Controlling Water Temperature

Getting the water to the right temperature for your tea can be tricky. However if this is your first time steeping tea to a particular temperature and you don’t have any equipment to measure the temperature, not to worry here is a easy step by step guide you can follow to achieve your desired temperature.

All you'll need is:

  • 2 or 3 cups
  • A stop watch
  • A tea pot
  • And a bag of your favourite Hachisen tea
  • (Optional) A measuring scale

HINT: Use soft water for best taste.

Preparations guide:

  • Place your selected tea in your tea cup.
  • Most of our teas are recommended at 5 grams for a fuller bodied taste. An easy way to measure if you don’t have a measuring scale is to use 2 full teaspoons for 5-6 grams of tea.

Step 1:

After boiling your water to 100°c, pour the water into your tea cup. By doing so you reduce the waters temperature by 10°c which will now place the current temperature in the cup to 90°c.

Step 2:
Now that you have poured the boiled water into your cup (now at 90°c) pour the water from your cup it into your second cup, the temperature will now be decreased to a further 10°c making it 80°c

(Optional)
To reduce the temperature even further have a third cup to pour the now cooled water into or reuse your previous cup to transfer the water.

Step 3:
After pouring the water into your second cup (now at 80°c) pour the water into your tea pot and let it steep at the specified required time (I.e. 90 - 120 Sec. for sencha)

Step 4:
Pour out your favourite tea. At the end of the pour (where it starts to drip) briskly shake out the last drops called “the Golden Drop” into your tea and enjoy!

If you are sharing it with company, pour the tea in a cycled motion I.e. pour a little tea from the teapot into cup 1, then in to cup 2, then back again into cup one till both cups are full or the tea pot is empty don’t forget the golden drop.

The Golden Drop:
The Golden Drop are the last drops of tea from your teapot. It is concentrated tea which adds a bit more flavour and nutrients to the tea. To achieve this, lift the tea pot and dip the teapot brisk downward motion coming to an abrupt stop just above the tea cup. Do this 3-4 times till there is little to no drops left.

Note:
If you have finished your first round of tea and like to continue drinking it for a second round, you do not have to repeat the process or repeat it exactly if you will. Just add hot water and you are good for your second round. We do how ever recommend that you limit it to 4 rounds as anything past that would not have much of any flavour left.