I think I'm pouring water that is too hot for the tea leaves I'm
using. I'd like to find a way to control the water temperature. I'm
not patient enough to bring it to a boil and then watch the clock for
two minutes or whatever until it's ready. I don't have the right kind
of thermometer, but I imagine it wouldn't be hard to find- pretty much
a candy thermometer from the grocery store, right? even so, it seems
awkward.

so what do you all do? I can imagine several approaches:

1)boil water, then watch a thermometer until it cools to the right
temp

2)put the kettle on with the thermometer in it and watch it until it
comes up to the temp you want.

3)use a programmable electric kettle. I've never seen one, though.

4)boil water then mix it with cold water.

5)something I haven't thought of yet.



considering that tea has been around for more than a couple of weeks,
I'm sure that a good solution or two have been worked out.

then there is the range of temperatures needed for the different kinds
of tea. anybody have a link to a web page or something that has a
chart of optimum brewing temperatures?

> wrote

>I think I'm pouring water that is too hot for the tea leaves I'm
> using. I'd like to find a way to control the water temperature. I'm
> not patient enough to bring it to a boil and then watch the clock for
> two minutes or whatever until it's ready. I don't have the right kind
> of thermometer, but I imagine it wouldn't be hard to find- pretty much
> a candy thermometer from the grocery store, right? even so, it seems
> awkward.
>
> so what do you all do?

Normally I do watch the thermometer because for me this is a part of the
brewing ceremony. However when I am very busy, I use a wireless electric
meat thermometer with a beeping alert for a pre-set temperature. It sounds
very sofisticated, but it is quite useful when you do not have the time or
the patiency. I boil the water, stick the sensor in the water, set the
desired temperature whereafter I can go without thinking more about it. Next
time I have to think about it is when the alert sounds because the water has
reached the right temperature.

Gyorgy

I don't really like the thermometers myself. But if you're looking to use
one, you can get a meat thermometer for a couple of bucks that you can stick
in the tea. Should work pretty well. I just listen to the sound of the
sizzling water. When the little bubbles are rising quickly and it sounds
fizzly, it's usually about right for greens. After that the water quiet
downs and a minute later begins a rolling boil. Too hot for greens.


> wrote in message
...
> I think I'm pouring water that is too hot for the tea leaves I'm
> using. I'd like to find a way to control the water temperature. I'm
> not patient enough to bring it to a boil and then watch the clock for
> two minutes or whatever until it's ready. I don't have the right kind
> of thermometer, but I imagine it wouldn't be hard to find- pretty much
> a candy thermometer from the grocery store, right? even so, it seems
> awkward.

But boiling water is just right for most blacks and tisanes. Toci
Falky foo wrote:
> I don't really like the thermometers myself. But if you're looking to use
> one, you can get a meat thermometer for a couple of bucks that you can stick
> in the tea. Should work pretty well. I just listen to the sound of the
> sizzling water. When the little bubbles are rising quickly and it sounds
> fizzly, it's usually about right for greens. After that the water quiet
> downs and a minute later begins a rolling boil. Too hot for greens.
>
>
> > wrote in message
> ...
> > I think I'm pouring water that is too hot for the tea leaves I'm
> > using. I'd like to find a way to control the water temperature. I'm
> > not patient enough to bring it to a boil and then watch the clock for
> > two minutes or whatever until it's ready. I don't have the right kind
> > of thermometer, but I imagine it wouldn't be hard to find- pretty much
> > a candy thermometer from the grocery store, right? even so, it seems
> > awkward.

Generation Tea has a chart on its front page. Toci
s wrote:
> I think I'm pouring water that is too hot for the tea leaves I'm
> using. I'd like to find a way to control the water temperature. I'm
> not patient enough to bring it to a boil and then watch the clock for
> two minutes or whatever until it's ready. I don't have the right kind
> of thermometer, but I imagine it wouldn't be hard to find- pretty much
> a candy thermometer from the grocery store, right? even so, it seems
> awkward.
>
> so what do you all do? I can imagine several approaches:
>
> 1)boil water, then watch a thermometer until it cools to the right
> temp
>
> 2)put the kettle on with the thermometer in it and watch it until it
> comes up to the temp you want.
>
> 3)use a programmable electric kettle. I've never seen one, though.
>
> 4)boil water then mix it with cold water.
>
> 5)something I haven't thought of yet.
>
>
>
> considering that tea has been around for more than a couple of weeks,
> I'm sure that a good solution or two have been worked out.
>
> then there is the range of temperatures needed for the different kinds
> of tea. anybody have a link to a web page or something that has a
> chart of optimum brewing temperatures?

I use an instant-read thermometer that I got at Wal-Mart.

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.


