I checked the Gevalia on line and the temp range 175 - 195. I think I will need to do a study to see if I can tell a difference in the water temperature....
After looking at several articles on line, I do see some variance in all their times-
Green tea 150-195
Black Tea 200-212
Oolong 180-212
Pur eh 212
White Tea 150-boiling
Herbal boiling
Rooibos boiling
Here is what they are saying on line about the water temperatures and the importance:
These temperatures are suggested and generalized. Depending upon the specific tea, the volume of leaf, and the length of steeping, you may wish to play around with temperature to understand its effect on the resulting brew. Everyone has a different perspective on tea and water temperature. The Taiwanese use boiling water on their oolongs, the British swear by boiling water on their black teas, the Japanese use barely warm water to brew their finest gyokuro green tea.
Different teas require different steeping temperatures. Aside from choosing the best water and tea leaves possible, Water temperature is the most critical element in preparing the perfect cup of tea. Using the wrong steeping temperature is probably the most common error people make when preparing tea. You might need a bit of trial and error to get the perfect cup. If you don't have a thermometer handy, you can tell the water temperature by watching the bubbles.
*****Small bubbles will float to the surface of the water 160-170F, and you'll see strings of bubbles from the bottom of the kettle at 180-190F. After that, you'll have a full rolling boil.*******
Water Temperature Why is this important?
Since goal of conscious brewing is to bring out the best qualities of a given tea, we often try to stop the brewing just as the tannins develop enough to give the tea a nice finish. If the water is too cool, no tannin will be released, resulting in an incomplete flavor, an empty spot in that tea's particular flavor profile. As water temperature increases so will the amount of tannin in the brew. That tannin can dominate the flavor and other elements will be missed. In some cases only a taste of bitterness remains.
Why are green teas better with a lower water temperature?
When the tea is less oxidized, the lower brewing temperature provides a complex and full flavor. Japanese green teas in particular are very raw -- like fresh garden produce. And as with produce, if you put boiling water on it you will cook it. What you get in your cup will seem more like cooked vegetables than an elegant, sweet, light beverage.
The body, or viscosity, of a green tea results from dissolved particulate matter in the cup (such as miniscule hairs and leaf matter). If the water is too hot more acids will be released destroying this matter and reducing the body of the tea.
Why are black teas better with a higher water temperature?
The more oxidized a tea, the more stable. Hotter water is required to bring out the tannins in the tea into the cup. If the water is not hot enough, the brew will be weak and lacking in body.
One good experiment is to take a Japanese or Chinese green tea and use the same amount of leaf and the same steeping times but at different temperatures. Sip the resulting brews side by side and see if the difference is noticeable to you. Our bet is that it will be.
Regardless of which apparatus you choose to boil your water, remember to follow these guidelines when
starting out. Heat the water in a glass, ceramic or clay teapot until it reaches a boil
(212 degrees Fahrenheit) then allow the water to cool before brewing your tea.
Guideline: 180 degrees for green tea, 190 degrees for Oolong tea, 200 degrees for
black tea. This is especially important when preparing delicate green teas. These temperatures
can be increased following successive brews. Quality teas can often be steeped 2-3
times.
ANOTHER SOURCES SAYS THIS:
Black tea generally should be made with water at a full, rolling boil, 212 degrees.
Oolong tea (also known as wulong tea) should be made with water a little bit below boiling, between 190 and 203 degrees. The water should be steaming rapidly and there should many bubbles rising in the kettle, but not really breaking the surface.
Green teas should be made with slightly cooler water, between 160 and 180 degrees. The steam should be wafting or gently swirling out of the kettle.
White teas should be made with even cooler water, anywhere from 150 to 160 degrees, when you see the very first hint of steam.
Puerh teas are very different, I have had them made with cooler water, similar to a green tea. But my favorite method is to make them with boiling water and steep them a long time.
Herbal teas should typically be made with boiling water.
ANOTHER SOURCES SAYS THIS:
Black tea - Black is the most robust of the tea varieties and can be brewed in truly boiling water, usually steeped for 4-6 minutes.
