07.23.07
Water Preparation
posted by Aaron Fisher | 15 comments
The method we use to heat the water that will embrace our tea is an often ignored yet very important part of tea preparation, as important as the leaves or water source even. I have myself ruined countless teas, and been to so many tea shops and tea houses here in Asia where nice tea was ruined by either poor quality water or cheap, electric kettles. It is important to remember that even good quality mountain spring water will be influenced by the vessel used to heat it. Also, there is tremendous variation in the quality of heat sources available, from electric induction plates to oil or even charcoal. I have elsewhere gone through the different kinds of kettles in detail, so for now let me just highlight what I have found to be the ideal for tea preparation.
Fire 
The pinnacle of fire is traditional hardwood charcoal, but not all kettles can endure such heat. Usually, when we are going to be using charcoal we use clay kettles that have volcanic ore mixed in with the clay during their production, which increases the conductivity of the heat and brings Qi to the water. One of the better artists that makes kettle/stove sets for using hardwood charcoal, Chen Qi Nan, is featured in “The Art of Tea, Issue 2”. I myself own one of his kettles, and when I’m in the mood for a more traditional, natural tea session, I’ll light up some charcoal and watch the embers through the door of the furnace, often lost in reverie of times long ago (photo from my tea room). We use charcoal made from “Long Shu” (Dragon Wood) harvested in Malaysia. This charcoal is smokeless and a few pieces can burn all afternoon, allowing us to have longer tea sessions.
When I am brewing higher quality teas, though, nothing can replace a silver kettle (discussed below). These can’t withstand the heat of the charcoal furnace—and I wouldn’t risk it anyway—so for most tea sessions I use an induction plate. However, one needs to be certain to use a heat source that doesn’t pass an electric current through the water, changing the way the water’s minerals react with the tea, and its Qi. There are several German-made ranges with elements below a stone plate. Hot air then heats the plate, rather than electricity. These stone-plate ranges are inexpensive and last forever. One of my teachers has had his for decades without any problems. Ethanol burners are also good, but be sure the flame is strong enough. Some of these burners were designed just to keep the water hot after it was heated elsewhere, not to bring it to a boil.
One of the most important aspects of water preparation is to make sure the water is heated quickly. Traditional Chinese tea sages called this “martial heat.” If the water is heated too slowly it gets cooked and a lot of the natural flavors and Qi are lost, and it is also loses all its Oxygen. Overheating also isn’t good, having the same effects, so finding the right temperature and speed to heat water requires some skill. One should avoid any method that ’shocks’ or radically changes the water. For that reason, one should never add cool water to a kettle partially filled with hot water. Always use all of the water before adding any more. As with anything, it is good to experiment with some of these principals, as experiential understanding will serve better than any words can.
Silver, the ultimate in water preparation
Many masters agree that silver pots can be the ultimate refinement in water preparation. Of course there are different qualities of silver ranging from silver-coating, as in many traditional British kettles, to the solid silver of handcrafted Japanese kettles. The Japanese, and recently Taiwanese, silver kettles are often handmade with 99%+ silver. We have even seen one handmade kettle that was 99.956%. This purity of silver will clean the water.
I have been fortunate enough to have acquired an exquisite master-crafted Japanese kettle, shown here. Some tea masters and I experimented in several ways when I first got the kettle. First we drank water from several kettles including glass, clay, etc. and found the silver induced water to be sweeter, softer and taste cleaner. We then had a session with a tea that is well known to all of us and found that the same tea was twice as good when brewed with this purified water. Also, we found that teas brewed with water from the silver teapot were more “patient” as the Chinese say, yielding almost twice as many
steepings. I have even repeated these experiments using only water and people who don’t drink tea, with the same results. Even my elderly tai chi teacher could choose which cup had the water from the silver pot every single time, closing his eyes as we mixed them up. We are awaiting a scientific explanation to something the Japanese and Chinese seemed to have intuited since ancient times. Even Lu Yu in his premier book about tea, Cha Ching, stated that purified silver or gold tea kettles are the best, as they produce sweeter and softer water more conducive to tea.
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:17 am
This is a fascinating exploration into tea culture. It has taken thousands of years to evolve such an appreciation of water and its impact on tea. I will be very pleased when American tea drinkers understand the need to heat water to different temperatures for the appreciation of different types of teas. We are in the infancy of tea culture. I look forward to the journey. Thank you.
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:22 am
Perfect Aaron, and Michelle. I couldn’t add more (which is unusual for me, Ha!)…PJF
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Thanks Aaron,
This is a very thought provoking post. We all know that good tea takes great water, but the preperation of water is seldom considered. At home I use a metal tea kettle shaped like a fish (found her at the thrift store for $2), or a small electric kettle. The tea is usually great but now I’m inspired to try other materials!
