Hello,

I went to a tea-specific store today, and I was informed
that one should never brew tea using boiling water,
which of course is at 212 F or 100 C.

The guy said that in order to get the right temperature,
he boils tea and then adds several ice cubes to cool
it down. He didn't know the ideal temp.

Is it true that there is an ideal tempature for brewing
tea and if so, what is it?

Thanks.

He's either talking about a specific kind of tea, or he's working with
huge quantities of water (samovars the size of wastebaskets) where a
couple of ice cubes would be nearly meaningless thermally, or he's a
total retard.

Most black teas require water "just off boiling", meaning if the kettle
has barely stopped bubbling in the foot you move it from the flame to
the teapot, it's right.

Most green and almost all white teas prefer lower temperatures, in the
160-190F range.

When you order tea it should be labeled with optimum temperature and
brewing time (specialteas.com has the data both online and printed on
the label).

--Blair

On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 19:03:37 -0800, Viator wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I went to a tea-specific store today, and I was informed that one should
> never brew tea using boiling water, which of course is at 212 F or 100 C.


100C at sea level. Less on a mountain, more in a mine-shaft, both
locations require copious quantities of tea.

"Viator" > wrote in news:1135997842.262651.307680
@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

....
> Is it true that there is an ideal tempature for brewing
> tea and if so, what is it?
....

Optimum brewing temperature and steeping time depend first on the type of
tea (black, oolong/green, etc) and then other factors.

The group's FAQ has a section "Preparing tea" which you might want to read.
It answers a lot of the questions you might have, including this one ("How
hot should the water be?", <http://www.246.dk/teaminifaq.html#2.2.7.>)

Remember though that "optimum" refers ultimately to your taste, and to the
amount of time you have available.

Ozzy

"Blair P. Houghton" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> When you order tea it should be labeled with optimum temperature and
> brewing time (specialteas.com has the data both online and printed on
> the label).
>
> --Blair
>

I have found the opposite to be true. Often, I find green tea bags with
indications to "pour boiling water over teabag". This would make a lousy
cup of green tea.....160F is more like it. I also find that I prefer my
Earl Grey or other English type breakfast or afternoon teas brewed a bit
cooler...say 170-190 F....seems less bitter...perhaps less tannins. Am I
wrong for doing this or perhaps it depends on the grade of tea one is using.
I brew a lot of persian tea and Ahmad brand English tea.

Pete

ostaz wrote:
>
> I have found the opposite to be true. Often, I find green tea bags with
> indications to "pour boiling water over teabag". This would make a lousy
> cup of green tea.....160F is more like it. I also find that I prefer my
> Earl Grey or other English type breakfast or afternoon teas brewed a bit
> cooler...say 170-190 F....seems less bitter...perhaps less tannins. Am I
> wrong for doing this or perhaps it depends on the grade of tea one is using.
> I brew a lot of persian tea and Ahmad brand English tea.
>
> Pete
>
>

A friend of mine went to the Steven Spurrier wine school in Paris (not
the same guy who's the football coach, apparently), and he told me that
the one most important rule he learned there was that if he liked a
wine, that was enough. If you like how your tea comes out, then you're
making it correctly.

dmh

On Tue, 03 Jan 2006 19:59:51 -0600, David M. Harris wrote in
> on
sci.bio.food-science,rec.food.drink.tea :

> A friend of mine went to the Steven Spurrier wine school in Paris (not
> the same guy who's the football coach, apparently), and he told me that
> the one most important rule he learned there was that if he liked a
> wine, that was enough. If you like how your tea comes out, then you're
> making it correctly.

Maybe you like how your tea comes out now, but you will like it even
more after!?