Oolong tea - As to be expected, oolong tea falls between green and black. The best temperature is around 190F. But oolong should be steeped longer than black tea, for around 5-8 minutes.
Green tea - You will need to be more gentle with your green teas. The water temperature should be around 150-160F and only steeped for 2-4 minutes.
White tea - Another delicate tea that should be treated gently. Water can be a bit warmer than for green tea, at 180F. You should let it steep longer though. At least 4-6 minutes.
Rooibos tea - This red herbal tea from South Africa is very hardy stuff and should be prepared with fully boiling water, just like black tea.
Most herbal teas - With so many different herbs that can be used for herbal tea blends, there is no way to give any temperature or steeping guidelines with any accuracy. Most herbs can be brewed in boiling water and steeped for about 5 minutes.
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ANOTHER SOURCES SAYS THIS:
Oolong tea - As to be expected, oolong tea falls between green and black. The best temperature is around 190F. But oolong should be steeped longer than black tea, for around 5-8 minutes.
Green tea - You will need to be more gentle with your green teas. The water temperature should be around 150-160F and only steeped for 2-4 minutes.
White tea - Another delicate tea that should be treated gently. Water can be a bit warmer than for green tea, at 180F. You should let it steep longer though. At least 4-6 minutes.
Rooibos tea - This red herbal tea from South Africa is very hardy stuff and should be prepared with fully boiling water, just like black tea.
Most herbal teas - With so many different herbs that can be used for herbal tea blends, there is no way to give any temperature or steeping guidelines with any accuracy. Most herbs can be brewed in boiling water and steeped for about 5 minutes.
.
ANOTHER SOURCES SAYS THIS:
- White teas: 165 F (water well before it boils)
- Green teas: 170-185 F (just as steam begins to leave the spout of the teapot)
- Oolong teas: 180-205 F (cooling for a few minutes off a boil)
- Black teas: 205 F (cooling for a minute off a boil)
- Pu-erh teas: 212 F (boiling water)
- Green Tea - Green-ish yellow in color, more green or yellow depending on type. Steep time is 3 minutes (maximum!) with rumbling water (176 °F to 185 °F). Some people listen for the moment when the water is "rumbling" or just about to boil, and some people let the water boil and then cool for minute before pouring over tea leaves. Sugar can be added to green tea, but milk is typically not. Some green teas are suitable for multiple infusions. (Don't apply these rules to matcha powdered tea!)
- Oolong Tea - This tea is a yellow or something orange color, depending on region/type. Steep for anywhere from 3-7 minutes with water 194 °F to 212 °F (just start to boil up to full rolling boil). There is a lot of variation on steep time for oolongs, so do what tastes best for you for each oolong. Oolongs are suitable for multiple infusions, depending on quality and strength of the tea.
- White Tea - White tea is very light, in color and flavor, very commonly infused multiple times (with good quality white tea). Steep in boiling water for up to 7 minutes (recommend starting at 7 minutes, as the flavor can be very light).
- Pu Erh Tea - This is an area of tea in which the steep time is very subjective and crucial to the success of the tea preparation. I have yet to master the making of pu erh, but I do know that boiling water is typically used and gong fu style preparation is often used as well (this is not an area of tea to start in as a novice).
- Herbal Tea (Tisanes) - Boiling water, leave the tea in as long as you want to (typically 7 minutes). Pretty simple, no? Tisanes don't contain actual tea, so they are less likely to become bitter or drying with a long steep, so this is one area in which you're unlikely to hurt the quality of the beverage too horribly.
| AND STILL ANOTHER SOURCES SAYS THIS: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sources:
http://www.inpursuitoftea.com/category_s/115.htm
http://coffeetea.about.com/od/teabrewing/a/teatemp.htm http://www.imperialteagarden.com/brewtea.html http://www.chefschoice.com/tips_m688.html http://www.slashfood.com/2008/07/16/water-for-tea-temperature-matters/ http://www.teasource.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TeaSource&Category_Code=Preparing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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