I received my first tea shipment from adagio this past week and it's the first time preparing loose tea. I'm very excited and really enjoy these gourmet teas. I'm trying to learn as much about them but I have a few questions if anyone can help me out.
So as I find out, tea is pretty scientific! I've given a specific temperature for brewing different types of tea. I've never paid attention to this before so how do you get tea to know that it's 212 degrees? I would like to be specific with this but do I just need to check this with a thermometer? Is there a better way? I have an abosure pure water butler that has a "hot water" option which leaves me with hot steamy water but not boiling. I have been putting the water in the microwave to get this to a boil but again, no idea if I'm burning the tea or not. I want to keep using my filtered water but it stinks because I know the "hot water" option on isn't producing hot enough water. What is the best method? Anyone have ideas/suggestions?
Thanks for your time!
Boiling water is 212ºF. If your instant hot water system is at the higher end of the quality spectrum, chances are the water will be about 200ºF and should only take a few moments to boil if you put a bit in a heated saucepan on the stove.
You don't have to keep the tea at 212º for steeping (in fact, the temperature will drop shortly after you pour the hot water into a cup) so please, do not microwave it during infusion. You will, for all intents and purposes, be cooking the leaves and making a very nasty brew.
If you want to keep using your filtered water without bothering with the microwave or stove or anything, fill a mug with the hot water and let it sit a moment. Then discard the water, add your tea, and refill. By raising the temperature of the cup, you will minimize the temperature drop of the 2nd round of water and likely have water hot enough to decently steep black tea.
You don't have to keep the tea at 212º for steeping (in fact, the temperature will drop shortly after you pour the hot water into a cup) so please, do not microwave it during infusion. You will, for all intents and purposes, be cooking the leaves and making a very nasty brew.
If you want to keep using your filtered water without bothering with the microwave or stove or anything, fill a mug with the hot water and let it sit a moment. Then discard the water, add your tea, and refill. By raising the temperature of the cup, you will minimize the temperature drop of the 2nd round of water and likely have water hot enough to decently steep black tea.
Aug 26th, '07, 20:23
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Also, for most teas, the temperatures and times are more like suggestions than rules. Occasionally you will come across a very finicky tea, but for the most part, ballpark estimates of parameters will do just fine. If you want to be scientific about it, which is perfectly fine, just use a regular ol' meat thermometer (preferably free of any residual meat).
Tea Nerd - www.teanerd.com
Not sure I understood your second part. I'm going to buy a thermometer to check the temp. of the hot water coming out of the absopure filter. What I normally do is measure 1 cup out of the absopure and then put the measuring cup that I measured the water in in the microwave for about 35 sec. until I see bubbles. Then I grab round off 1 teaspoon of tea and put it in the ingenuiTEA and wait a moment for the water to calm down and pour it in the ingenuiTEA infuser. After 5min. I then dispense the black tea. I was just trying to cut out the microwave part but I suppose I should check out the temp. first of the absopure...Mary R wrote:Boiling water is 212ºF. If your instant hot water system is at the higher end of the quality spectrum, chances are the water will be about 200ºF and should only take a few moments to boil if you put a bit in a heated saucepan on the stove.
You don't have to keep the tea at 212º for steeping (in fact, the temperature will drop shortly after you pour the hot water into a cup) so please, do not microwave it during infusion. You will, for all intents and purposes, be cooking the leaves and making a very nasty brew.
If you want to keep using your filtered water without bothering with the microwave or stove or anything, fill a mug with the hot water and let it sit a moment. Then discard the water, add your tea, and refill. By raising the temperature of the cup, you will minimize the temperature drop of the 2nd round of water and likely have water hot enough to decently steep black tea.
Aug 26th, '07, 22:20
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scruffmcgruff
I'm not sure how often you brew water in a microwave so this could be old hat for you, but I've been taught to always put a wooden skewer in water being microwaved, to avoid superheating the water and the risk of explosive spontaneous boiling.
Also, if you're going to take the temperature of the water coming out of your hot water tap, be sure to prewarm the container (just rinse it with hot water) you are measuring temperature in. Otherwise, your temperature reading could be skewed by the heat exchange with a cold cup.
Also, if you're going to take the temperature of the water coming out of your hot water tap, be sure to prewarm the container (just rinse it with hot water) you are measuring temperature in. Otherwise, your temperature reading could be skewed by the heat exchange with a cold cup.