X'Posted to: sci.bio.food-science,rec.food.drink.tea

--
Enrico C

* cut the ending "cut-togli.invalid" string when replying by email *

1/3/06

>
> "Blair P. Houghton" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
>> When you order tea it should be labeled with optimum temperature and
>> brewing time (specialteas.com has the data both online and printed on
>> the label).
>>
>> --Blair
>>
>
> I have found the opposite to be true. Often, I find green tea bags with
> indications to "pour boiling water over teabag". This would make a lousy
> cup of green tea.....160F is more like it. I also find that I prefer my
> Earl Grey or other English type breakfast or afternoon teas brewed a bit
> cooler...say 170-190 F....seems less bitter...perhaps less tannins. Am I
> wrong for doing this or perhaps it depends on the grade of tea one is using.
> I brew a lot of persian tea and Ahmad brand English tea.
>
> Pete
>

I'm in full agreement with Pete, in the spirit if not in all the details.
Boiling water does not a good cup of green tea make. But, for a black tea,
even a full leafed high quality one, 170F strikes me as really low. But,
Pete's point, that no one temperature fits all tastes, is strengthened by
our difference of opinion.

Michael

[Pete]
>> I have found the opposite to be true. Often, I find green tea bags with
>> indications to "pour boiling water over teabag". This would make a lousy
>> cup of green tea.....160F is more like it. I also find that I prefer my
>> Earl Grey or other English type breakfast or afternoon teas brewed a bit
>> cooler...say 170-190 F....seems less bitter...perhaps less tannins. Am I
>> wrong for doing this or perhaps it depends on the grade of tea one is using.
>> I brew a lot of persian tea and Ahmad brand English tea.

[David]
> A friend of mine went to the Steven Spurrier wine school in Paris (not
> the same guy who's the football coach, apparently), and he told me that
> the one most important rule he learned there was that if he liked a
> wine, that was enough. If you like how your tea comes out, then you're
> making it correctly.

David,

There is of course great and ultimate wisdom in what you say; but, I'd
suggest if you don't push your tea in all directions -- higher and lower
temperatures, longer and shorter steeps -- you won't know it's full
potential, and whether you might like it even better brewed another way.

Michael

>>> When you order tea it should be labeled with optimum temperature and
>>> brewing time (specialteas.com has the data both online and printed on
>>> the label).
>>>
>>> --Blair
>>>
>>
>> I have found the opposite to be true. Often, I find green tea bags with
>> indications to "pour boiling water over teabag". This would make a lousy
>> cup of green tea.....160F is more like it. I also find that I prefer my
>> Earl Grey or other English type breakfast or afternoon teas brewed a bit
>> cooler...say 170-190 F....seems less bitter...perhaps less tannins. Am I
>> wrong for doing this or perhaps it depends on the grade of tea one is
>> using.
>> I brew a lot of persian tea and Ahmad brand English tea.
>>
>> Pete
>>
>
> I'm in full agreement with Pete, in the spirit if not in all the details.
> Boiling water does not a good cup of green tea make. But, for a black
> tea,
> even a full leafed high quality one, 170F strikes me as really low. But,
> Pete's point, that no one temperature fits all tastes, is strengthened by
> our difference of opinion.
>
> Michael
>
The problem for me is not really in brewing green teas but more when I'm
trying to make a really good cup of Persian or Earl Grey type tea. I want
the bergamot oils to make thier presence know through the citrusy/floral
aroma without getting overpowered by the bitterness of the tea. Perhaps the
grade of Sadaf (persian)or Ahmad (U.K.) teas is not up to par with some of
the more pricy Earl Greys from the U.K. The best way I can describe how it
should taste to me is through words like...smooth, aromatic, bright. It
should also have a nice amber color to it. Everytime I try to up the temp
closer to boiling, I ruin the tea....it winds up very bitter and it destroys
the aroma. I'm steeping it for 3 min and using one teabag for about 10 oz.
Perhaps I'm just too wimpy to take the bitter taste of strong tea?!?!? By
the way, I only use a bit of sugar or very pure Greek honey for sweetening
(perhaps a Belgian sugar cube) but no milk.

