Water

Water quality will affect the flavour of your tea. The mineral and chemical content and oxygen levels have an effect on the quality of the infusion.

Hard water impairs the infusion of the soluble molecules in the tea; it also marks the tea's flavour with its chalky taste and when boiled it precipitates an unattractive white scum. Chlorinated water has an unpleasant taste and smell which overpowers subtle flavours.

Hardness and chlorination in tap water can be overcome by using a Brita or similar commercial water filter to remove unpleasant chemicals and odours and to reduce 'hardness' or quantity of dissolved calcium and other minerals. Oxygen levels can be maintained by not re-boiling the same water repeatedly.

Spring waters can produce excellent results but the only way to determine a suitable spring water for a particular tea is to experiment - some spring waters produce poor results due to the balance of minerals they contain. We recommend Highland Spring as we have found it to work well with all our teas.

Distilled water is also unsuitable as the complete lack of minerals produces a flat taste.

In Imperial China, the best tea was made with water from a spring which emerged near to where the tea bushes grew. Emperors commanded a team of water carriers who brought water from mountain springs in tea growing regions. The best tea was made with water from a spring which emerged near to where tea bushes grew because the minerals in the water complemented the soluble molecules in the tea.