Re: Green tea - temperature of water is also key too
01/12/04 01:14 AM
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steather
Reged: 01/29/03
Posts: 345
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
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I have read before that the Japanese have a special method of preparing their green tea, which involves using water at a precise temperature and steeping for a limited time....I don't recall where I read that, but I just came across another article which mentioned using lower temp water...
"For green tea, which is more delicate than black tea, use water that is about 160 to 180 degrees F or just below boiling. At this temperature, you will see some steam rise from the water. This lower temperature helps protect against a bitter or astringent taste in green tea. TIP: If heating your water for green tea in a whistling tea kettle, flip back or remove the whistle section so you can see when steam starts rising from the spout."
And upon further research, I found a more scientific reasoning. The higher the water temperature, the more bitter and astringent the tea taste becomes. This is because amino acids, the key element for flavor dissolves at 60 °C (140°F) while tannin, the element lending astringency, dissolves at 80°C (176°F). Adjusting the temperature and brewing time coordinates flavor, sweetness, and astringency.
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Heather
"Quod me Nutrit me Destruit"
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