Water Temperature and Kettles

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Emilpalm
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2021 2:55 pm
Location: Denmark

Fri Jan 08, 2021 3:14 pm

Hello you guys!

I am intending to switch from my Bonavita Electric Kettle over to a Tetsubin, starting with a glass kettle to practice. Having always relied on termometers and electrical devices in telling the temperature, this is quite difficult.

As this switch implies learning the temperature by looking at the bubbles and learning the noises, I do have a few questions I hope you could help me with!

Right now, I have gotten to learn the different bubbles and their meaning; baby-water, crab-eye water, fish-eye water and dragon water. However, this is a great way to learn the temperature whilst the water is heating up, but how does one more or less maintain the desired temperature throughout ones session?

For an example, if you want to brew a nice Dong Ding Oolong, you brew it up till fish-eye water (around 90 degrees), and then you want to maintain it.

Or if you want to brew a Heicha, you bring it to boil (dragon-water) and then you want it to stay there.

My point is that while brewing up the water, it can easily be determined, however when it is not directly heating, it becomes way more difficult.

I know a kettle would keep the water at temperature some time. But do you re-heat the water till you get the desired bubbles again, if it has cooled down for a while, ultimately lowing the temperature? Do you put it on a lower temperature at your hotplate, thus keeping it? Or use alcohol brazier or such things?

And is there any way to know approximately how long such things would keep the water at the desired temperature?

MANY thanks in advance!
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