I don't use the micro unless I have to.
Yes I can tell the diffference.
To me microwaved water makes the tea taste weak and, somehow, "chlorinated", if that even makes sense. The water is abnormally hot at first, then cools abnormally quickly. It also takes 4-5 minutes for a decent sized mug of water to come to a rolling boil in my microwave - the stove is just as fast, and electric kettles are faster.
Only as an absolute last resort and I'm usually I'm sorry I did.
Also remember microwave water can EXPLODE. See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeWQ72X-YnM
Also remember microwave water can EXPLODE. See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeWQ72X-YnM
Oof, yeah it makes a difference. I found this out by the fact that many jobs I've been at only had the microwave to heat water. The problem with this is that the water doesn't circulate properly when boiling and thusly, your steep is this sad collection of slightly flavored tea on the bottom of the cup.
There are plug in pots that can be used to boil, but they all seem to be made of plastic and thusly the boil is again weird, but plastic is never a good flavor.
I pretty much always go by a boil on a burner in a metal container (it can be a tea pot or even a cooking pot as long as it's metal) or I just skip it altogether. The only time where you can get away with not using a pot is at a cafe where they have those high-pressured boiling systems they use all day long for the coffee and the tea. They seem to work very well, albeit expensive.
Anyways, that's my thing and as it appears in the poll, the same for others as well.
hudin
There are plug in pots that can be used to boil, but they all seem to be made of plastic and thusly the boil is again weird, but plastic is never a good flavor.
I pretty much always go by a boil on a burner in a metal container (it can be a tea pot or even a cooking pot as long as it's metal) or I just skip it altogether. The only time where you can get away with not using a pot is at a cafe where they have those high-pressured boiling systems they use all day long for the coffee and the tea. They seem to work very well, albeit expensive.
Anyways, that's my thing and as it appears in the poll, the same for others as well.
hudin
I'll use the microwave if there's no other option. I used to always make my large pitchers of iced tea with family-sized teabags in the microwave and it was fine... but then I purchased a Breville stainless steel electric kettle and started using it all the time, and now I think it tastes better for some reason. Of course, I am also using good loose-leaf tea now! But, on the rare occasion that I use the microwave for my good teas, I still think it doesn't taste quite as good.
Sarah
Sarah
***This organic blend is earthy & spicy, with a fragrant aroma & smooth flavor to captivate the senses. Naturally sweetened in the Kentucky sunshine & infused with natural energy. Equally delicious when served piping hot or crisply chilled.***
I find that it is important to have experience with both the microwave and the boiling vessle.
Right now, my microwave boils 1/2 cup of water in my small tea cups in 1 and a half minutes, every time. Knowing this, I remove the water right at or slightly before the time it begins to boil.
Some cups will not boil properly, but you can still use these with good results. The super heated water will boil when the cup is shaken or a spoon is used to tap the bottom. Doing this, you can experiment to learn exactly how long it takes to heat a given quanity of water to boiling temperature in a given vessle. After knowing the optimal heating time, you are no longer super-heating the water, as you are removing it right at or slightly before boiling temperature is reached.
I suspect that many of those getting bad results from microwave usage have never taken the time to study the behavior of their microwave and cups.
If the use of the microwave is a symptem of haphazard preparation, results will suffer. If the microwave is used as part of a careful and attentive prepartion, results will be good.
Right now, my microwave boils 1/2 cup of water in my small tea cups in 1 and a half minutes, every time. Knowing this, I remove the water right at or slightly before the time it begins to boil.
Some cups will not boil properly, but you can still use these with good results. The super heated water will boil when the cup is shaken or a spoon is used to tap the bottom. Doing this, you can experiment to learn exactly how long it takes to heat a given quanity of water to boiling temperature in a given vessle. After knowing the optimal heating time, you are no longer super-heating the water, as you are removing it right at or slightly before boiling temperature is reached.
I suspect that many of those getting bad results from microwave usage have never taken the time to study the behavior of their microwave and cups.
If the use of the microwave is a symptem of haphazard preparation, results will suffer. If the microwave is used as part of a careful and attentive prepartion, results will be good.
Jun 27th, '08, 09:53
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neowolf
Jun 27th, '08, 13:01
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ABx
I haven't used a microwave with loose teas, but it wasn't really a conscious decision against microwaves. For starters, my favorite cups all have gold leaf on the outside, so I couldn't use the microwave.
About the time I first started with loose teas I just got one of those cheapy hot water dispensers by Sunbeam. It heats the water in about 60-90 seconds, which was one of the reasons I got it - even faster than a microwave). This worked pretty well but the heating was timed, rather than measured, so it wouldn't give you a consistent temp unless you measured the water exactly. After that I got a variable temp kettle, and finally a Zoji
Upton sells their variable kettle for around $30 (at least it was when I got it), and the Sunbeam was only $20. If I couldn't get a Zoji for the office I would probably go with one of those.
About the time I first started with loose teas I just got one of those cheapy hot water dispensers by Sunbeam. It heats the water in about 60-90 seconds, which was one of the reasons I got it - even faster than a microwave). This worked pretty well but the heating was timed, rather than measured, so it wouldn't give you a consistent temp unless you measured the water exactly. After that I got a variable temp kettle, and finally a Zoji
Upton sells their variable kettle for around $30 (at least it was when I got it), and the Sunbeam was only $20. If I couldn't get a Zoji for the office I would probably go with one of those.
I boiled in my ingenuiTEA a few times (a while back) and I prefer using water boiled in my kettle. I love my utiliTEA!
As someone said, it's important for their to be a surface in the container for the bubbles to form from, a "seed." Same concept used in recrystallizations in chem labs.
If the container happens to be perfectly smooth, the water can super-heat (rise above boiling point) without actually boiling/bubbling. At some point, the water will desperately and vigorously boil, or rather, explode out of the vessel!
As someone said, it's important for their to be a surface in the container for the bubbles to form from, a "seed." Same concept used in recrystallizations in chem labs.
If the container happens to be perfectly smooth, the water can super-heat (rise above boiling point) without actually boiling/bubbling. At some point, the water will desperately and vigorously boil, or rather, explode out of the vessel!
I only use the microwave when I have to, and I keep saying, I'll never do that again. I can't taste a difference, but I just don't have an 16 oz containers that do well in there, so its just too much of a process. I prefer my pot on the stove. I am considering a tea kettle or something else, but just not really sure what will work best.
A tea kettle would be a great investment! I've got a simple whistling glass kettle & have enjoyed it.elchai wrote:I only use the microwave when I have to, and I keep saying, I'll never do that again. I can't taste a difference, but I just don't have an 16 oz containers that do well in there, so its just too much of a process. I prefer my pot on the stove. I am considering a tea kettle or something else, but just not really sure what will work best.
Absolutely can tell the difference, and I refuse now to use a microwave to heat the water for tea. The microwaved tea tastes flat and underbrewed, no matter how good the quality of the tea or how hot the water seems to be.
At work, the microwave was the only option, but once the fall semester begins this year, I'm going to get a small electric metal kettle to make my tea in my office. Also, I'll be bringing in my water from home (I have an artesian well with the most delicious water). The town water at the college is godawful.
At work, the microwave was the only option, but once the fall semester begins this year, I'm going to get a small electric metal kettle to make my tea in my office. Also, I'll be bringing in my water from home (I have an artesian well with the most delicious water). The town water at the college is godawful.