If you're a seasoned tea drinker, this may be one of those chapters you can skip right over. However all of us were all at the point in our journey of learning and discovering tea where we found out different teas are supposed to brewed at different temperatures and had a bit of an aha moment. It's a question we get all the time and that's absolutely okay. Let's talk about these different temperatures and why it matters.
I'm going to start right in the middle of the spectrum with the tea that get's ruined for so many by simply being prepared with too hot of water; Green Tea. We run into folks all the time that say they "don't like Green Tea because it's just too bitter." Unfortunately they probably ordered Green Tea at a cafe or coffee shop who also doesn't know this rule of tea and burnt the leaves. Green Tea is meant to be brewed between 170-175 degrees. Go much above that threshold and the tea will turn bitter and unpleasant. Delicate herbals like Chamomile are also easily burned at will turn tart. You want to make sure to brew these delicate tisanes at just 160 degrees.
White Tea and Oolong Tea should be brewed between 185-190 degrees. White tea can be burnt quite easily while it depends on the darkness of the Oolong on how much heat it can truly handle. Then there are Black Teas, the toughest of the bunch. The great news with Black Tea is its almost impossible to burn( i'm sure you could find a way) as it's meant to be brewed at 200-212 degrees. Here's the issue, if you don't get a Black Tea up to the proper temperature it will not be able to release the flavor fully leaving a dull and bland cup. We find this as a major issue when we are launching ours teas into restaurants across the country. Most places that don't specialize in tea have one hot water source that comes in typically around 180 degrees. We've gone into some places that even served super high quality black teas but they were just bland and boring as they weren't bringing the water up to the correct temperature.
So if you're to the point in your tea journey that you truly want to experience each tea just as it was meant to be made, there are different tools you might want to invest in. From stove-top kettles with built in temperature gauges to electric kettles that will bring the water to the exact temperature for each tea, there are a ton of options to choose from. There now you've officially moved on from newbie status and are on your way to being a tea aficionado!
Cheers,
Revival Tea Co.