# Tea-Boiling

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-boiling/943>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [June 10, 1999, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-boiling/943 "1999-06-10T21:14:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 1999, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-boiling/943/1 "1999-06-10T21:14:00Z")

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In re he mailbag question about boiling water for your tea ‘just so’ - I was always told that the bitterer oils and essences of the tea come out when the water is too hot - so you want to get it just right around 212 F, which is the boiling point. If you keep adding heat, it will warm up a bit as it continues boiling. Actually, if you’re at a high altitude it’s recommended you pressure-cook your tea water (at least if you’re a rabid brit like my grandma-in-law), so that you know precisely when it’s ‘right.’ She actually lets it sit for a minute or so after it comes to a boil, with the heat off, to let it cool to between about 200 F and 212 F.  
Yours in Trivia, Eloise.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 1999, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-boiling/943/2 "1999-06-10T21:31:00Z")

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Unless you’re using a pressure cooker or in some other way operating above regular atmospheric pressue, you _can’t_ heat liquid water above 212F/100C. If it’s hotter than that, it’s steam, period.

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John W. Kennedy  
“Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays.”  
– Charles Williams

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 1999, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-boiling/943/3 "1999-06-22T19:48:00Z")

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Just a story on altitude & boiling point of water.

Once I was on cooking duty when some friends and I were hiking in Colorado at around 10,000 ft. I cooked some Mac & Cheese following the directions. Talk about chewy macaroni! It probably needed another 10 minutes, cuz the water was only getting up to around 190 F.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 1999, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-boiling/943/4 "1999-06-23T14:16:00Z")

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That style of cuisine was first made popular by ace chef and mountaineer, Al Dente. 🙂

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 1999, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-boiling/943/5 "1999-06-25T19:37:00Z")

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John, I beg to differ.

Water at normal pressure is can be heated somewhat above 100C, for example in a microwave. It is then “superheated”, and may boil thereafter if a handy nucleation site (drop in some sugar, for example) is presented.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 1999, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-boiling/943/6 "1999-06-28T03:23:00Z")

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Those at altitude may, of course, switch to green tea, for which water below the sea-level boiling point is recommended.