Introducing myself and thinking about water

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botlofchaz
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2022 1:38 pm
Location: Chicago

Fri Aug 12, 2022 2:10 pm

Hey Everyone. I've been lurking on these boards for a while now and finally decided to take the plunge and reveal myself. My name is Charles and I am what I would call a beginner with tea. About a year into the journey of trying more middle/higher end teas, and still very much exploring what I like and trying to learn as much as I can along the way.

I'm at the point in my journey where I am thinking about water a lot more, as a result of what I have read here and elsewhere. I have been using unfiltered tap water here in Chicago for teas and I know this is not advisable and is maybe downright egregious, but it's what it's been since I've started.

Anyways, I am taking steps to remedy that, which I guess is the important thing. I've got a higher quality filter on the way that will at the very least remove off flavors from tap water I am using, I am not entirely opposed to bottled water, but I've really been trying to avoid it for environmental reasons.

I know improving water quality is the best step I can take to improving tea quality, and I've done my best to look for tips on the forum, particularly in this viewtopic.php?t=759.

That being said, if folks have low intervention and low cost strategies./steps to take that doesnt involve buying bottled water, I would love to hear them. I've tried to glean as best I can from what has already been said, and still feeling lost because of the sheer amount of information out there.

Thanks and look forward to continue learning from you all!
Ethan Kurland
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Fri Aug 12, 2022 5:42 pm

Welcome.
Removing the off flavors from your city water may be all that you need to do. Give it a chance.

Doing that is fine for me. I hope it is enough for you. Cheers
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Pants404
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Location: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Fri Aug 12, 2022 6:28 pm

I also benefit greatly from filtering my tap water and replacing the filters regularly. I sometimes use boxed water, which is just a bit better, but filtered water from me made all the difference over unfiltered.
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Baisao
Posts: 1397
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Fri Aug 12, 2022 6:35 pm

Welcome to the group!

In line with what Ethan said above, you’ll get the greatest improvement from simply removing chloramine with your filter. The odor remains even after boiling and our olfactory bulb can detect it in astonishingly tiny amounts. This is also the easiest improvement to make as most decent water filters will remove it.

The next two things will require some resourcefulness on your part if you don’t want to use bottled water, but you’ll want your water to have a low-moderate TDS (45-150), taste good on its own, and not have a strong mineral flavor.

I understand you’re adverse to using bottled water but I’d advise you to do a one-time test with 4 waters: Voss, Acqua Panna, Fiji, and filtered tap. Blind test them straight and then brew the same tea with each of them.

Here’s what you’ll find (and thereafter know what is what!):

* Voss will be ideal water for most teas, having a light texture that gives élan to teas because of its low TDS (45)

* Acqua Panna will almost magically rob your tea of certain characteristics because of its mineral composition

* Fiji will taste as good as Voss but will have a very thick texture because of its high TDS (150+)

* Filtered tap water at the end of the test will help you understand what kind of water you have and what your next steps are to correct them. You may find that it locks up flavor like Acqua Panna or that it is too thick like Fiji or ideal like Voss.

You’ll be an expert on your water in no time!
botlofchaz
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2022 1:38 pm
Location: Chicago

Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:24 am

Thanks all for your input. Helps to know that having a filter should result in a big improvement.

@Baisao Definitely willing to test with bottled water. Any suggestions on what types of tea would be good to use, or does it not matter much?
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Baisao
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Location: ATX

Sat Aug 13, 2022 12:06 pm

botlofchaz wrote:
Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:24 am
Thanks all for your input. Helps to know that having a filter should result in a big improvement.

Baisao Definitely willing to test with bottled water. Any suggestions on what types of tea would be good to use, or does it not matter much?
Any tea that you are very familiar with and can make consistently should work. For myself these are Japanese greens and Taiwanese oolongs. I haven’t tried it with Indian teas but I think it would work with them too. The important things are familiarity and consistency.

I hope you let us know how it went for you.
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teatray
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Location: Sofia, Bulgaria

Sat Aug 13, 2022 4:23 pm

Obviously, the most relevant tea to assess is the one you like best, but in case it's useful: I usually prepare tea (and most but not all coffee*) with water that has 41mg/l TDS & 24mg/l bicarbonates (a bit lighter than is generally recommended). I find the benefit vs harder water is pretty massive for greens/gaoshan. For blacks, it's more difficult to come to a conclusion. I'm actually not sure what I prefer. (I much prefer harder water, 200+mg/l, for drinking pure, maybe because I grew up in such an area.)
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* Some coffees seem to need higher buffering capacity to tame some acidity. Maybe some teas as well?
botlofchaz
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2022 1:38 pm
Location: Chicago

Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:06 pm

Thanks @Baisao and @teatray. Still waiting on this new filter to get here, once I get it all set up I will report back!
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