Index
Whether black, green, yellow, white or oolong tea, the way of preparation, brewing time and temperature will influence the taste and its effectiveness
Thus, the Tea Benefits decided to explain and show the ideal temperatures for making different types of teas and the time needed for each one of them to be in the right measure for you to consume. Of course, these data are indicative, and you can choose to prepare them for longer or shorter periods, and even at non-specific temperatures. But, the tips will serve to guide you in the best way.
The best water temperature
People can choose whether the tea will be too hot or cold, and it is obvious that when it comes to the temperature there is no right and wrong, everything will depend on the taste of who will consume it. The biggest tip is to test the boiling water and choose which one is best for your taste. If you want precision when making tea, some products can help you, such as a thermometer for cooking or for chimarrão, or an electric kettle. All these products can be found in stores on the internet.
If for some reason you don’t want to buy one of these utensils and still want exact brewing of tea, you can use a Chinese technique that works super. Just be aware of the water movements.
- Shrimp Eyes: Occurs when the water has a temperature close to 68 to 78° C. The water acquires small bubbles on its surface, the size of a pinhead. It is the beginning of boiling, where there is also the presence of mild steam;
- Crab Eyes: The temperature in this case reaches approximately 79°C. It is characterized by bubbles of larger sizes than those in the case of shrimp eyes, relatively in proportion to the eyes of a crab, hence the name. Another factor present in this case is the amount of steam that is relatively greater than the previous one;
- Fish Eyes: Approximately 80 to 82°C. Larger bubbles appear and begin to rise to the surface of the kettle. At this point it is already possible to hear the noise the water makes when it reaches a certain boiling point and the steam is even more intense.
- String of pearls: In this phase, the water is almost reaching the boiling state, with a temperature of 90 to 96° C. It is characterized by a continuous sequence of bubbles that rise to the surface accompanied by a lot of steam;
- Furious Torrent: Complete boiling state of water, reaching 100°C. The water forms large bubbles that furiously burst into a spiral. With this type of boil it is able to extract all the flavor of the spices used to make the tea.
The best infusion time
As with temperature, time is relative to each person’s taste preference. There are those who prefer stronger tea, and so it leaves more time to boil. However, some people like a weaker drink, with less flavor, and so let the mixture boil for a few minutes. If you prefer the middle ground here are time options for each type of tea.
- Black Tea: To make this tea, it is recommended an infusion time between three to five minutes, in a fully boiling water. That is, with a temperature equal to 100°C;
- White Tea: The ideal time for a good infusion of this tea is between four to eight minutes. In this case, it is not necessary for water to be at its boiling point, a temperature between 65° and 70° C is sufficient;
- Green tea: This should be served after an infusion of two to four minutes. And it must be prepared at a temperature that is between 75° to 80°;
- Oolong tea: To achieve a good taste, the brew should last between four and six minutes. A temperature that can range from 80° to 85° C is also recommended;
- Yellow tea: In this case, it is not necessary to wait long, around one to two minutes the infusion should be ready to be served. The important thing is to keep the temperature between 70° to 75° C.