> wrote in message
...
> I think I'm pouring water that is too hot for the tea leaves I'm
> using. I'd like to find a way to control the water temperature. I'm
> not patient enough to bring it to a boil and then watch the clock for
> two minutes or whatever until it's ready. I don't have the right kind
> of thermometer, but I imagine it wouldn't be hard to find- pretty much
> a candy thermometer from the grocery store, right? even so, it seems
> awkward.
>
> so what do you all do? I can imagine several approaches:
>
> 1)boil water, then watch a thermometer until it cools to the right
> temp
>
> 2)put the kettle on with the thermometer in it and watch it until it
> comes up to the temp you want.
>
> 3)use a programmable electric kettle. I've never seen one, though.
>
> 4)boil water then mix it with cold water.
>
> 5)something I haven't thought of yet.
>
>
>
> considering that tea has been around for more than a couple of weeks,
> I'm sure that a good solution or two have been worked out.
>
> then there is the range of temperatures needed for the different kinds
> of tea. anybody have a link to a web page or something that has a
> chart of optimum brewing temperatures?

"toci" > wrote in message
ps.com...
> But boiling water is just right for most blacks and tisanes. Toci

yup

Temperature is one of the most difficult physical things to measure and
those digital thermometers are fairly unreliable. I bought a digital
thermometer for 20 bucks and the reading it gave for freshly boiled
water was 96 degrees (celcius). The best thing to do if you want it
accurate is to add cool water to freshly boiled water. using physics
calculations you can get the following ratios. make sure your teapot is
hot otherwise it will act as a heat sink and cool the water too much.

To cool boiling water to 80ºC add 100ml room temperature water to
400ml fresh boiled water.
To cool boiling water to 85ºC add 75ml room temperature water to 400ml
fresh boiled water.
To cool boiling water to 90ºC add 50ml room temperature water to 400ml
fresh boiled water.
To cool boiling water to 95ºC remove lid from kettle and stand for 30
seconds.

the temperature you need for your tea depends in what tea (green, light
oolong, black etc) you are drinking.

Adrian, www.teajavu.com.au, Perth Australia

s wrote:
> I think I'm pouring water that is too hot for the tea leaves I'm
> using. I'd like to find a way to control the water temperature. I'm
> not patient enough to bring it to a boil and then watch the clock for
> two minutes or whatever until it's ready. I don't have the right kind
> of thermometer, but I imagine it wouldn't be hard to find- pretty much
> a candy thermometer from the grocery store, right? even so, it seems
> awkward.
>
> so what do you all do? I can imagine several approaches:
>
> 1)boil water, then watch a thermometer until it cools to the right
> temp
>
> 2)put the kettle on with the thermometer in it and watch it until it
> comes up to the temp you want.
>
> 3)use a programmable electric kettle. I've never seen one, though.
>
> 4)boil water then mix it with cold water.
>
> 5)something I haven't thought of yet.
>
>
>
> considering that tea has been around for more than a couple of weeks,
> I'm sure that a good solution or two have been worked out.
>
> then there is the range of temperatures needed for the different kinds
> of tea. anybody have a link to a web page or something that has a
> chart of optimum brewing temperatures?

>> I think I'm pouring water that is too hot for the tea leaves I'm
>> using. I'd like to find a way to control the water temperature. I'm
>> not patient enough to bring it to a boil and then watch the clock for
>> two minutes or whatever until it's ready. I don't have the right kind
>> of thermometer, but I imagine it wouldn't be hard to find- pretty much
>> a candy thermometer from the grocery store, right? even so, it seems
>> awkward.

They are a little expensive but I can personally attest that the
Zojirushi water kettles maintain perfect water temperature. You can
select from 3 different temps and it will maintain that temp VERY
precisely. I have been using one for a year now and I love mine.

Mike Petro
http://www.pu-erh.net

Would this apply to Space Cowboy who lives "up there"?

"TJV" > wrote in
oups.com:

> Temperature is one of the most difficult physical things to
> measure and those digital thermometers are fairly unreliable. I
> bought a digital thermometer for 20 bucks and the reading it gave
> for freshly boiled water was 96 degrees (celcius). The best thing
> to do if you want it accurate is to add cool water to freshly
> boiled water. using physics calculations you can get the following
> ratios. make sure your teapot is hot otherwise it will act as a
> heat sink and cool the water too much.
>
> To cool boiling water to 80ºC add 100ml room temperature water to
> 400ml fresh boiled water.
> To cool boiling water to 85ºC add 75ml room temperature water to
> 400ml fresh boiled water.
> To cool boiling water to 90ºC add 50ml room temperature water to
> 400ml fresh boiled water.
> To cool boiling water to 95ºC remove lid from kettle and stand for
> 30 seconds.
>
> the temperature you need for your tea depends in what tea (green,
> light oolong, black etc) you are drinking.
>
> Adrian, www.teajavu.com.au, Perth Australia

I don't doubt it but the gentlemen (or women) who started the post may
not be ready to invest that kind of money. I have a 'cheaper'
temperature-controlled kettle for around 75AUD but it is still about 5
degrees celcius too hot at each setting.

