Why does tea with hard water (lime) taste different?
It seems that tea with lime water (hard water) tastes different.
Different enough that tea manufacturers have a different product to cope with the difference in taste.
My question is: Why does tea with hard water (lime) taste different?
Best Answer
This seems to be answered directly on the Yorkshire Tea page.
Before we get cracking, here’s some background about Yorkshire Tea and hard water to bear in mind. When deciding which teas our buyers will select to put in the Yorkshire Tea blend, they taste every single one in both soft and hard water. This enables them to create not only Yorkshire Tea, but also Yorkshire Tea for Hard Water, a blend that’s perfectly suited to… you guessed it.
Seems to imply that there are different blends of tea that taste better in hard water and soft water that they are accommodating for.
To answer the question "Why does tea with hard water (lime) taste different?", it has to do with the higher concentrations of calcium and magnesium that your taste buds will pick up on. From the Yorkshire Tea page, it seems they make two different blends of tea with the blend for hard water stating:
The tap water in hard water areas contains lots of minerals, which can make tea taste darker and thicker. With a few clever tweaks, we’ve made a blend to balance that out – so you can enjoy a proper brew, wherever you live.
Source: https://www.yorkshiretea.co.uk/brew-news/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-hard-water
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Quick Answer about "Why does tea with hard water (lime) taste different?"
To answer the question "Why does tea with hard water (lime) taste different?", it has to do with the higher concentrations of calcium and magnesium that your taste buds will pick up on.Does limescale affect taste of tea?
Limescale in a kettle is not just unsightly it also affects the taste of the water coming from your kettle, so your cups of tea or coffee can end up tasting 'off' if the issue isn't dealt with. Removing limescale from your kettle is important because: Limescale makes your kettle water taste 'funny'Does hard water affect the taste of tea?
Well, even once boiled, those minerals in hard water still have an impact on the taste, smell and consistency of your tea.Does water hardness affect taste?
Water Myth: Hard water tastes foul. Truth: It's actually soft water that may not be so tasty, yet hard water gets a bad rep because people assume it's contaminated when it's really filled with minerals \u2013 as discussed above. Minerals improve water's taste, you can even purchase fancy mineral water for its flavor.How does hard water affect tea?
Hard water tends to make tea darker and thicker, whereas soft water makes a lighter brisker tea \u2013 so you can not only taste but also see the difference.\u201d5 Reasons not to Drink Teabags
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