So, you are sitting in your kitchen, getting ready to make a pot of fine green tea. Being a well read tea aficionado, you know already that this particular leaf should be infused in 160 f. water, but have no thermometer... now what? Well, Sifu Bear will let you in on a little tip that very few "Lo Fan" know. The "Secret of the Eyes".
The Chinese have terms for the different stages of heating water for tea preparation, namely "Shrimp Eyes", "Crab Eyes", "Fish Eyes", and "Rolling Pearls". These terms aren't merely prosaic, but very useful. Can you remember that Shrimp Eyes like green tea?
After having drawn from a source of good fresh water, place your tea kettle on the stove and start to heat. For a while, nothing. As you hear the very first sound of water agitation, that low "ssssss.." sound, your water is between 147 and 153 F. (Assumption: Sea Level), time to start looking at the water. As you notice the first tiny (very!) bubbles seeming to form in the middle of the water, almost a ghostly mist, these are called "Shrimp Eyes". As you can well imagine, Shrimp Eyes are pretty dammed tiny. Your water is now about 165 f., and with the resulting drop in temperature upon pouring, you are at a perfect 160 f. Congratulations! As the water approaches 180 degrees, the bubbles, while still small, will become readily visible to the discerning eye and their source appears to be the bottom of the pot, these are "Crab Eyes" and you are approaching the brewing threshold of Oolong. You want to pour for Oolong before it hits the next stage "Fish Eyes". Guess what these look like? Um, yep... Fish Eyes! These occur between about 197 f. and 210. Finally you have "Rolling Pearls", where the water looks like many strings of Pearls are being pulled in a continuous motion from the bottom of the pot to the surface: Full boil, or 212 f., the perfect temp for your Black tea.
Yours, in tea life, tea mind,
Bear
International Tea Masters Association
