what is the perfect water composition (yes aside from the 2H and the
O), as in what minerals in what amount,

do tea producers & their professional tasters control the water for
their tastings so it has always the same contents? or do they just use
local "tap" water?

On Feb 28, 5:53*pm, SN wrote:
what is the perfect water composition (yes aside from the 2H and the
O), as in what minerals in what amount,

do tea producers & their professional tasters control the water for
their tastings so it has always the same contents? or do they just use
local "tap" water?

I took part in a few tastings and we used bottled water. Frankly, the
water here is Northern California works well enough for me, even with
my extravagant teas; but, we used Fiji which seemed to be a good Ph
and neutral-tasting. Fiji workedwell with these high-grade sen-chas
and darjeelings.
Roy Fong uses a specially designed gizmo to get the Ph perfect in his
shops.

Shen

On Feb 28, 8:53 pm, SN wrote:
what is the perfect water composition (yes aside from the 2H and the
O), as in what minerals in what amount,

do tea producers & their professional tasters control the water for
their tastings so it has always the same contents? or do they just use
local "tap" water?

Where I live in PA we have a lot of natural springs that come straight
out of mountainsides and are incredibly cold and clear. My best tea is
brewed with that water and comes out amazing, however I don't know the
exact composition of it. When the weather is bad or I'm lazy we have a
local water distributor who sells water already in water cooler (3 & 5
Gallon) jugs from a similar spring, it's excellent as well.

I have tried a number of bottled waters but in the end I go back to my
quad filtered (Dupont not Brita/Pur) tap water. I will also say though
as an avid camper/backpacker that tea brewed fresh from streams is
also tops on my list... but that may just be due to exhaustion/cold
and any hot beverage To answer your question though, I've seen many
establishments use bottled waters for their teas.

- Dominic

On Feb 28, 7:53*pm, SN wrote:
what is the perfect water composition (yes aside from the 2H and the
O), as in what minerals in what amount,

do tea producers & their professional tasters control the water for
their tastings so it has always the same contents? or do they just use
local "tap" water?

Kansas City water is great, but it was pronouced the best tap water in
the US a couple of years back. It very occasionally gets too
chlorinated after a storm, so I boil the chlorine out. Toci

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:55:47 -0800 (PST), "Dominic T."
wrote:

On Feb 28, 8:53 pm, SN wrote:
what is the perfect water composition (yes aside from the 2H and the
O), as in what minerals in what amount,

do tea producers & their professional tasters control the water for
their tastings so it has always the same contents? or do they just use
local "tap" water?

Where I live in PA we have a lot of natural springs that come straight
out of mountainsides and are incredibly cold and clear. My best tea is
brewed with that water and comes out amazing, however I don't know the
exact composition of it. When the weather is bad or I'm lazy we have a
local water distributor who sells water already in water cooler (3 & 5
Gallon) jugs from a similar spring, it's excellent as well.

I have tried a number of bottled waters but in the end I go back to my
quad filtered (Dupont not Brita/Pur) tap water. I will also say though
as an avid camper/backpacker that tea brewed fresh from streams is
also tops on my list... but that may just be due to exhaustion/cold
and any hot beverage To answer your question though, I've seen many
establishments use bottled waters for their teas.

- Dominic

A clue to "best" water may be in the location of farms on mountain
sides and the fact that mountain waters probably have high mineral
content. So if "traditional" has meaning in your ceremony with tea,
then perhaps mountain water that's well filtered is most satisfactory.

What I use is distilled water, which is most like soft rain water and
mineral free. This suits me best, considering the other problems
associated with public water and chemicals such as arsenic that occur
naturally in ground water. But I like the highly aerated and
mineralized water from a mountain stream, too. Don't know which
tastes best. bookburn

On Feb 29, 6:53*am, SN wrote:
what is the perfect water composition (yes aside from the 2H and the
O), as in what minerals in what amount,

do tea producers & their professional tasters control the water for
their tastings so it has always the same contents? or do they just use
local "tap" water?

Friends,

With my experience, I can say with conviction that rain water is the
best for tea.
However, please avoid the first few rains .. which are acidic.
As far as tasting of tea is concerned, it is possible to notice even
minor flaws / differences in the color and taste of liqour, when the
sample is brewed using rain water. On the estates, particularly of
Assam and Darjeeling, it is quite a common practice. The only
difficulty being the readjustment of palate / organoleptic senses with
ordinary "tap" water, once monsoon gets over.
The rain water can be safely stored in closed, cool and dark
containers / tanks, for a long time, and the brew prepared with it is
brighter, more flavoury and a wee bit thin.

Tea Cheers!
Jayesh S Pandya.

what is the perfect water composition

The perfect water composition is the water you taste that tastes the
best to you. So you need to compare the waters that are available in
your local area, and see which is most suitable to your needs.

