A good rule is to brew green, white and yellow tea in 70-80 degree water, oolong tea at 80-90 degrees, and black tea and Pu Erh and various herbal infusions at 90-100 degrees.
However, when choosing a brewing temperature, you should also take into account your own preferences. These temperatures must not be exceeded, but going below them may produce even beneficial effects. Cooler temperatures often give you more leeway for brewing time and a gentler taste if you don’t want to look at the time pedantically. Cooler brewing water is also gentler on the antioxidants contained in many types of tea and herbal infusions, so from a health point of view, you should also consider brewing in cooler water. On the other hand, hot water provides a faster and stronger brew, which is especially useful if you use side dishes such as milk with tea.
For example, the shopkeeper himself, as an easily distracted person, likes to brew green tea in 60-degree water and black tea in 80-degree water, so that most of you don’t mind much if the brewing time doubles. However, some specific teas are very specific about brewing, so the most reliable result is always obtained according to the instructions on the package. Nevertheless, it is worth boldly trying different brews!
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