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?