Alright, let’s talk about this black tea water thing, you know, how hot it gotta be. I ain’t no fancy tea expert or nothin’, but I’ve been makin’ tea for, well, let’s just say a long, long time. My grandma taught me, and her grandma taught her, so I reckon I know a thing or two.

Now, some folks get all fussy about it, usin’ them thermometer thingamajigs and talkin’ ’bout “Fahren-somethin’” and “Cel-see-us.” I say, phooey on all that! You don’t need no fancy gadgets to make a good cuppa tea.

Mostly, you want that water real hot. Like, you see them little bubbles startin’ to come up, that’s when you know it’s gettin’ there. Some folks say you gotta let it come to a full boil, a big roarin’ boil, you know? But I think that’s too much. Makes the tea taste kinda burnt, like. You want it hot enough to get the color out, but not so hot it kills the flavor. Make sense?

• If you boil the water too long, the tea gets bitter. Nobody wants bitter tea, right?
• And if the water’s not hot enough, well, then you just get some weak, pale, watery stuff. That ain’t tea, that’s just colored water.

I heard some folks sayin’ somethin’ ’bout “195 to 205 degrees.” Sounds fancy, but I just go by look and feel. You get to know your kettle, you know? You hear that little rumble, you see them little bubbles, you feel that heat comin’ off it, that’s when you know it’s ready. Trust your gut, that’s what I say.

Now, different teas might need different heat, I guess. But for your regular black tea, the kind you drink every day, hot is hot. Don’t overthink it. And for goodness sake, don’t use that water that’s been sittin’ in the kettle all day. Fresh water, that’s the key. You wouldn’t use dirty water to wash your face, would ya? Same goes for tea. Fresh water makes for fresh tastin’ tea.

And another thing, don’t go boilin’ the water more than once. My old man used to say that takes all the “life” out of it. Makes it taste flat, he said. I don’t know about “life,” but I know he was right about the taste. Fresh water, heated up just right, that’s the secret. Ain’t no secret really, just common sense.

Some folks like their tea strong, some like it weak. That’s up to you. But the water temperature, that’s important for gettin’ the flavor out, no matter how strong you like it. Too cold, and you ain’t gonna get much flavor at all. Too hot, and you might burn it, like I said. You gotta find that sweet spot, you know?

And don’t forget, after you pour that hot water over the tea leaves, you gotta let it sit for a bit. Can’t just pour it and drink it right away. Gotta let it steep, they call it. Let them tea leaves do their work. How long? Well, that depends on how strong you like it, but a few minutes usually does the trick. I just eyeball it, you know? When it looks dark enough, it’s probably ready.

And one more thing, for the love of Pete, don’t go puttin’ your tea in the microwave to heat it up. That ain’t right. Just ain’t right. You want hot tea, make it hot from the start. Microwaves are for leftovers, not for good tea.

So, there you have it. That’s my two cents on black tea water temperature. Hot, but not too hot. Fresh water, heated up just right. And don’t overthink it. It ain’t rocket science, it’s just tea. Now go on and make yourself a cuppa, you deserve it. And don’t forget to put your feet up while you’re at it.

Tags: [Black Tea, Tea Brewing, Water Temperature, Hot Tea, Tea Making, Perfect Tea, Best Tea]