub quiz at the their college bar, Stephenson central. Students here are often the most laid back, enjoying a cold, crisp beer in a relaxed, lowkey environment with no expectation. Bleed red? No. Bleed green.

Josephine Butler – Just matcha

Being so far away from the city centre on the hill, Jobo is simply matcha. No syrups, no oat milk, no elaborate add-ins  – just matcha powder mixed with hot water and milk to really let that unmistakably “grassy” taste shine through.

Given their semi-rural surroundings, it feels fitting. The college boasts some of the prettiest views in Durham, from the mound that sits neatly between them to the nearby Botanic Gardens. Life up there feels a little calmer, a little greener.

And this shouldn’t be taken as a backhanded compliment – for any serious green tea lover, enjoying matcha in its purest form is the ultimate goal.

Collingwood – ‘Dirty’ matcha

Think matcha mixed with a shot of espresso or two – Collingwood is a dirty matcha. A drink that’s essentially twice as caffeinated as normal, combining matcha with coffee for a seriously energetic kick.

Given the college’s reputation for being incredibly sporty, it feels fitting. Collingwood runs on the steady buzz of matcha’s slow-release caffeine, boosted by the sharp hit of espresso – exactly the kind of energy you’d need to keep up with the sheer number of sports teams and fixtures the college seems to produce.

And as the university’s largest college, that extra momentum definitely helps.

Van Mildert – Matcha lemonade

Watery, slightly off putting and lowkey radioactive, matcha lemonade isn’t exactly traditional, but that’s kind of the point. It takes something classic and throws in a sharp, citrusy twist, creating a drink that’s energetic, slightly unexpected, and makes you wonder what’s actually living beneath that lake of theirs…

Much like Mildert itself, it’s loud, lively, and built for a good time. Sweet but sharp, refreshing but a bit chaotic, it’s the kind of drink that feels like it belongs at a social rather than quietly sitting in a café.

Grey – Expired matcha

Grey by name, Grey by nature. I want to like it, but something has gone off. It might be the expiry date. Grey is simply matcha that’s been exposed to air for too long. Must’ve been all that hill walking, but hey, at least you’re close to lectures…

Let’s hope the milk hasn’t expired too!

St Hild and Bede – Blueberry matcha

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Blueberry matcha feels a little niche but very aesthetic  (we’re talking the old site) – it’s colourful, slightly unexpected, and usually chosen by people who want something a bit different from the classic orders, being its location (in the viaduct).

Like blueberry matcha, Hild and Bede has a strong, loyal fanbase. We see you on Overheard.

South – Milky matcha

South is a matcha without the correct ratio, meaning there’s way too much milk for how little matcha powder there is, making the drink weak, tasteless and… milky. Its a drink for those who don’t invest too much time into Durham’s collegiate system, for those who didn’t rank their colleges, or are simply content with modernity, and… hills. Its drinkable, studious and nonchalant.

St Johns – A matcha shot

St John’s is essentially what Blank Street calls a “matcha shot”,  a tiny cup of pure matcha, no milk, no extras.

It’s small but strong, which feels appropriate for one of Durham’s smallest colleges. Like the drink itself, it’s concentrated and straight to the point. There’s no need for syrups or add-ins when the matcha is doing all the work. It’s little, much like John’s famously tiny bar , grassy, like the college’s gardens, and ultimately serves its purpose. Short, simple, and quietly effective.

St Mary’s – Raspberry matcha

Feminine, pink, and sweet, St Mary’s is none other than a raspberry matcha. Slightly sour, a little tangy, but ultimately leaving a pleasantly sweet aftertaste, raspberry matcha has that perfect balance of sharp and sweet. It’s eye-catching, a little delicate, and definitely one of the prettier drinks on the menu.

Mary’s has a similar energy. Sitting geographically between the Bailey and the Hill, it often feels like it exists in its own lane, leaving many people unsure exactly where it fits in Durham’s college landscape. But that uniqueness is part of its charm.

St Cuthbert’s Society – Matcha martini

Founded “by students, for students”, Cuths is Durham’s only society college, proudly holding its place as the third oldest college while maintaining about as little ego as possible. Known for being one of the more social colleges, and for its appreciation of Durham’s nightlife, Cuths can only be a matcha martini.

Alcoholic, green, and highly caffeinated, the drink has the social battery of someone who’s somehow made it to both a sports social and Klute in the same night. It’s lively, a little chaotic, and very much built for a good time.

Like a matcha martini, Cuths blends tradition with a fun twist; classic at its core, but clearly not afraid to keep the party going. They’re not like the other girls.

Ustinov – Honey matcha

As Durham’s postgraduate college, it has a much more global, mixed community than most of the undergraduate colleges, with people from all over the world bringing different experiences and perspectives. The atmosphere is calmer and more mature, but still sociable , just in a slightly more low-key way.

Like iced honey matcha, it’s understated, balanced, and quietly one of the nicer options on the menu, even if it’s not the one everyone immediately thinks of.

John Snow – Lavender matcha

Often denounced as “irrelevant”, “boring”, or everyone’s last choice, lavender matcha fits John Snow well as while it might not be at the top of student’s rankings, its much loved by those who are committed to it.

As one of Durham’s newer colleges, it doesn’t have the same traditional reputation as some of the older ones, which gives it room to try new things and carve out its own identity. 

St Aiden’s – Banana matcha

Known for its diverse student demographic, St Aidan’s is fun, unconventional, and blessed with some of the best views of the city from afar.

It’s not the first college that comes to mind when people think of Durham, but that’s part of its charm. Memorable, scenic, and full of life, Aidan’s quietly stands out without trying too hard, much like a perfectly balanced banana matcha. Sweet, a little unexpected, and impossible to forget once you’ve experienced it.

Trevelyan college – Rose matcha

Floral and fragrant, much like rose petals, Trevelyan is rose-petal matcha. Its delicate aroma mirrors the college’s quirky obsession with hexagons, and the flavour hits the perfect balance between sweet and slightly bitter; sweet enough to lure students up the Hill instead of staying down by the Bailey, but with just enough bite to keep things interesting.

Drinking it feels a bit like hiking through Durham itself: scenic, rewarding, and a little invigorating. Trevs’ rose-petal matcha isn’t flashy, but it’s charming, thoughtful, and exactly the kind of flavour that grows on you the longer you’re around it.

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