Water Temperature
The Perfect Brew
How does temperature affect taste?
The optimum temperature of water for brewing tea varies according to each tea type. Black teas taste best if brewed in water just off the boil but if you do the same to green or white tea you risk burning the leaves and creating a bitter brew.
Essentially this comes down to how each tea type is processed. The greater the amount of oxidation the tea has undergone, the hotter the water needs to be. Black teas are 100% oxidised during production and need very hot water to extract their strong malty flavours. Green and white teas, on the other hand, are minimally oxidised and therefore need cooler water to allow their sweet and delicate notes to shine through.
A temperature-controlled kettle is the easiest way to get this right. Failing that, if you have a regular kettle and you are brewing green or white tea it is best to wait a couple of minutes after the water has finished boiling before pouring it.
We have put together a temperature guide below, but don’t panic if you do accidentally pour boiling water on your Refresher Green tea or try to steep your TwentyFourSeven tea in 80°C water. Twist Teas blends are forgiving and are specially created in order to brew a delicious cup every time. When using Twist’s premium teas, it is difficult to make a bad cuppa.
The following temperatures are recommended for hot tea:
| Black tea | 95-98°C | This means to pour the water when it has just finished boiling. |
| Green tea | 80°C | Wait 2-3 minutes after the kettle has boiled before pouring. |
| White tea | 80°C | Wait 2-3 minutes after the kettle has boiled before pouring. |
| Rooibos tea | 95-98°C | Pour the water when it has just finished boiling. |
| Fruit and herbal tea | 95-98°C | Pour the water when it has just finished boiling. |
