5 essential properties of water for making tea

The role of water in making tea

Water plays a vital role in the preparation of tea for several reasons, so to get a good cup of tea, you need to use good quality water.

Why is water so important?

Thequality of the water can affect the taste of the tea: ideally, the water used to make tea should be clean, fresh and free of impurities.

Thetemperature of the water affects the preparation of the tea: different types of tea require different water temperatures to develop their optimum flavour, so it is important to take this into account when preparing the tea

Water affects the extraction of substances: the composition of the water can affect the extraction of substances that give the tea its flavour, colour and aroma.

Quality water for making quality tea

Although the Czech drinking water system is mostly fine, not all tap water is ideal for making tea. In order to brew tea under the best conditions, there are several factors to consider and one of them is the pH value.

The right pH

The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14 and determines the acidity or alkalinity of the water - ideally, the more neutral the water, the better. A pH of 7 is neutral, but a slightly acidic pH of 6 to a slightly alkaline pH of 8 is considered acceptable.

Ideal TDS - total dissolved solids

TDS measures thetotal amount of minerals present in the water and the amount of metals, salts, or other impurities that can be dissolved. It is the most commonly cited measure for determining what type of water to use for making tea.

Because sometimes you don't know what combination of dissolved solids make up the TDS in the water you use, this measurement may not be completely reliable. Relying on TDS measurements makes sense if you can control the dissolved solids content.

Water hardness

Water hardness is part of TDS but should not be confused with the same variable. Water hardness describes the amount of calcium and magnesium in the water.

Tea tastes best when the water hardness isbetween 17-68 ppm. When the hardness is too high (above 120 ppm), the tea tastesflat and tasteless. If the water hardness is too low (below 10 ppm), the tea becomes bitter and astringent.

Correct temperature for making tea

The degree of temperature when brewing tea depends on the type of tea you are going to brew. In general, the water temperature should be between 75 and 100 °C.

It is important to maintain the correct temperature, as too high a temperature can cause thetea to be bitter, while too low a temperature can lead to insufficient extraction of flavour.

Ideal steeping time according to the preparation of the tea

Steeping time is another important thing to observe when it comes to making a tasty and balanced cup of tea. If you steep the tea for too long, you will get anunpleasantly strong and bitter cup. If you steep the tea too short, you will get a weak, tasteless tea.

To complicate matters further, different teas require different steeping times to get the best flavour. We recommend steepingtea between one and ten minutes, but it depends on the type of tea.

Optimal tea dosage

The appropriate dosage of tea always depends on the type of tea. In general, however, about 2to 3 grams of tea per 250 ml of water should be used to make a cup of tea. For larger containers, such as teapots, it is advisable to use approximately 1teaspoon of tea per 250 ml of water.

It is important to note that too small an amount of tea can lead to a bland tasting tea, while too large an amount can lead to too strong a taste and some of the tea components will not be excreted into the water.

Therefore, it is important to find the right balance and adjust the dosage of tea according to your personal preferences and the type of tea you use.

Using high quality water with the correct mineral content, temperature and pH is therefore essential to ensure that the flavour and aroma of the coffee fully emerges during the brewing process.