Should you use bottled water or tap water for tea

As a tea lover, have you ever thought about the type of water that’s used to brew tea? Actually, with the same tea leaves, people may get a different cup of tea using different water types. It doesn’t matter if you’re making flavored tea or milk tea, but this subtle difference means a lot if you drink tea without adding anything else.

The pH level of water

Before discussing which type of water to use, it is necessary to know the pH level of water. All forms of water come with a pH level, which usually range from 6 to 8.5. Pure water is great for brewing tea, as it lies at a pH level of 7.

Water that’s below 7 is soft water. It will taste acidic and even corrosive. While water above 7 becomes hard, the strong alkali would make it taste bitter. Sometimes you can even notice scale inside of your kettle or on your sink.

Tap water or bottled water?

So back to the options of water for your tea. Should you use tap water or bottled water? In consideration of environmental protection, it’s better to use tap water if it has been processed to be drinkable. In hard water areas, you have to get the water filtered before use. That means bring it to boil, use filter machine and the like.

If your tap water still smells metallic or weird, look for some bottled water. There is three common bottled water, including distilled water, mineral water, and spring water. Distilled water contains very few minerals, so it is likely to make your tea taste dull. Mineral water is rich in minerals, which may leave your tea taste metallic. Spring water would be the best option for tea, and it generally has a neutral pH (7) and flavor as well.

Solution

Water plays a role in the taste of tea, but it is not to say it can change everything. For a tea with the ideal taste, you need to use good tea leaves and high-quality water. Good water won’t save any bad tea.

What if you only have hard water or soft water at hand? The rule of thumb is to brew black tea or other strong-flavored tea with hard water, and pair soft water with green tea and herbal tea.