Guidelines for brewing tea: An easy-to-follow manual for achieving the perfect tea temperature
Many people enjoy a nice cup of tea, with the United Kingdom being the third most tea lover nation globally. But do you truly understand the proper way to brew tea? If you’re looking to enhance the flavor of your black, green, or white tea, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we will detail the optimal temperature for brewing tea, so you can master the art of brewing tea flawlessly.
Why does tea temperature matter?
Learning how to make tea that tastes great and is full of flavour means understanding the importance of the temperature of the water you use to make tea. Brewing tea requires the temperature to be ‘just right’, and here’s why:
- Using water that’s too hot destroys tannins. These are the proteins that produce the colour and flavour we all look for in the perfect cup of tea.
- Overly hot water can cause thermal shock to tea leaves. This will result in a harsh and bitter brew.
- Water that’s too cold doesn’t allow tannins to develop. Whilst hot water can destroy the tannins, under-heated water may result in the tannins not dissolving properly, resulting in tasteless tea.
What is the best temperature to brew tea?
From how hot the water is to how long you brew your tea for, making the perfect cup of tea is no mean feat. Understanding the best temperature for tea depends on the type of tea you’re planning to brew. The optimum green tea temperature is different to the ideal black tea temperature and the perfect white tea temperature. So, once you’ve cleaned and descaled your kettle and got your tea of choice at the ready, follow our simple guide to choosing the right water temperature for your tea.
Green tea: Temperature guide for brewing green tea
When brewing green tea, it’s better to err on the side of caution and stick to lower temperatures. Using water that’s too hot can lead to bitter, grassy tasting tea. The best green tea water temperature is between 65°C and 80°C – well below the temperature of boiling.
Black tea: Temperature guide for brewing black tea
Black teas actually require different temperatures depending on which black tea you’re brewing. For more delicate types, aim to keep the water temperature for tea between 80°C and 90°C. For all other black teas, you can use slightly hotter water, between 90°C and 100°C.
White tea: Temperature guide for brewing white tea
Using higher temperatures here will scald the tea. When it comes to understanding how to brew tea in this case, we recommend you stick to using water that’s 70°C.
Tip: To make brewing your tea even easier, consider investing in a product that allows you to simply choose the correct temperature setting, such as the Philips Digital Temperature Control Kettle.
And with that, you now have all the tips and tricks you need to get the best temperature for tea for that ultimate cuppa every single time. If you prefer a plant-based milk for your tea, why not check out our guide on how to make your own plant-based milk to add even more choices to your tea drinking experience.