On Sun, 2 Mar 2008 03:41:52 -0800 (PST), teapandya
wrote:

On Feb 29, 6:53*am, SN wrote:
what is the perfect water composition (yes aside from the 2H and the
O), as in what minerals in what amount,

do tea producers & their professional tasters control the water for
their tastings so it has always the same contents? or do they just use
local "tap" water?

Friends,

With my experience, I can say with conviction that rain water is the
best for tea.
However, please avoid the first few rains .. which are acidic.
As far as tasting of tea is concerned, it is possible to notice even
minor flaws / differences in the color and taste of liqour, when the
sample is brewed using rain water. On the estates, particularly of
Assam and Darjeeling, it is quite a common practice. The only
difficulty being the readjustment of palate / organoleptic senses with
ordinary "tap" water, once monsoon gets over.
The rain water can be safely stored in closed, cool and dark
containers / tanks, for a long time, and the brew prepared with it is
brighter, more flavoury and a wee bit thin.

Tea Cheers!
Jayesh S Pandya.

This is hilarious.

What exactly is in this magical rain water other that H2O?

And why does it need to be stored in dark containers?

This is hilarious.

What exactly is in this magical rain water other that H2O?

And why does it need to be stored in dark containers?

It's not hilarious. Water is serious business - especially when it
comes to tea. And any water is not merely just H2O. There are many
many kinds of water - from many different sources. Would you use muddy
pond water to brew your tea? Or would you prefer swamp water, drawn on
a sunny day? Rain water is actually good for tea - provide it's clean.
But nowadays, with pollution and everthing, maybe it's not the best
choice of water.

Of course, you can always rely on Tapwater Springs - and buy those
bottled waters that are really just filtered tap water. Yuck.

On Sun, 4 May 2008 00:53:30 -0700 (PDT), niisonge
wrote:


This is hilarious.

What exactly is in this magical rain water other that H2O?

And why does it need to be stored in dark containers?

It's not hilarious.

It's not only hilarious, it's also ridiculous.

Water is serious business - especially when it
comes to tea.

Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

And any water is not merely just H2O.

Yeah, I asked about that. You conveniently ducked the question.

There are many
many kinds of water - from many different sources. Would you use muddy
pond water to brew your tea? Or would you prefer swamp water, drawn on
a sunny day?

Not sure what this has to do with anything, but no.

Rain water is actually good for tea - provide it's clean.
But nowadays, with pollution and everthing, maybe it's not the best
choice of water.

Of course, you can always rely on Tapwater Springs - and buy those
bottled waters that are really just filtered tap water. Yuck.

I'd love to run a double-blind experiment on a bunch of water snobs
with a few grand at stake. I'd even give odds. Just for fun, we could
toss in some of your warm swamp water and maybe some horse ****.

It's not only hilarious, it's also ridiculous.
Ridiculous? Well, what kind of tea are you drinking? Don't tell me
it's the stuff that comes in little bags.
If you drink good tea, you will notice the results good water makes.

Yeah, I asked about that. You conveniently ducked the question.
I ducked the question, because I don't have to answer it if I don't
want to. Do the research yourself. I'm lazy.

I'd love to run a double-blind experiment on a bunch of water snobs with a few grand at stake.
I see you're going to be a hard convert. But nobody's going to be
doing any hand-holding with you. You have to kind of figure this stuff
out for youself. Try different kinds of water - bottled, from lakes,
from the tap - in different locales. Compare samples side by side - of
just plain water (no need to brew tea or anything). Then you will
know. There is a difference.

On 2008-05-03, Lurfys Maw wrote:
What exactly is in this magical rain water other that H2O?

Other way round. Tap water is often very mineral rich in ways that
adversely affect the flavor of, well, anything. In India, tap water
is often non-potable.

Do you think iron or sulfur hard or brackish water make good tea?

And why does it need to be stored in dark containers?

To avoid algae/mold, if you're saving it for months?


N.

Lurfys Maw wrote:
On Sun, 4 May 2008 00:53:30 -0700 (PDT), niisonge
wrote:


This is hilarious.

What exactly is in this magical rain water other that H2O?

And why does it need to be stored in dark containers?

It's not hilarious.

It's not only hilarious, it's also ridiculous.

Sadly not. Call your local water supplier and ask for an assay. You will
find all sorts of dissolved minerals in your water. Those minerals can
dramatically change the taste of tea.

I'd love to run a double-blind experiment on a bunch of water snobs
with a few grand at stake. I'd even give odds. Just for fun, we could
toss in some of your warm swamp water and maybe some horse ****.

Don't forget the Burton's Water Salts!
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."