What can you add to water to make it hard enough for tea?
I was living in southern California where the water is one of the hardest in the country, but once passed through a Brita filter it was perfect for tea.
Now I am living in a country where the water is soft. All the sources of water are surface sources and this has been aggravated by heavy rainfall. The water coming out of the tap and all sources of local bottled water I can find are soft.
As a result, I have not been able to brew tea that has much of any taste. The Darjeelings that I enjoyed in California with their beautiful distinct aroma, here do not taste or smell like anything. Even the strongest teas like double bergamot earl grey have just a faint aroma here. Assam comes out sour.
I have tried the baking soda trick or putting in a pinch of baking soda, which helps a little bit (mostly in color) but not that much and has its own taste. Using too much quickly ruins the tea.
There are few imported waters here and in any case, I don't want the expense of using expensive imported bottled waters. There are also no mineral drops on the market here as far as I know.
So besides baking soda, what are some things I can add to the water to change its mineral profile, pH level and make it suitable for tea?
Would dissolving calcium and magnesium supplements in the water work?
I have heard of Epsom salts being used by brewers for its magnesium content, but don't know if that would work for tea.
Best Answer
You are going to need Epsom salts, baking soda and Calcium chloride to make a run of the mill hard water. You can easily find these in food grade and small quantities at your local homebrewing store. I live in Seattle and we have notoriously soft water, but I don't mind it for my tea. But for brewing, I use these minerals all the time.
- Get 500ml of distilled water
- Add half tablespoon of Epsom salts stir until dissolved
- Add half a teaspoon of Baking soda stir until dissolved
- Add half a teaspoon of calcium chloride until dissolved
Wait a bit until everything dissolves. Voila instant hard water!
If you are really serious, there are plenty of resources out there, especially around the homebrewing community. Here is an online Brewing Water Calculator
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How do you make tea stronger?
To make the tea stronger, don't steep it for longer \u2014unless it's herbal. Steeping a tea for too long will make it bitter rather than strong. Instead, add more tea leaves or bags. As a general rule, use one level teaspoon or 2 grams for every cup (8 oz) you're making.What is hard water tea?
Hard water is pumped from bore holes and has filtered through rocks, like limestone, picking up calcium and minerals on the way. So the water is 'denser' and creates more residues caused by polyphenols in tea reacting with calcium.Does hard water make better tea?
Well, even once boiled, those minerals in hard water still have an impact on the taste, smell and consistency of your tea. That may well add up to a more 'unique' cup of tea, but an entire industry has been created offering filters to remove those minerals and make your hard water softer.Can I use tap water to make tea?
Tap Water. Aside from fresh mountain stream water and good-quality bottled spring water, filtered tap water is generally the best option for brewing tea. Some neutral-tasting tap water may not even need to be filtered. Hard water should always be filtered for the best-tasting tea.How you've been making tea WRONG your entire life - BBC
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Answer 2
Concentrace brand mineral drops is my favorite for adding 'spring water' flavor.
A little goes a long way.
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