In short —
Black and Ceylon teas: 90–95°C. Green: 70–80°C. Matcha: 70–80°C, whisked not steeped. Oolong: 85–90°C. Herbal: 100°C, long steep. Boiling water scalds delicate leaves and releases bitter tannins — when in doubt, let the kettle rest two minutes off the boil.
Why temperature matters more than time
Boiling water is not hot water; it is aggressive water. At 100°C it extracts tannins and caffeine faster than the sweet amino acids, so a green tea brewed off a rolling boil tastes bitter no matter how briefly it steeps. Dropping the temperature is the single biggest upgrade a home brewer can make.
Think of temperature as the key, and time as how long you hold the door open. The wrong key, held briefly, still doesn't open the door.
The guide, cup by cup
You don't need a thermometer forever — learn the sounds. Shrimp eyes (small pearls on the kettle floor) is about 75°C; a steady stream of strings is 85°C; full rolling boil is 100°C, which you only ever want for black tea and tisanes.
White & green teas: 70–80°C, 2–3 minutes. Cooler water keeps them sweet.
Matcha: 75–80°C, whisked — never boiled, never steeped.
Oolong: 85–90°C, 3–4 minutes, and it will give you a second steep.
Black tea: 90–95°C, 4–6 minutes. This is where near-boiling water earns its keep.
Herbal tisanes: 100°C, 5–7 minutes. No leaf, no fear.
Brewing in a Gulf kitchen
Tap water in the UAE is desalinated and soft — good news for tea, since hard water flattens aroma. If your kettle only does full boil, pour and count: each minute of standing in an open kettle drops the water roughly 5°C.
And warm the pot. A cold ceramic pot steals ten degrees on contact — rinse it with hot water first and your 80°C stays 80°C.
The leaf unfurls when it is ready — never before. Your only job is to give it the right water.
