Water Temperature for Different Teas
Now that I finally have an accurate thermometer for measuring water temperature for teas, I am wondering what water temperature or range do you start with for basic kinds of tea (oolong, green, and white – I know black and herbals are boiling or just below it). I know that sometimes you have to adjust the temperature by trial and error to find the best one for any given particular tea. But I am just looking for a starting place. The numbers I’m finding on the web are all over the place (esp. for oolongs). Thanks ya’ll.
Not all types of tea are created equal. I’m not sure if it’s true of other types of teas from other regions, but Japanese greens have unique temps (as well as leaf amounts and water volume. Den’s Tea has great pamphlet they give you w/ their sampler, here are the temps:
Premium Gyokuro: 140 (degrees F)
Premium Sencha, Sencha, Premium Fukamushi-Sencha, Gyokuro: 160
Fukamush-Sencha, Mecha, Guricha: 180
Bancha, Gen mai cha, Houjicha: Boiling (Although after reading that boiling water shoots the health benefits in the tea cup I think I’ll go just barely below boiling ~205-210.)
This is not; however and unfortunately, a compelte list of Japanese greens. I know Kukicha is one the pamphlet is missing so check www.densetea.com for steeping parameters on other Japanese greens.
P.S. Does anyone know how to put the degree symbol in posts?
Matcha is definitely Japanese:) Matcha is my favorite, and I suspect always will be- largely in part to drinking it from a bowl lol. Japanese greens right now are my complusion, I think that’s a better word than favorite. It all started w/ Den’s. I ordered my matcha set from them expecting nothing more, but then I found out that each sub category of Japanese greens are steeped differently, now I’m completely obsessed w/ learning everything I can about how each tea is prepared in their native regions.
I always love those small burst of passion to know more about a particular subject.
Cofftea, if you hit start and click on run (assuming you’re on windows, that is) and type charmap. All the little weird symbols can be found there. Or just copy and paste: °
Cofftea, you can use the HTML entity for degree.
° will produce °
140°F will produce 140°F.
Being new to this site I did note the temperature postings for some teas. I was almost terrified that my budding addiction was nothing more than a blossoming faux pas in the universe of teas! My tea lab consists of a simple strainer, sauce pot and stove… I flip on the burner and wait for the pot to start tap-dancing, not boiling, with the leaves safely swirling in the strainer perched atop the pot.
When away from the lair, I tote about my Libre tea glass which is always a crowd pleaser. Fantastic portable aquarium for viewing the lifespan of flowering teas.
I see I shall have to proceed down a more scientific path! :)
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