Use the right water temperature to brew tea

The right water temperature for brewing tea depends on the blend or variety of tea you are making. If the water temperature is too hot, it could spoil the natural flavors of some teas and make them taste bitter; on the other hand if the temperature is too cool, the full flavor of the tea will not be extracted during steeping.

The right water temperature for brewing white and green teas is between 140 and 185 degrees F; black, oolong and herbal teas should be brewed at just below boiling point from 195 to 205 degrees F.

To take the guess work out of finding the right water temperature, use a tea thermometer. If a thermometer is not handy, listen to the tea kettle as it’s heating on the stove. For green and white teas remove the kettle at the moment you first hear the water beginning to boil. For black, herbal and oolong teas let the water come to a full boil, remove the kettle and let cool for two minutes before pouring over the tea.

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