So, I’ve been messing around with oolong tea lately, and let me tell you, getting the water temperature right makes a huge difference. I decided to do a little experiment to see what all the fuss was about.

First, I grabbed my electric kettle and filled it up with some fresh water. I wanted to get a feel for the different temperatures, so I started by heating the water to a rolling boil. You know, the kind where it’s bubbling like crazy.

• Then, I used a thermometer to get some measurements. I let the water cool down gradually.
• I poured a bit into a cup with some oolong tea leaves when it hit around 205°F (96°C).
• Steeped it for a couple of minutes, just like the package said. The smell was amazing, but the taste? A bit too strong, almost bitter. Not quite what I was going for.

Next, I waited for the water to cool down to about 190°F (88°C). This time, the tea was much smoother. Less bitter, more of those nice, floral notes that oolong is known for. Still, I felt like I could do better.

I kept going, dropping the temperature a bit each time. At around 180°F (82°C), that’s when I struck gold. The tea was just perfect. It had that delicate, sweet taste with a hint of the roastiness. It was like a whole new experience compared to the boiling water batch!

I even tried a quick rinse of the leaves with hot water before brewing. Just a few seconds, like some folks suggest. Seems to help wake up the leaves or something. It did seem to make the flavor a bit brighter, but honestly, the temperature was the biggest factor.

My takeaway?

Don’t just dump boiling water on your oolong. Take a few minutes to let it cool down. It might take a little trial and error, but finding that sweet spot in the 180-190°F range is totally worth it. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you!

I heard some people say that the ideal water temperature should be around 80–85�C, which can prevent the tea leaves from being burned and losing their color or aroma. I haven’t tried it myself, but it’s worth a try.

So yeah, that’s my little oolong tea adventure. Hope this helps someone out there avoid the bitter tea mistake I made at first!