Alright, let’s talk about this oolong tea and the water thing, you know, how hot it gotta be.

First off, I heard folks sayin’ different things, but mostly it’s around 185 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Now, I ain’t got one of them fancy thermometers, but I reckon you can get one if you’re fancy like that. Me? I just boil the water and then let it sit for a bit. Kinda like when you let the coffee cool down ‘fore you give it to the kids.

I also heard some folks sayin’ green tea likes it cooler, around 176 degrees, and that black tea can take the boilin’ water straight up. Oolong, well, it’s somewhere in the middle, like I said, that 180 to 195, or maybe a bit hotter, up to 205, depends on what kind you got, I guess.

Someone told me once, the greener the tea, the cooler the water, and the darker the tea, the hotter it can be. Makes sense, I guess. Like how you don’t wanna burn your collard greens, but you gotta boil them taters good and hot.

• Now, if you bought your tea from some fella, he probably told you how to make it.
• You should listen to him first, I reckon.
• But if it don’t taste right, then you gotta play around with it.

Maybe the water’s too hot, maybe it’s too cold. Maybe you need more tea, or maybe you need less. It’s like makin’ biscuits, you gotta try it a few times ‘fore you get it just right. And sometimes, even then, they don’t turn out perfect, but that’s alright, we ain’t perfect neither.

Another thing, I heard some folks talkin’ ’bout “scalding” the tea. Sounds terrible, don’t it? Like you’re gonna hurt the poor little leaves. But what they mean is, you don’t wanna use water that’s too hot, ’cause it’ll make the tea taste bitter. Nobody wants bitter tea, unless maybe you’re one of them folks who likes their coffee black as night and strong enough to float a horseshoe.

So, you gotta find that sweet spot, that temperature where the tea tastes just right. And that’s gonna take some tryin’, some experimentin’. It ain’t rocket science, though. It’s just tea. And tea is supposed to be enjoyable, not a headache.

And let me tell you something else, don’t go frettin’ too much about the exact degree. I mean, ain’t nobody got time for that. Just get the water hot, let it cool a bit, and then pour it over your tea. If it tastes good, then you done it right. If it don’t, well, you try again next time. Life’s too short to be fussin’ over a few degrees of water, you know?

So, to sum it up, for oolong tea, you want your water hot, but not too hot. Somewhere between 180 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit is a good place to start. But the most important thing is to try it out, see what you like, and don’t be afraid to experiment. And most importantly, enjoy your tea. It’s a good way to relax, to take a break from the day, and just enjoy a nice, warm cup of somethin’ good.

Now, I gotta go check on my stew, don’t want that burnin’ neither. You have a good day, ya hear?

Tags: [oolong tea, tea brewing, water temperature, tea tips, brewing guide]