Water Temperature: Boiling, 90 Degrees, and When to Let It Cool

Water temperature affects how fast the various constituents dissolve into the liquor. At high temperatures, aroma and flavor come out fast and in quantity, and so do bitterness and astringency; at lower temperatures the mouthfeel is gentle, but the thick leaves of the large-leaf variety don't fully steep. With pu'er, boiling water is right most of the time; only in a few cases do you need to let the water cool a little.

Why Pu'er Usually Takes Boiling Water

Pu'er uses Yunnan large-leaf tea, with thick leaves rich in constituents, mostly pressed into cakes, bricks, and tuocha. Getting compressed tea to open and its aroma to come out fully takes high heat. So for ripe pu'er, aged raw tea, laochatou, and the first few infusions of dragon pearls, we recommend water at 100°C, freshly boiled.

When to Let the Water Cool a Little

• Very bitter young raw tea: strong teas from places like Bulang Mountain and Lao Man'e are intensely bitter and astringent for the first 1–2 years after they're made. Lowering the water to 90–95°C, or pouring along the side of the bowl and pouring off faster, makes the mouthfeel much gentler. Brewing details are in How to Brew Young Raw Pu'er.
• Tender bud tea: raw tea with a high proportion of buds and tender leaves (such as palace-grade bud tea) can be scalded into a stewed, cooked taste at 100°C; 85–90°C is just right.
• Not needed for ripe pu'er: ripe pu'er is low in bitterness and astringency, and water that isn't hot enough actually makes the liquor watery and keeps the pile taste from clearing. Always use boiling water.

Without a Thermometer

A temperature-controlled electric kettle that lets you set the temperature directly is the easiest option. Without one, you can estimate like this:

• Watch the bubbles: when small bubbles like shrimp eyes rise from the bottom and the water starts to hiss softly, it's about 80–85°C; large bubbles rolling continuously means it's boiling.
• Open the lid and wait: after the water boils, open the kettle lid and leave it 1–2 minutes, and it'll be around 90–95°C; the smaller the kettle and the colder the weather, the faster it drops.
• Pour it once: pour boiling water into the fairness pitcher first and then from the pitcher into the gaiwan; the round trip loses about 5–10°C.

And don't forget: hot water poured into a cold, unwarmed gaiwan drops about 5°C. For ripe and aged tea, always warm the vessel first; to make young raw tea gentler, you can actually skip warming.

Living in the Mountains, Where Water Won't Reach 100°C

Water's boiling point drops as altitude rises, by about 1°C for every 300 meters. At 1,000 meters it's about 97°C, at 2,000 meters about 93°C, and at 3,000 meters about 90°C. In places like Hehuanshan or Alishan, no amount of boiling will get water to 100°C.

Here's how to compensate:

• Use 1–2 grams more tea.
• Wait 5–10 seconds longer for each infusion.
• Always warm the vessel, and switch from a gaiwan to a Yixing pot or thick-walled porcelain pot that holds heat well.
• For ripe and aged tea, switch to boiling: simmer a pot over low heat for 3–5 minutes to bring out the flavor.

Many tea mountains in Yunnan sit at 1,400–2,000 meters, and when farmers brew tea up on the mountain, this is exactly what they do: "a bit more tea, a bit more time."

Water Temperature and Each Infusion

You can use different temperatures for the early and later infusions of the same pot:

1. For the first 3 infusions of young raw tea, use 90–95°C to rein in bitterness and astringency.
2. In the middle infusions, switch back to boiling water to bring out sweetness and body.
3. In the later infusions, use boiling water and longer times to draw out the finish.

Adjust like this once, and you'll find the same tea shows a very different face.

Is Water from a Hot Water Dispenser Hot Enough?

Electric thermo pots mostly hold water around 90°C, and hot water from dispensers is usually 85–90°C. That's enough for pyramid tea bags and young raw tea; for ripe pu'er, aged tea, and dragon pearls, it's best to bring the water back to a boil. For choosing the water itself, read Water for Tea.

The Effect of Season and Room Temperature

In winter, with a cold room, the gaiwan, fairness pitcher, and tasting cups cool quickly, and the temperature drops as soon as hot water goes in. For ripe and aged tea, be sure to warm the cups and pot, and don't leave the liquor sitting in the fairness pitcher too long after pouring. In summer, with a warm room, young raw tea is more easily stewed into bitterness and astringency, so lift the lid after pouring to let it cool. If the same tea tastes weaker in winter than in summer, temperature is usually the reason.

FAQ

Should pu'er be brewed with boiling water? Ripe pu'er, aged raw tea, and laochatou take 100°C boiling water; ordinary young raw tea takes 95–100°C, lowered to 90–95°C when it's noticeably bitter and astringent.

Should water be a little cooler for tender bud tea? Raw tea with lots of buds and very tender leaves does better at 85–90°C, to avoid scalding it into a stewed, cooked taste.

How can I tell the temperature without a thermometer? After the water boils, open the lid and wait 1–2 minutes for about 90–95°C; or pour it into the fairness pitcher and then into the gaiwan, losing about 5–10°C.

What if I'm brewing high in the mountains and water won't reach 100 degrees? The boiling point drops about 1°C for every 300 meters, to about 93°C at 2,000 meters. Use 1–2 grams more tea, wait 5–10 seconds longer per infusion, and boil ripe pu'er instead.

Can I brew pu'er with hot water from a dispenser? Dispensers are mostly 85–90°C; for tea bags, steep 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. For whole-leaf ripe pu'er and aged tea, it's best to bring the water back to a boil.