Tea is not just leaves. Up to 90% of the flavour in a cup depends on water. The wrong water can diminish even the highest-quality tea.
Which Water is Best for Chinese Tea
- Soft water — without harshness or metallic taste
- Odourless water — chlorine or other scents ruin the flavour
- Low-mineral water — ideally less than 150 mg/L dissolved salts
The best options: filtered, spring, or artesian water. This water gently reveals aroma and produces a clean, clear infusion.
What to Avoid
- Re-boiled water — loses oxygen and flattens the tea
- Hard water — high mineral content weighs down flavour
- Chlorinated water — interferes with leaf extraction
Brewing Temperature
- Green and white teas: 70–85°C
- GABA and light oolongs: 80–90°C
- Wuyi rock oolongs: 90–95°C
- Shu and Sheng Pu-erh, Liu Pao: 95–100°C