“The quality of a good cup of tea depends 20 % on the tea itself and 80 % on the water used.” (Zhang Dafu, tea master of Qing-Dynastie)
The Japanese association of the ‘Japanese Tea Instructor’ says that the quality of a tea infusion is determined 99 % by the water.
Depending on the means of preparation, a cup of coffee consists of approx. 98 % water. Therefore particular attention should be paid to the quality of the water used, besides brand of coffee, its roasting degree and the method of preparation – filter coffee, espresso machine or automated coffee machine. Then the aroma of the coffee can fully develop and you can enjoy an optimal coffee taste and perfect foam.
No doubt then that the water used during the preparation of tea, coffee and hot drinks plays a very important role as a flavour-enhancer. If great importance is attached to a good result, particular attention should be paid to quality.
In general, water in Europe is clearly harder and more calcareous than it is in Japan and the mountain spring water much valued by the Chinese – allegedly the best water for the preparation of tea – naturally has an ideal mineral content, as it is hardly found in Europe. The composition of the water, its oxygen content, its hardness degree and its acid/alkaline metabolism varies from region to region and from spring to spring. Therefore the foam of the coffee, the colour of the tea as well as the aroma and taste of the hot drinks prepared also varies.
In order to ensure the full development of the aroma of tea, coffee and hot drinks and to achieve a constant high quality result, there are some basic principles which should be observed.
Basic principles for preparation