Does Boiling Water, Instead of Warm Water, Hurt the Flavor of Tea/Hot Chocolate
I have a counter-top water kettle that I frequently use to boil water for tea, hot chocolate, and powdered drinks (e.g. chai). I don't think anything of it when the water starts boiling and keeps on boiling for 20 to 30 seconds before the kettle automatically shuts off, then I almost immediately use the water. Should I be worried about:
- The taste of my water changing from boiling and thus changing the taste of the drink?
- The boiling water altering the drink's compounds and thus changing its taste?
Finally, if I should be worried about these, what method should I use to heat my water and what temperature should I aim for? Specifically, I most often make tea (mint, earl grey, etc.) and chai lattes (from a powdered mix).
Best Answer
Hotter water leads to more caffeine release and a more bitter flavor as it cooks the leaves. If you're serious about the taste of tea, set up four cups and pour water into them: The first boiling, the next after 30 seconds, and on down. Use a cracker between each sip; the later teas should taste slightly lighter and sweeter, and the middle two especially should have a distinct delicate green tea taste. For loose-leaf you normally use a slightly lower temp, while typical teabags need more coaxing to get the flavor out. There are websites that actually list perfect temperatures and steep times for each individual variety, but it's also a matter of taste.
Green tea snobbery can be a little like wine snobbery, the sky's the limit for how sublime you want to go, but at the same time anyone can drink and enjoy it.
Black tea on the other hand doesn't have such delicate taste because it's already pre-cooked. (Oolong retains a little of each nature.) How hot you should make it depends only on how much you like the taste of Bergamot (for Earl Grey) or whatever additives are in your tea, how bitter you can stand it, and how much caffeine you want out of it. The hotter and more bitter it is, the more the tea will cover up the flavor of any additives. Steeping time affects bitterness as well, of course. I'm not entirely certain, but I believe that bergamot oil will also start to evaporate if it's boiled, but I assume you don't boil your tea.
I have no idea how it would change the taste of chai, as I've never made a really good one myself. I typically make them from the powders, and I've seen no difference at all in taste between hot, warm, or even cold water, though the texture changes slightly - it doesn't mix perfectly in cold water. Those powders probably have most of the variability processed out of them. I assume this goes double for hot chocolate, since most of the mixes don't even have real cocoa anymore.
Aside from the possibility of boiling off oils or partially burning green leaves into black, I don't believe the water can get hot enough to change the chemistry of the drinks.
Pictures about "Does Boiling Water, Instead of Warm Water, Hurt the Flavor of Tea/Hot Chocolate"
Should you boil water for hot chocolate?
Boiling water hydrates these particles much better than hot water, allowing flavor components to disperse into the mixture. The importance of this method varies with the type of cocoa powder you use, and from my anecdotal experience is not as important with European cocoa as it is with North American cocoa.)Does boiling water change the taste of tea?
Hotter water leads to more caffeine release and a more bitter flavor as it cooks the leaves. If you're serious about the taste of tea, set up four cups and pour water into them: The first boiling, the next after 30 seconds, and on down.Why tea should not be boiled?
\u201cWhen you brew black, green or white tea using boiling water and steep it for too long, tannins are released which not only gives it a bitter taste, but can cause digestive issues in sensitive people if drinking large quantities.Why use freshly boiled water for tea?
\u201cYou need freshly drawn water for a good cup because reboiling it takes out all the oxygen and nitrogen out of it.\u201d If your cup of tea does go cold halfway through drinking it, Gorman is a strong advocate of microwaving it for 15-20 seconds instead of making a new one.Is Twice Boiled Water Really Bad for You and Potentially a Carcinogen?
More answers regarding does Boiling Water, Instead of Warm Water, Hurt the Flavor of Tea/Hot Chocolate
Answer 2
Tea particularly requires water to be at a certain temperature, which varies by type, black tea needs to be at or very close to boiling point, as do most herbal infusions. Green tea should be a touch cooler, say 80-85C (176°-185°F).
Coffee should be at the cooler temperature, more like Green Tea, as it can make the coffee become overly bitter and unpleasant. Hot Chocolate is much the same I believe, both being beans.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Tim Gouw, Maria Orlova, itschansy, Richa Sharma