“For tea enthusiasts, deciding on the right water temperature for brewing white tea can be a head-scratcher—90-95 degrees or a full boil at 100 degrees? In this video, we unravel the logic behind water temperature selection for white tea, putting an end to confusion.”
The Key to Brewing White Tea
The key is to select the brewing water temperature based on showcasing the tea's unique characteristics. Generally, lower temperatures are ideal for new or bud-rich teas to highlight their fresh and sweet profiles. Conversely, aged teas or those with more leaves benefit from higher temperatures to unlock their intrinsic qualities.
Using a higher temperature for new teas might result in a robust infusion, obscuring fresh and tender characteristics and causing bitterness due to rapid polyphenol and caffeine extraction. Striving for the perfect "golden ratio" of taste is essential. For instance, when savoring Silver Needle, aiming for a lower water temperature allows you to enjoy its fresh and delicate characteristics fully.
Higher Water Temperature is Necessary
For aged white teas that have slept for many years, a higher water temperature is necessary to awaken the leaves and extract both surface and deep-seated substances, resulting in a rich and mellow infusion.
Using 100-degree water is perfectly acceptable and even necessary for aged teas. As the tea ages, the content of polyphenols and caffeine decreases, mitigating the risk of bitterness. Instead, higher temperatures facilitate the extraction of pectin from older leaves and stems, contributing to a delightfully sticky texture in the tea, making it exceptionally enjoyable.
Therefore, for teas like First-Pick Silver Needle or Aged White Peony, with more buds and fewer leaves, start with 90-95 degrees and gradually increase to 95 degrees. High-quality white teas can endure 10 or more infusions without losing their charm. For aged white teas like Aged White Peony with more leaves, 95-100 degrees is suitable. In fact, for teas like Shou Mei, composed mostly of leaves, feel free to use 100-degree water temperature. After 4-5 infusions, you can even directly use boiling water for a unique experience, extracting the viscous and mellow characteristics of the tea. Cheers to a well-brewed cup of white tea!
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