To Boil or Not To Boil

Depending on where you are, it is not even a question! While there are definitely strong opinions on this subject (and we do have certain steeping temperature recommendations for those who are interested), there is no one answer, other than the one that makes your tea to your preference.

Why is this such a contentious question? Well, much like a great glass of wine, a great cup of tea comes from a balance of delicate flavors, which come from the phytochemicals that are a natural part of the tea plant, which also carry tea's other properties. These flavorful phytochemicals are trapped within the cell walls of tea leaves and are released into the water either through breaking down the cell walls with heat, or by being drawn out through osmosis (as in cold-brewing).

Now, when it comes to tea made from the tea plant itself, Camellia sinensis (i.e. black, green, oolong, and white teas), one of the phytochemicals contained in the leaf is tannin, the same compound which causes astringency and bitter notes in wine. When the cell walls of a Camellia sinensis tea leaf are broken down too strongly, either due to water that breaks it down too quickly by being too hot or due to being steeped for too long which causes the cell walls to break down more than preferred, the tannins are fully released, which results in tea that may be too bitter or astringent. For this reason, we recommend water heated below boiling for most teas with a Camellia sinensis base, especially for those new to loose-leaf tea.

However, there are several tea styles, such as most dhaba-style chai, where the water is purposely boiled in order to create brews strong enough to stand up to milk, sugar, and bold spices without overwhelming the taste of the tea. And of course, there are also many tea drinkers who, out of habit and/or preference, enjoy the bitterness and astringency of plain tea made with boiling water.

For tisanes, aka herbal teas made from plants that are not Camellia sinensis (e.g. rooibos, honeybush, yerba mate, ginger, lavender, peppermint, spearmint, etc. without a black, green, oolong, or white tea base), we do not have to be quite as careful. Most tisanes/herbal teas are made either made from plants with low or no tannins in their leaves, or from roots or stems that are harder to break through than leaves are. Most of these tisanes will release their natural flavors just fine at temperatures below boiling, but will not become bitter or astringent when steeped with boiling water.

There are of course other methods and styles that are affected by the choice to use boiling water or not, but these are just a few of the nuances to the issue. It's no wonder the question of "to boil or not to boil" can be so divisive!

With that said, what to do when your water for tea has accidentally overheated? It happens to all of us occasionally! If your water is too hot, simply take it off the burner or heat source and allow it to cool for a few minutes. You can speed this up by stirring it with a spoon or whipping it with a small whisk to accelerate the cooling process—or by adding an ice cube or two if you have it on hand!