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Highest Praise
for Water from Mountain Streams
Since the eighth
century, and probably even before that, Chinese tea lovers have concerned
themselves with the sources and qualities of the water used to make tea. In Lu
Y's Classic of Tea, he gives highest praise to water from mountain streams.
River water is all right, and well water a distant third choice (he has a lot
more to say about water). Rivers have changed a lot since his time (particularly
those of China), and I would disagree about the poor quality of well water. But
for more than a thousand years water for tea has been a subject of debate and
connoisseurship. |
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Choose "Soft
Water" For Green and White Teas
The choice of
water is especially critical for green tea, Japanese as
well as Chinese
(white teas, such as White Peony, are much more forgiving of hard or treated
water). Chlorine and other chemicals assault nose and tongue. Filtering tap
water removes enough of the chlorine that it no longer dominates the tea. But it
doesn't change the mineral content of the water. Mineral-rich ("hard")
waters and many bottled spring waters fall into this class--yield a harsh
infusion with green teas. Look for a "soft" water, one with a mineral content of
less than 100 parts per liter ("ppl"), the lower the better (look for the
mineral analysis on the label of some bottled waters). |
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Local Spring and
Well Waters Are "Best"
In the tea
trade, it's said that the best water for tea is the natural water of the area
where the tea is grown. Spring water from the hills around Kyoto and Kobe, and
even well water in the center of Kyoto, is perfect for Japanese tea. Among
commercially-bottled spring waters available here, Volvic is the overwhelming
favorite for green teas. Even our supplier in Uji, who was skeptical at first,
in the end agreed. |
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