Water, The mother of tea!

Not all teas are created equal. Water temperature and the relative amount of water used for each infusion varies greatly in accordance with the type and variety of tea infused. In order to get the best flavors and aromas out of every cup of loose leaf tea we need to be aware of what temperature of water best suits what type of tea.

 

Let's start with a simple example to get us going.  Imagine the situation as follows:  

  • Type of Tea: Dragon Well Green Tea
  • Brewing Method: Large Ceramic Teapot
  • Quantity of Tea: 8 grams
  • Water Temp: Boiling Water
  • Infusion Time: 5 minutes

Result: Hmmm...doesn't taste so good.  Perhaps not worth the $22.00 you spent for a measly ounce of tea!

Well not so fast, let’s see what might have gone wrong.

 

(1) Excessive water temperature. You burnt your tea! This happens most often with green teas. If your tea tastes extra bitter or like a mouthful of fresh chopped grass good chances are the water you used was too hot. Try bringing the temperature down a tad next time.

 

(2) Excessively large teapot: Too much water. You brewed the tea, poured out the first three cups, waited 15 minutes and then went back for second servings. Yuck! The tea was bitter, luke warm and felt like muck on the tongue. Surprised? Well this is usually what happens when we use too much water or too big a teapot. Keep in mind it’s not the tea that went wrong it’s the ware you concocted it in. Matching tea varieties and tea quantities is a good place to start in selecting the appropriate size infusing vessel. For more information on selecting the correct teapot and how much tea to use see our article on “Quantity Matters”.

 

Here's another example for those of you who still sitting on the fence.  Here goes!

  • Type of Tea: Anxi Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea
  • Brewing Method: Large Ceramic Teapot
  • Quantity of Tea:7 grams
  • Water Temp:Tap water; you let it boil and then it sat for 10 minutes
  • Infusion Time: 2 minutes

Result: Not all it's cracked up to be!  Where are all those amazing aromas I read about on the vendor's website.

Let's have a go at this one and see what went wrong.

 

(1) Insufficient water temperature: All your friends said it was great tea but it really didn’t live up to your expectations. The flavor, the aroma, the texture were all just so-so. This often happens with water that’s just not hot enough. Some teas, especially those with higher levels of oxidation (i.e., dark oolongs, blacks and puerh teas), require higher infusion temperature to pull out higher aromas and richer textures.  Some like it hot, so give it to em'!

 

(2)  Bad Water Quality:  You've all heard it before, tea is 99% water.  So what are you doing infusing your tea with water you wouldn't even use to brush your teeth with.  Good water makes for good tea.  Low mineral content or excessively high acidity will affect the taste of your brew.  We suggest using bottled spring water.  But hey don't take our word for it, try brewing your favorite tea with different water sources.  Discover for yourself which tastes best.

 

The examples are infinite, we don't have all the answers just some simple suggestions to get you going.  So here’s some simple guidelines to help you set the pace.

 

Tea Brewing Table
Water Temperature
Quantity of Tea per 200ml/6.57oz Water
White Tea

155°-175° F

70°-80° C

4-5 grams
Green Tea

167°-185° F

75°-85° C

3-5 grams
Oolong Tea

212 F

100 C

7-9 grams
Black Tea

212° F

100° C

3-5 grams
Puerh Tea

212° F

100° C

5-7 grams