As long as you are aware that temperature is hard to measure and that
your instrument may not be absolutely accurate, you won't have a
problem. Your own experience is important with whatever method you use.

Adrian

> wrote in message

> I don't have the right kind
> of thermometer, but I imagine it wouldn't be hard to find- pretty much
> a candy thermometer from the grocery store, right?

That's not adapted. The candy thermometer is accurate in a range of temps
your water will never reach.
A small, cheap, LCD cooking thermometer is OK.

> 1)boil water,

I don't let it boil.

>then watch a thermometer until it cools to the right
> temp

If you brew the same sort of tea regularly, you don't need to use a
thermometer each time.

I measured at what temp my kettle starts to make a zzzzz noise. The next
times, I know it's about *** degrees without measuring. For my kettle,
half-filled, in this season, it's about 90 degrees.
For green tea, I get water from the drip machine. I measured it once, it's
70 degrees.

> 4)boil water then mix it with cold water.

I do that too when I want a different temp than 70 ot 90 degrees. The first
time, I measure the temp to decide what volume of hot water and what volume
of cold water.
Another trick is to pour from the kettle into a jar, then from that jar into
the pot. That lowers the temperature of a few degrees.

> 5)something I haven't thought of yet.

My microvawe heats precisely the water at the required temp.

Kuri

10/30/05


> Temperature is one of the most difficult physical things to measure and
> those digital thermometers are fairly unreliable. I bought a digital
> thermometer for 20 bucks and the reading it gave for freshly boiled
> water was 96 degrees (celcius). The best thing to do if you want it
> accurate is to add cool water to freshly boiled water. using physics
> calculations you can get the following ratios. make sure your teapot is
> hot otherwise it will act as a heat sink and cool the water too much.

Adrian, how high are you? Off the top of my head, I'd say about 2000 meters,
more or less. But, then it might be your thermometer's bad.
>
> To cool boiling water to 80ºC add 100ml room temperature water to
> 400ml fresh boiled water.
> To cool boiling water to 85ºC add 75ml room temperature water to 400ml
> fresh boiled water.
> To cool boiling water to 90ºC add 50ml room temperature water to 400ml
> fresh boiled water.
> To cool boiling water to 95ºC remove lid from kettle and stand for 30
> seconds.

I think one of the most crucial elements here, with a nod to Dog Ma, is the
thickness and density of the wall of your brewing vessel, since it is this
wall that absorbs most of the heat. This element would vary your
calculations above by quite a lot. My advice is to test for yourself, using
a thermometer at first.
>
> the temperature you need for your tea depends in what tea (green, light
> oolong, black etc) you are drinking.

Again, the best approach is trial and error.

snip

Michael

s wrote:
> I think I'm pouring water that is too hot for the tea leaves I'm
> using. I'd like to find a way to control the water temperature. I'm
> not patient enough to bring it to a boil and then watch the clock for
> two minutes or whatever until it's ready.

Try this: Heat some water to a full rolling boil and let it cool back
to room temperature. Then taste it side-by-side with some water from
the same source that hasn't been boiled.

What I'm getting at here is, don't boil your water.

I use a digital meat thermometer from Sur La Table; I don't remember
what I paid for it (I bought it for cooking steaks and chickens and
such, but it works great for testing water temperature as well.) I use
an electric kettle and heat the water to 190-200F for black teas, less
for oolongs and greens. Yes, you have to stand sentry over it, but to
me it's worth a good cup of proper tea.


stePH
--
GoogleGroups licks balls.

> > I bought a digital
> > thermometer for 20 bucks and the reading it gave for freshly boiled
> > water was 96 degrees (celcius). The best thing to do if you want it
> > accurate is to add cool water to freshly boiled water. using physics
> > calculations you can get the following ratios. make sure your teapot is
> > hot otherwise it will act as a heat sink and cool the water too much.
>
> Adrian, how high are you? Off the top of my head, I'd say about 2000 meters,
> more or less. But, then it might be your thermometer's bad.

sea level! i was quite horrified by the accuracy!

>
> I think one of the most crucial elements here, with a nod to Dog Ma, is the
> thickness and density of the wall of your brewing vessel, since it is this
> wall that absorbs most of the heat. This element would vary your
> calculations above by quite a lot. My advice is to test for yourself, using
> a thermometer at first.
>
> Again, the best approach is trial and error.

yes that's a crucial factor. I agree, trial and error is the best
approach. you'll soon get a feeling for what works for each tea.

another method that is used is to observe how quickly the steam rises
from the water. for a delicate green or white tea cool the hot water
until you see moderately slow wisps of steam - it shouldn't be shooting
up. for oolongs the steam would rise faster. again, you can observe and
experiment with this method and you will soon get a feeling for how hot
the water is.

Adrian