July 23rd, 2007 at 9:53 pm
This talks to the heart of “Teaism”, and I couldn’t let it go, especially since I recently received a very thought provoking statement from a friend of Tea.
We have become such a speed driven culture, that convenience overrides quality of life, and the careful enrichment of simple pleasures. Hence, the “Way of Tea” is a lifestyle, and like Success, “It is a Journey, not a Destination”….PJF
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:05 pm
I’ll remind everyone again next year what I’d love to get as a birthday gift — a silver kettle!
I do not have any experience with drinking water boiled from a silver kettle (guess I wasn’t born with a silver kettle in my mouth), but my tea friends and I tried brewing an oolong tea with a silver teapot (~ 200cc) and a Yixing teapot (~ 175cc), side-by-side using the same timing and leaf : water ratio. The resulting tea from the silver teapot did come out crisper and brighter, almost metallic. The tea from the Yixing pot was rounded and softer. I personally preferred the taste of the tea coming out of the Yixing clay pot (so did several others), though I might have a different opinion with different types of tea if such a side-by-side test is done again.
Q: Is there such a kettle that heats water by actually coursing electricity through the water?
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:28 pm
Phyll, my brother,
As you know, I also have one of those silver teapots (we used it, remember). I like them for travel, as you can use any kind of tea– rather than carrying a crate full of Yixing. However, I am with you on the Yixing. A really good Yixing blows them away, a so-so Yixing is comparable and a group will have different opinions. However, when you have antique Yixings from the Cultural Revolution, Ming Guo or even Qing Dynasty there is absolutely no comparison, hands down (the difference between Yixings, old and new is a topic for another day) But that is the beauty of it, don’t you see? With one of these kettles, you get the best of both worlds
You can use your Yixing and have the silver-purified water, too.
When is your birthday? While I can’t get you a kettle, I will send you some tea.
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:33 pm
P.S. yes, all kinds of kettles and induction plates use electricity as heat. ZzzzzZZZap — Ding! Voila!
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:41 pm
Aaron, I think Phyll was thinking you were suggesting that PURE electricity running through the water would have the impact you discussed, instead of electricity running through some other medium which actually acts as the heat source. Is that correct Phyll?
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:05 pm
I was refering to that PURE electricity too
There are some that have a metal coil in the water itself. The electricity runs through the water. Others, pass an electric current from the bottom, but if your kettle is conductive the electricity will still run through. This kind sometimes have a old-fashioned switch and an orange light.
The ones that heat an element using electricty aren’t bad. They usually have some kind of hot plate–sometimes ceramic, metal, whatever. I still recommend the German made, stone-plate ones. They are inexpensive and last forever. The brand name on mine is Vastar, if that helps. They make 1 or 2-range models.
July 24th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Your article had me wondering about the surfaces of traditional Western tea servers. Except for the occasion of solid silver services, I don’t think that silver was traditionally used for the interior surfaces of plated silver teapots. Many of these vessels which are made of copper are plated on the outside with silver but on the inside with nickel, tin or some other white metal. While I realize they are often kept closed with a lid and therefore not exposed to much oxygen, there is virtually no tarnishing inside in the vast majority of these tea servers.
Typically water was heated in a seperate kettle of copper or cast iron and then transferred to these serving vessels. At the end of the 19th and early 20th century, some nickel plated copper vessels were fashioned with gooseneck spouts and flat bottoms to be heated directly on a cast iron stove. So, I’m not sure I know of any vessels in the Western/English tradition that use silver to heat water.
July 24th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Sandy, yes, that’s what I meant. Thanks.
Aaron, thank you! You’ve been too kind. It’s true; a small silver pot is excellent to take while traveling. The kettle that runs pure electricity through the water sounds dangerous. I never thought it existed. My birthday is in May — hopefully around the same time the 2nd US Pu’er tea gathering takes place next year
July 25th, 2007 at 7:55 am
Eric,
One of my old teachers collects silver teapots and he does have some British kettles that are silver plated inside and out. However, I have no idea whether they were actually used to heat water or if water heated elswhere was transfered to them as you suggest. It is interesting. Thanks for the info. The Japanese ones are solid silver
July 27th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
That’s what I want as a wedding present! hehehehehe
February 15th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Aaron,
Thanks for the fine article on water preparation, very neglected subject. I would very much like to get one of those German-made hot plates that you describe (Vastar, you say), but cannot find a supplier on the Web. Might you know where I could get one?
Thanks for sharing you’re refined insights.
Chris
July 15th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Finally, my silver kettle has arrived. It is an old one. Anybody out there who can teach me how to clean it? Outside and inside? There are some scales (?) inside, should I try to scrub them off? what do I use to scrub? and outside, is the industrial chemical used for cutlery alright? how about using aluminum? Or baking soda? PLEASE HELP!!!