Judging the temperature of water..

[JonnyP]

My Janie just came across this traditional Chinese method of watching the bubbles in water.

Shrimp eyes.. (the first tiny bubbles) 70 - 80 deg c
Crab eyes.. (slightly larger) 80 - 85 deg c
Fish eyes.. 85 - 90 deg c
Rope of pearls.. (first rolling bubbles) 90 - 95 deg c
Raging torrent.. 95 - 100 deg c
Old man water.. 100 deg c (over boiled, flat water)

Don't know if that is any interest to anyone, but we found it interesting..
I hate over boiled water..

[bigzee]

My Janie just came across this traditional Chinese method of watching the bubbles in water.

Shrimp eyes.. (the first tiny bubbles) 70 - 80 deg c
Crab eyes.. (slightly larger) 80 - 85 deg c
Fish eyes.. 85 - 90 deg c
Rope of pearls.. (first rolling bubbles) 90 - 95 deg c
Raging torrent.. 95 - 100 deg c
Old man water.. 100 deg c (over boiled, flat water)

Don't know if that is any interest to anyone, but we found it interesting..
I hate over boiled water..


Yeah - I hate over-boiled water too. The taste as it burns your tongue is far too strong. Not like "just boiled" water - which tastes just perfect as third degree burns form inside your mouth.

[rich290185]

old chinese proverb says "over boiled water= burnt billy can" ;)

[JonnyP]

Yeah - I hate over-boiled water too. The taste as it burns your tongue is far too strong. Not like "just boiled" water - which tastes just perfect as third degree burns form inside your mouth.

"It's better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you're a fool, than to open it and have them know you're a fool."

[JEEP]

Yeah - I hate over-boiled water too. The taste as it burns your tongue is far too strong. Not like "just boiled" water - which tastes just perfect as third degree burns form inside your mouth.

When making tea, the temperature of the water is crucial for the result.

White tee and gyokuro must be brewed at 60° C (some white at 80° C, some gyokuro as low as 50° C)
Green and white tea at 80° C
Black (red) tea, oolong and puerh must be brewed at a 100° C - but if the water boils for too long (overboils), the oxygene will be pushed out of the water, greatly affecting the taste of the brew, making it bland and slightly bitter.

The method of judging water temperature, posted by JonnyP, is a truly an anicent one, first described in the oldest known book about tea; Ch'a Ching by master Lu Yu (715-803) - and is crucial knowledge when brewing loose leaf tea, without access to a thermometer.