Different types of Tea are best brewed at different temperatures: Green Tea, white tea, and yellow tea should be brewed at temperatures between 80°C to 90°C; black tea, oolong tea, and dark tea are best brewed at 95°C to 100°C. The brewing temperature is determined by the degree of fermentation of the tea: teas with lower fermentation and higher freshness require a lower brewing temperature; those with higher fermentation and less freshness require a higher brewing temperature.

The flavor of green tea is characterized by its fresh and brisk taste, so it's important to minimize the extraction of polyphenols and caffeine while preserving amino acids, chlorophyll, vitamin C, and other active substances. Given the variety and complexity of green teas, they can be further divided into three categories for brewing temperature. Japanese high-grade steamed green tea is a special type that is not commonly seen in China. These teas have a high content of amino acids and low levels of polyphenols, resulting in a fresh and brisk taste. The brewing temperature should be between a very low and low temperature range.

The first infusion can be made at around 50°C, gradually increasing the temperature up to 70°C.

For high-quality tender green teas, a water temperature of 80-90°C is generally used, which highlights their fresh fragrance and floral notes, while also maintaining the fresh, brisk, and sweet taste without destroying too much vitamin C, and keeps the tea liquor a fresh, clear green color. For bulk green teas made primarily from leaves with a small amount of buds, the brewing temperature can be slightly higher than for high-quality greens, typically controlled between 90-95°C.

Yellow tea, which shares similar raw materials and processing methods with green tea, has nearly identical requirements for brewing temperature. For high-end yellow teas with high tenderness and mainly buds, the water temperature should be between 85°C and 90°C, while coarser yellow teas can use a slightly higher temperature.

White tea: For the delicate Silver Needle (Baihao Yinzhen), use 90°C water, being careful not to pour directly onto the tea as this can cause the downy hairs to fall off and make the tea soup cloudy; White Peony (Baimudan) contains leaves and is slightly older than Silver Needle, making a temperature range of 90-95°C suitable for brewing; Gongmei and Shoumei, which are primarily mature leaves with stems, should be brewed at a high temperature of 95-100°C.

Black tea, being a fully fermented tea, has its effective components readily extracted after moderate kneading. However, the rate of substance extraction follows the same rule as green tea: too low a temperature is not conducive to the release of polyphenols, theaflavins, and thearubigins, leading to a pale and bland tea liquor.

Oolong tea and dark tea: 100°C boiling water

Whether it's Tieguanyin from southern Fujian, Wuyi rock tea from northern Fujian, Taiwanese high mountain oolong, or Phoenix Dancong from Guangdong, the defining characteristic of oolong tea is its coarse and mature raw material, so there's no need to worry about high water temperatures damaging the raw material. Additionally, oolong tea is known for its aroma, and boiling water helps the aroma of oolong tea to fully develop. If the temperature is too low, the aroma will be insufficient and the tea liquor will be overly watery.