Mini Course: How to Choose & Heat Water

With all of the variables involved in making the perfect cup of authentic tea, there’s no need to be overwhelmed. It doesn’t take a scientist to make tea, just the right steps and considerations.

We started off our mini course series discussing the perfect amount of loose leaf tea and the importance of weight over volume in measuring tea, so the natural next step on your tea-making journey is choosing the optimal type and temperature of water for the perfect cup.

Surprisingly, the type of water you use can change the taste, aroma, and quality of the tea you brew because of different water sources contain varying levels of salts, metals, and mineral content. For the cleanest, purest cup of tea every time, we recommend using mineral or spring water to pull out the natural, highest quality and most dynamic properties of the tea you’re brewing. (We’re partial to Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water.)

When you’ve got the right water, the important thing to remember is that, when brewing tea, boiling water is not the answer. Although a lot of brewing instructions advise boiling water for certain types of tea, if the kettle is whistling, you’ve gone too far. Even instructions that advise boiling your water and then allowing it to cool off for several minutes are setting your tea up for failure.

Why? There’s a lot of oxygen trapped in water and those oxygen molecules are what pull out the depth and full, lasting flavor of tea. A rapid boil will quickly flush out the water’s oxygen and the tea will end up tasting flat.

Likewise, when you boil the water and let it cool for several minutes, it’s an inconsistent means of getting the right temperature. Depending on your environment, three minutes of cooling can result in drastically different water temperatures. Cooling your water for several minutes at a Colorado mountain campsite in the summer, for example, might not get you to the same temperature as cooling your water at a cabin in Maine during the winter.

The best way to get the right temperature is to use a thermometer or purchase a variable temperature kettle or hot water pot that allows you to choose the correct temperature for the type of tea you’re brewing, which is another complex topic, as the type of tea is vital in determining the temperature of the water you’re using.

If you’re stuck without a variable temperature tea kettle or a thermometer, however, and you’re feeling like an adventure in precision, we’ve done the legwork to help you get the right water temperature.

If your goal is to get one cup, or 8 ounces, of water, boil mineral or spring water until you hear the whistle blow (we know, we just advised against this, but keep reading). On average, this will result in water with a temperature of about 212° Fahrenheit. Then, prepare some room-temperature water, which is typically about 70° Fahrenheit. With your boiled water and room temperature water, follow this chart:

With the right water and water temperature and an accurate amount of loose leaf tea, you’re almost at the ideal cup of tea. Next up we’ll explore how long to let the leaves infuse and understanding how different brewing styles and continue the journey into the myriad styles of teaware around the world.