There's been a lot of discussion in this group regarding which water
temperature to use for which tea. However, I haven't been able to find
any posts regarding boiling water and then letting it cool to the
desired temperature versus heating it up just to that temperature.
It's "common knowledge" that the water should be boiled and then
allowed to cool, but I haven't been able to find a good reason to do
this. I"m wondering whether this is a holdover from the days of
unsanitary water supplies. Given the recent discussion regarding how
microwaving water drives out too much oxygen, one would think that NOT
boiling the water if at all possible would retain more oxygen than
bringing the water to a boil.

Thanks,

Alan

On Apr 17, 2:12 pm, Alan > wrote:
> There's been a lot of discussion in this group regarding which water
> temperature to use for which tea. However, I haven't been able to find
> any posts regarding boiling water and then letting it cool to the
> desired temperature versus heating it up just to that temperature.
> It's "common knowledge" that the water should be boiled and then
> allowed to cool, but I haven't been able to find a good reason to do
> this. I"m wondering whether this is a holdover from the days of
> unsanitary water supplies. Given the recent discussion regarding how
> microwaving water drives out too much oxygen, one would think that NOT
> boiling the water if at all possible would retain more oxygen than
> bringing the water to a boil.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Alan

I heat up when paying attention to details.
I cool down when I'm feeling lazy and couldn't be bothered.

Phyll

According to chinese practice, water is always heated to just boiling
("fish eyes" water) and then cooled down. A water temperature suited
for green tea and most oolongs would be classified as "crab eyes"
water and this stage of heating is regarded as unhealthy. Therefore,
all water is heated to just boiling and then cooled down to the
suitable temperature.
I noticed though, that certain teas that require a brewing temperature
around 80-85 degrees C actually taste much better, if the heating is
stopped at the desired temperature rather than letting the water cool
down. I attributed that to the higher oxygen content of the water but
that's just a guess. Other teas seem to be not at all influenced by
the method of getting the right temperature.
BTW, another way to re-oxygenate your water after bringing it to a
boil is pouring it back and forth between two pots or jugs while
cooling. This not only cools the water faster than just letting it sit
in a kettle but also allows it to re-absorb some of the boiled-out
oxygen.

I think you're probably right with your guess that the practice of
boiling first and cooling down stems from the days of dubious water
quality as a security measure, but I don't have any accurate info on
that.

Alan > wrote:
>There's been a lot of discussion in this group regarding which water
>temperature to use for which tea. However, I haven't been able to find
>any posts regarding boiling water and then letting it cool to the
>desired temperature versus heating it up just to that temperature.

I tend to boil water, then add room temperature water from the sink and
dilute it. If you do this, and your room temperature water is pretty
consistent in temperature, you have only to measure volumes and not
temperature. This is very fast and convenient.

>It's "common knowledge" that the water should be boiled and then
>allowed to cool, but I haven't been able to find a good reason to do
>this. I"m wondering whether this is a holdover from the days of
>unsanitary water supplies. Given the recent discussion regarding how
>microwaving water drives out too much oxygen, one would think that NOT
>boiling the water if at all possible would retain more oxygen than
>bringing the water to a boil.

I don't know. Be interesting to try it both ways and see if you can taste
any difference.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

any method you prefer that gives you consistent results.

(aside from microwaving it of course).

On Apr 17, 11:50 pm, SN > wrote:
> any method you prefer that gives you consistent results.
>
> (aside from microwaving it of course).

Not to mention, a method which make the tea tastes good

I find it easier to wait for a cool down than a warm up. I like
boiling water and glass pots. Okay my water boils at 200F. I go to
sealevel every once in awhile. That boiling water is damn holly. The
pots radiate heat enough to keep from scorching greens and oolongs.
Most of my blacks these days are CTC and BOP so infusion is more based
on size than heat. I think my shu puer could use a little more heat.
I wouldn't trade the view for any other optimum. For the microwave I
always used a clay pot with a bamboo handle. I'd fill up about 3/4
including the infuser and add tea back at the desk and swish a
little. You learn the power settings and timer.

Jim

On Apr 17, 3:12 pm, Alan > wrote:
> There's been a lot of discussion in this group regarding which water
> temperature to use for which tea. However, I haven't been able to find
> any posts regarding boiling water and then letting it cool to the
> desired temperature versus heating it up just to that temperature.
> It's "common knowledge" that the water should be boiled and then
> allowed to cool, but I haven't been able to find a good reason to do
> this. I"m wondering whether this is a holdover from the days of
> unsanitary water supplies. Given the recent discussion regarding how
> microwaving water drives out too much oxygen, one would think that NOT
> boiling the water if at all possible would retain more oxygen than
> bringing the water to a boil.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Alan

I've read this too, that "crab-eye" water is unhealthy. To quote Lam
Kam Chuen in his book "The Way of Tea" pg. 78, "...is called medium-
done, yin-yang, or baby water. Such water is never used for making
tea and in fact is never used for anything in cooking, as yin-yang
water is said to be unhealthy." Baby water is also referred to as
"crab eye" water.

Now, how much of this information is backed up by reliable reasonings
(and by that I don't mean western sciences per se)? His wording seems
a little vague and suggests that he is merely passing down the wisdom
of old by saying "...as yin-yang water IS SAID to be unhealthy." Lam
Kam Chuen is a certified master practitioner of Chinese healing arts,
including chi-qong.

My personal impression of the Chinese healing wisdom is that much of
it is inherited from generations past...sort of an accumulated
knowledge, and little gets amended. So this left me wondering if
"crab-eye" water is/was regarded as unhealthy because it never reached
boiling point to properly sanitize it. Since there was no microscope
back then, the universal yin-yang concept is applied instead. And the
wisdom stays on to this day.

I know there is at least one regular poster here who is a student of
the Chinese healing sciences. Perhaps there is an active practitioner
or two, too? Please correct me if I'm wrong and shed some light if
you could. Thanks...

Phyll


On Apr 17, 5:37 pm, Jo > wrote:>
> for green tea and most oolongs would be classified as "crab eyes"
> water and this stage of heating is regarded as unhealthy.


On Apr 17, 5:37 pm, Jo > wrote:
> According to chinese practice, water is always heated to just boiling
> ("fish eyes" water) and then cooled down. A water temperature suited
> for green tea and most oolongs would be classified as "crab eyes"
> water and this stage of heating is regarded as unhealthy. Therefore,
> all water is heated to just boiling and then cooled down to the
> suitable temperature.
> I noticed though, that certain teas that require a brewing temperature
> around 80-85 degrees C actually taste much better, if the heating is
> stopped at the desired temperature rather than letting the water cool
> down. I attributed that to the higher oxygen content of the water but
> that's just a guess. Other teas seem to be not at all influenced by
> the method of getting the right temperature.
> BTW, another way to re-oxygenate your water after bringing it to a
> boil is pouring it back and forth between two pots or jugs while
> cooling. This not only cools the water faster than just letting it sit
> in a kettle but also allows it to re-absorb some of the boiled-out
> oxygen.
>
> I think you're probably right with your guess that the practice of
> boiling first and cooling down stems from the days of dubious water
> quality as a security measure, but I don't have any accurate info on
> that.