Pete

"ostaz" > wrote in message
...
>>>> When you order tea it should be labeled with optimum temperature and
>>>> brewing time (specialteas.com has the data both online and printed on
>>>> the label).
>>>>
>>>> --Blair
>>>>
>>>
>>> I have found the opposite to be true. Often, I find green tea bags with
>>> indications to "pour boiling water over teabag". This would make a
>>> lousy
>>> cup of green tea.....160F is more like it. I also find that I prefer my
>>> Earl Grey or other English type breakfast or afternoon teas brewed a bit
>>> cooler...say 170-190 F....seems less bitter...perhaps less tannins. Am
>>> I
>>> wrong for doing this or perhaps it depends on the grade of tea one is
>>> using.
>>> I brew a lot of persian tea and Ahmad brand English tea.
>>>
>>> Pete
>>>
>>
>> I'm in full agreement with Pete, in the spirit if not in all the details.
>> Boiling water does not a good cup of green tea make. But, for a black
>> tea,
>> even a full leafed high quality one, 170F strikes me as really low. But,
>> Pete's point, that no one temperature fits all tastes, is strengthened by
>> our difference of opinion.
>>
>> Michael
>>
> The problem for me is not really in brewing green teas but more when I'm
> trying to make a really good cup of Persian or Earl Grey type tea. I want
> the bergamot oils to make thier presence know through the citrusy/floral
> aroma without getting overpowered by the bitterness of the tea. Perhaps
> the grade of Sadaf (persian)or Ahmad (U.K.) teas is not up to par with
> some of the more pricy Earl Greys from the U.K. The best way I can
> describe how it should taste to me is through words like...smooth,
> aromatic, bright. It should also have a nice amber color to it.
> Everytime I try to up the temp closer to boiling, I ruin the tea....it
> winds up very bitter and it destroys the aroma. I'm steeping it for 3 min
> and using one teabag for about 10 oz. Perhaps I'm just too wimpy to take
> the bitter taste of strong tea?!?!? By the way, I only use a bit of sugar
> or very pure Greek honey for sweetening (perhaps a Belgian sugar cube) but
> no milk.
>
> Pete
>
After some further research I think think that it is probably a quality
issue. It seems that the best teas are whole leaf rather than bagged. I
read that tea companies pretty much pack the leftovers and dust into the tea
bags and save the good stuff for leaf tea. I should probably try to get a
hold of some Twinnings or some other fine quality tea.

Pete

i drink the best green tea i can find. recently i bought a small digital
thermometer for only £6 and experimented.

i have to tell you differences in temperature and length of brew makes an
amazing difference. also for the 'second brew' with green tea it will make
the difference between something not worth drinking and something that is,
if you get the temperature and brew time right.

On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 10:39:27 GMT, "JWBH"
> wrote:

>i drink the best green tea i can find. recently i bought a small digital
>thermometer for only £6 and experimented.
>
>i have to tell you differences in temperature and length of brew makes an
>amazing difference. also for the 'second brew' with green tea it will make
>the difference between something not worth drinking and something that is,
>if you get the temperature and brew time right.

Well, what are the results? What are the time and temp parameters for
at least some specific teas? Inquiring minds want to know!

--

Lower temp, longer steep = more floral, higher temp, shorter steep =
more 'tea' and 'zing' flavor is what I learned. Stephane recommends
boiling (I take that to mean crab eyes) water poured low and slow onto
the wall of a gaiwan; this has worked really well for me with certain
pungent green teas and even dragonwell (the wall of the gaiwan cools
the water).


JWBH wrote:
> i drink the best green tea i can find. recently i bought a small digital
> thermometer for only £6 and experimented.
>
> i have to tell you differences in temperature and length of brew makes an
> amazing difference. also for the 'second brew' with green tea it will make
> the difference between something not worth drinking and something that is,
> if you get the temperature and brew time right.

"LurfysMa" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 10:39:27 GMT, "JWBH"
> > wrote:
>
>>i drink the best green tea i can find. recently i bought a small digital
>>thermometer for only £6 and experimented.
>>
>>i have to tell you differences in temperature and length of brew makes an
>>amazing difference. also for the 'second brew' with green tea it will make
>>the difference between something not worth drinking and something that is,
>>if you get the temperature and brew time right.
>
> Well, what are the results? What are the time and temp parameters for
> at least some specific teas? Inquiring minds want to know!

i dont think i know how to say this without sounding a bit pompous. but i
would really urge you to try it yourself.

i now get twice as much drinkies from japanese green tea as i did before.
simply by finding the right temperature and time for both first and second
brews.

my little digital thermometer (cost 6 pounds u.k.). it has shown me that if
i take boiling water straight away and tip into one particular (rather
heavy) green cup, then pour into the pot and tip in the rest of the boiling
water in, i can hit exactly 80 degrees C brew temperature every time. ( if
for instance i wanted to use that temperature).

the digital timer cost i think about three pounds a few years ago. what i
do is do say four different times at one temperature say 75 C and then four
different times at 70 and so on with different temperatures.

you quickly come to see how much difference there is in the results from
different type brewing. inquiring minds should fork out this relatively
little money, that you will save anyway by being more economical with your
tea by brewing it in the best way. good luck.

