#tea tools

Water

Okay, what? Duh, water.

Yeah, water is a really important part of tea. You really can’t have tea without water yeah?

Well, did you know the temperature of your water can affect the tea you’re brewing?

Sure can. And this goes for teabags too, not just loose!

One of the quickest ways to ruin a good tea is to use the wrong temperature of water. You can actually scald tea, and it makes it bitter! No wonder why most people don’t like tea, someone might have made it wrong at the start!

Now, you could carry a thermometer with you at all times, and a camper stove, to always make sure your water is at the proper temp for the tea you’re brewing, but that’s not really efficient. And you might not have a perfect temp on the go, but when you’re at home, you can utilize this handy thing to make ALL THE TEA.

This handy thing is a variable temperature hot water kettle! More specifically, this one HERE.

This is the EXACT one I use, but there are others out there. The point of it is, if you can adjust the temp of your water at the source, loose leaf tea has just gotten easier! And it’s so super convenient so I don’t have to boil water on the stove or in the microwave.

Generally, different teas brew at different temperatures (and times), and here’s a handy little guide to help you out:

White tea: 149-158* for 1-2 minutes. Be gentle with this tea!

Green: 167-176* for 1-2 minutes.

Oolong: 176-185* for 2-3 minutes.

Black: 210-212* for 2-3 minutes. Some are more forgiving than others and can go to 4 minutes.

Herbals: 210-212* 3-6 minutes. Also a forgiving brew.

**If you want more flavor, add more tea to steep, not more time! The longer most teas brew for, the more bitter it gets, so add more leaves to your infusion for a bolder tea.**

Now, this is just a general guideline for temps and times, but generally, around those numbers will get you a great brew. Water that is too hot can yield odd tasting results in teas that need to be treated fairly gently, like Whites and Greens. Black teas can be somewhat forgiving if you use a lower temp, but you might need to leave it for the max amount of time to steep.

If this is your first time brewing a particular tea, I’d suggest steeping it for a lower amount of time, giving it a taste after that time, and steeping for a minute or two longer, depending on how much flavor you’re wanting. Sometimes getting the right amount of tea, to time, to flavor takes a try or two, but once you get it, jot down your preferred method where you’ll remember it for next time.

I write directly on the bags of tea with a Sharpie; preferred time to steep and amount of leaves per cup I like. It also helps if I have guests over that want to have a cup; it can take some guesswork out of trying out new teas while they’re over. I have some teas in jars too, and those have chalkboard stickers on them so I can write the tea and other info on the jar. And it can be changed if the tea inside changes too!

All and all, water is very much an integral part of tea. I mean, obviously. But still. Sometimes you just don’t realize the importance of the base tools they’re using.

Super quick note here on the end too (mostly so it doesn’t end up a post on its own!):

The water itself can also change the way your tea tastes. If you have hard water, the minerals can make the flavor different; same with water softeners. If you’re worried about your water flavor, grab some distilled or bottled water to make sure your tea tastes tip top!