In theory, the temperature of the water used to make the tea is always about the same, but there's a bit more to it than that. Matcha was traditionally picked in May, blended, and packed as unground leaf in large jars with packages of koicha blends surrounded by usucha leaves. Tea people received these jars from the producers and opened them in November (the beginning of the cool season in tea ceremony), and ground their own tea. This tea was supposed to last for the following year, so in warm weather the tea is considered old and should be made with cooler water and consumed at a lower temperature. A scoop of cold water is added to the kettle immediately before drawing water when making koicha; this cools the water slightly, and wide, shallow bowls allow the tea to cool rapidly before the guest drinks it.David R. wrote:So, I was wondering... Maybe it is a silly question but still...
Different temperatures with sencha brings out different flavors. What about matcha
In cool weather, in contrast, the tea is considered fresh, so it should be made with hotter water: the lid of the kettle is kept closed as much as possible to ensure the water is really hot, and deep, narrow bowls keep it that way while the guests drink it.