On Fri, 08 Dec 2006 11:24:12 GMT, "JWBH"
> wrote:

>
>"LurfysMa" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 10:39:27 GMT, "JWBH"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>i drink the best green tea i can find. recently i bought a small digital
>>>thermometer for only £6 and experimented.
>>>
>>>i have to tell you differences in temperature and length of brew makes an
>>>amazing difference. also for the 'second brew' with green tea it will make
>>>the difference between something not worth drinking and something that is,
>>>if you get the temperature and brew time right.
>>
>> Well, what are the results? What are the time and temp parameters for
>> at least some specific teas? Inquiring minds want to know!
>
>i dont think i know how to say this without sounding a bit pompous. but i
>would really urge you to try it yourself.

I wouoldn't say that you sound pompous, exactly. You sound like you
don't really have any data to share. ;-)

>i now get twice as much drinkies from japanese green tea as i did before.
>simply by finding the right temperature and time for both first and second
>brews.

And you withhold this data because you are writing a book?

>my little digital thermometer (cost 6 pounds u.k.). it has shown me that if
>i take boiling water straight away and tip into one particular (rather
>heavy) green cup, then pour into the pot and tip in the rest of the boiling
>water in, i can hit exactly 80 degrees C brew temperature every time. ( if
>for instance i wanted to use that temperature).
>
>the digital timer cost i think about three pounds a few years ago. what i
>do is do say four different times at one temperature say 75 C and then four
>different times at 70 and so on with different temperatures.
>
>you quickly come to see how much difference there is in the results from
>different type brewing. inquiring minds should fork out this relatively
>little money, that you will save anyway by being more economical with your
>tea by brewing it in the best way. good luck.

Now you sound pompous.

--

"LurfysMa" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 08 Dec 2006 11:24:12 GMT, "JWBH"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>"LurfysMa" > wrote in message
. ..
>>> On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 10:39:27 GMT, "JWBH"
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>>i drink the best green tea i can find. recently i bought a small
>>>>digital
>>>>thermometer for only £6 and experimented.
>>>>
>>>>i have to tell you differences in temperature and length of brew makes
>>>>an
>>>>amazing difference. also for the 'second brew' with green tea it will
>>>>make
>>>>the difference between something not worth drinking and something that
>>>>is,
>>>>if you get the temperature and brew time right.
>>>
>>> Well, what are the results? What are the time and temp parameters for
>>> at least some specific teas? Inquiring minds want to know!
>>
>>i dont think i know how to say this without sounding a bit pompous. but i
>>would really urge you to try it yourself.
>
> I wouoldn't say that you sound pompous, exactly. You sound like you
> don't really have any data to share. ;-)
>
>>i now get twice as much drinkies from japanese green tea as i did before.
>>simply by finding the right temperature and time for both first and second
>>brews.
>
> And you withhold this data because you are writing a book?
>
>>my little digital thermometer (cost 6 pounds u.k.). it has shown me that
>>if
>>i take boiling water straight away and tip into one particular (rather
>>heavy) green cup, then pour into the pot and tip in the rest of the
>>boiling
>>water in, i can hit exactly 80 degrees C brew temperature every time. ( if
>>for instance i wanted to use that temperature).
>>
>>the digital timer cost i think about three pounds a few years ago. what
>>i
>>do is do say four different times at one temperature say 75 C and then
>>four
>>different times at 70 and so on with different temperatures.
>>
>>you quickly come to see how much difference there is in the results from
>>different type brewing. inquiring minds should fork out this relatively
>>little money, that you will save anyway by being more economical with your
>>tea by brewing it in the best way. good luck.
>
> Now you sound pompous.

yep maybe so, but i am really amazed,..... no more than that, a bit
'staggered' that people can be so interested in tea, drink so much of the
damn stuff on so many days of the year and never really enquire how best to
brew the stuff.....sigh