I've been drinking green teas for a long time, and I subscribe
to the accepted wisdom that green teas, especially high
quality delicate greens, should be steeped in water far
below the boiling point - maybe as cool as 150 F (65 C)
or even lower for some teas.

I just read the Wikipedia section on brewing green tea,
and found this:

"Tea Masters living in China nowadays say that boiling
water must be used all the time even with green teas
because high quality leaves can handle higher temperatures
very well. ... If a tea claims to be high grade but the vendor
instructions says that boiling water mustn`t be used then
there is a chance that the tea is not so high grade."

This sounds like horse hockey to me - but have I missed
something?


Randy

P.S. Yeah, I know, you don't have to say it: "What do you
expect, it's Wikipedia."

RJP wrote:
> I've been drinking green teas for a long time, and I subscribe
> to the accepted wisdom that green teas, especially high
> quality delicate greens, should be steeped in water far
> below the boiling point - maybe as cool as 150 F (65 C)
> or even lower for some teas.
>
> I just read the Wikipedia section on brewing green tea,
> and found this:
>
> "Tea Masters living in China nowadays say that boiling
> water must be used all the time even with green teas
> because high quality leaves can handle higher temperatures
> very well. ... If a tea claims to be high grade but the vendor
> instructions says that boiling water mustn`t be used then
> there is a chance that the tea is not so high grade."
>
> This sounds like horse hockey to me - but have I missed
> something?
>
>
> Randy
>
> P.S. Yeah, I know, you don't have to say it: "What do you
> expect, it's Wikipedia."
>
When I was first experimenting, blindly, with green tea, I rather liked
the results I got with boiling water and a 45-second steep. In
retrospect, I don't know if I was using good tea or bad (I wasn't
keeping records), but I suspect it would be worth a try with some decent
teas.

dmh

> "Tea Masters living in China nowadays say that boiling
> water must be used all the time even with green teas
> because high quality leaves can handle higher temperatures
> very well. ... *If a tea claims to be high grade but the vendor
> instructions says that boiling water mustn`t be used then
> there is a chance that the tea is not so high grade."
>
> This sounds like horse hockey to me - but have I missed
> something?

It's partly true, and partly false. But mostly, misguided information.
Green tea is delicate for sure. If you used boiling water, that would
basically zap all the vitamins out of the tea. So cooler water should
be used. That's the same with baby formula - can't use boiling water.

Now some green teas can pretty much hold up to hotter temp. water -
but not all can.

Low grade teas though, of course if you used boiling water would come
out bitter and astrigent as heck.

who cares, try both ways, drink what tastes better to ya. There's no
"right" way to enjoy tea.

On Jul 26, 2:19*am, "Bonky" > wrote:
> who cares, try both ways, drink what tastes better to ya. *There's no
> "right" way to enjoy tea.

Some care, get over it.


I have been told recently to boil the water, but let it cool to under
boiling before steeping.


TBerk

> Some care, get over it.

I sense a little emotion in that statement. Why would you be even a little
emotional over a post made by a guy on the internet with my silly name?

Realizing that all your time spent looking for an orthodox tea-brewing
method has been a waste of time is a little disconcerting, isn't it? I
understand.

On Jul 30, 1:21*am, "Bonky" > wrote:
> > Some care, get over it.
>
> I sense a little emotion in that statement. *Why would you be even a little
> emotional over a post made by a guy on the internet with my silly name?
>
> Realizing that all your time spent looking for an orthodox tea-brewing
> method has been a waste of time is a little disconcerting, isn't it? *I
> understand. *

this asshole is cruising various groups trolling for a response

middle school is out for about 3 more weeks.

On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:30:47 -0700 (PDT), RJP > wrote:

>I've been drinking green teas for a long time, and I subscribe
>to the accepted wisdom that green teas, especially high
>quality delicate greens, should be steeped in water far
>below the boiling point - maybe as cool as 150 F (65 C)
>or even lower for some teas.
>
>I just read the Wikipedia section on brewing green tea,
>and found this:
>
>"Tea Masters living in China nowadays say that boiling
>water must be used all the time even with green teas
>because high quality leaves can handle higher temperatures
>very well. ... If a tea claims to be high grade but the vendor
>instructions says that boiling water mustn`t be used then
>there is a chance that the tea is not so high grade."
>
>This sounds like horse hockey to me - but have I missed
>something?
>
>
>Randy
>
>P.S. Yeah, I know, you don't have to say it: "What do you
>expect, it's Wikipedia."

The element of water sterilization is involved here, considering that
in times past it was probably a good idea to boil water to survive,
then the water for tea was cooling off. I don't subscribe to the tea
cosy strategy, though; I like mine sooner rather than later, and make
a new infusion for each large mug. I begin with a filtered water
blanch at about 150°F, then distilled water at about 140°F.

I remember arriving at the airport in Saigon and reading de-plane
instructions about not drinking the tea, because the water was
suspected of being contaminated and boiling water wasn't being used in
tea making. But the humid and hot climate inclined me to think tea,
so I had some, the other passengers envyously looking at me living
dangerously. Now I think I should have been more careful.

bookburn

> "Tea Masters living in China nowadays say that boiling
> water must be used all the time even with green teas
> because high quality leaves can handle higher temperatures
> very well. ... If a tea claims to be high grade but the vendor
> instructions says that boiling water mustn`t be used then
> there is a chance that the tea is not so high grade."

The reason one doesn't want to use boiling water on green tea is that
the leaf itself has only been dried and steamed, therefore still left
in its green state. Boiling water can burn the leaf and make it taste
bitter. Best results would seem to be allowing your water to come to
a boil then allow a cooling off period. Green tea is best steeped at
temperatures ranging between 175 and 195.

On Fri, 8 Aug 2008 06:31:13 -0700 (PDT), katrinha >
wrote:

>
>> "Tea Masters living in China nowadays say that boiling
>> water must be used all the time even with green teas
>> because high quality leaves can handle higher temperatures
>> very well. ... If a tea claims to be high grade but the vendor
>> instructions says that boiling water mustn`t be used then
>> there is a chance that the tea is not so high grade."
>
>The reason one doesn't want to use boiling water on green tea is that
>the leaf itself has only been dried and steamed, therefore still left
>in its green state. Boiling water can burn the leaf and make it taste
>bitter. Best results would seem to be allowing your water to come to
>a boil then allow a cooling off period. Green tea is best steeped at
>temperatures ranging between 175 and 195.

How about one of those electric tea making machines with a temperature
setting? Wouldn't that be more accurate than a varfiable cooling off
period?