Tea originated in China 5,000 years ago and the selection and brewing of tea has been refined to an art with health and spiritual aspects emerging as part of the process. Experienced tea drinkers throughout the world generally follow established guidelines for infusion or brewing of tea and the infusion procedure is often as important as the initial selection of tea. For several tea enthusiasts, brewing tea is the most soothing and spiritual part of their day. Brewing a good tasting cup of tea releases tensions for many and has a definite comforting effect.
It’s a reality that given that 99% of tea is water, far better water makes far better tea and water is crucial to the final outcome of tea preparation. Brewing tea could be complex or simple. For several tea enthusiasts the brewing procedure is an important component of the tea encounter that culminates inside the preparation of a satisfying beverage and a way of life. Fine teas are especially sensitive to the nature of water for infusion.
The most effective water for successful tea infusion is low in mineral content, free of contamination and additives and high in oxygen content.
Water Quality and Brewing Tea
Excellent tasting tea requires good tasting water. A simple test is that if the water tastes excellent by itself, the resulting brewed tea will also have a good flavor. Simply because a brewed cup of tea is mostly water, the quality of the water is often as essential as the quality of the tea leaves. The water need to be free of contaminants and minerals and contain sufficient oxygen to improve the natural tea flavor. Moreover, you’ll find numerous additional factors which will impact the taste of the infusion. These consist of water temperature, the mineral content of the water used and also the continued presence of a sufficient quantity of oxygen in the water.
If one is utilizing tap water, filtration is usually needed. Several tap water suppliers use chlorine to kill bacteria and chlorine in tap water combined with mineral and chemical deposits can considerably impact tea taste and the tea drinker’s overall wellness. The brewer will desire to eliminate chlorine and other chemicals as well as sediment from the water. It really is greatest to check the composition of tap water on EPA or AMWA web sites. Regularly you will find also nearby water top quality analysis data obtainable.
Chlorinated tap water for instance destroys the flavor of tea. No matter how skillful the preparation or spectacular the tea, poor water will make a poor cup of tea.
Water Temperature
Most professionals recommend that one never boil water for a prolonged period or re-boil a previously used supply. The much more that the water boils, the a lot more oxygen that is driven out of the water .When water is boiled, oxygen evaporates, and the crisp taste within the brew is lost..
Fresh cold water is important. In areas with poor tap water, use bottled or filtered water that’s totally free of contaminants. Never use water from the hot water tap. If only tap water is obtainable, run the water until it is cold and has a chance to aerate and infuse oxygen.
Poor quality tap water, containing mineral content along with other contaminants, even if it is really cold, should be avoided since its chemical treatment imparts undesirable flavors and odors which interfere with the delicate aromatics of tea.
Mineral Content – Soft vs. Hard Water
Water described as “hard” is high in dissolved minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium. These minerals accumulate in the water, adversely affect the taste and clarity of the tea and accumulate in teapots and infusers. Teas brewed with pure water containing no minerals produce a crisp flavor and a clear brew that’s aesthetically agreeable.
Hard water can also affect the appearance of tea by generating it dark and murky. Tough water frequently outcomes in an undesirable chalky taste and may also reduce the aesthetic portion of the tea brewing method by bleaching the color of the leaves.
High mineral content bottled water has the very same negative impact on tea as difficult water especially when bottled water doesn’t consist of considerable oxygen.
Oxygen and Water
Oxygen plays an crucial role in brewing since it helps to release the very best flavors of tea. As a result, one must use water that’s aerated (full of oxygen).It is an established fact that the presence of oxygen in water is required to maximize tea flavor. Aeration is particularly crucial when brewing fine teas.
Stay away from re-heating water since previously boiled water will have lost much of its dissolved oxygen which is important to bring out the tea flavor Always use freshly drawn water that has not previously been boiled to maximize the oxygen content of the brew.
Water Top quality, Purity and Taste for Tea Drinkers within the United States
Historically, in China, fantastic attention was give to supplying high quality water from a reliable source. The emperors of China appointed royal springs reserved for use in tea brewing and developed special messengers that would guarantee the freshness and availability of supply. This process was repeated throughout history and in other tea drinking areas of the world. Supply of water was an integral part of the tea expertise.
Within the United States utilizing a pure water supply is also vital to appropriate brewing but the water supply typically comes form 1 of 3 sources: Municipal water, spring and well water and bottled water.
Municipal water is the predominant form of water supply and is controlled by standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. It really is crucial to note that EPA Regulations do not remove the presence of harmful minerals from water but merely set upper limits on the presence of contaminants. Furthermore, chlorine is usually added to municipal water to kill bacteria but this chlorine has a distinctly undesirable taste.
Spring and well water are a key source of water in rural areas but it is unregulated and subject to serious contamination from organic, chemical and human sources. Individual wells and springs must be tested to decide the source and level of contamination.
Bottled water is the best for brewing flavorful tea but care needs to be taken to determine the source of the bottled water. Bottled water from springs is subject to contamination while mineral water often contains the minerals which are most detrimental to excellent tasting tea. Of the different sources for bottled water only purified water is best for the brewing of good tasting tea.
Purified water means that all minerals and contaminants are filtered and removed from the water making use of a purification process but which is only the first step. For tea brewing purposes purified water need to also be infused with oxygen to guarantee the most effective flavor. Only those companies that use a multi-step method of filtration, purification and oxygenation ought to be regarded as as a dependable source for the brewing of excellent tasting fine tea.
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