Why is your brewed black tea not fragrant?

YuanJia131

When brewing black tea, should you choose 85°C or 100°C water temperature? Some say lower temperatures prevent bitterness, while others argue boiling water enhances aroma. Why does the same tea yield vastly different flavors?
The issue may not necessarily be the water temperature. It is merely a superficial factor; what truly determines the aroma is the inherent quality of the tea itself and the appropriate brewing method.
For large, mature leaves like Dian Hong (Yunnan Black Tea) and Qi Hong (Qimen Black Tea), use boiling water and steep quickly. For tender buds such as Jin Jun Mei, a water temperature around 90°C is suitable. For delicate, fine-bud black teas, a slightly lower temperature is actually better to coax out their refined floral-honey sweetness.

Black tea is fully fermented, and high temperatures can enhance its aroma, but "high temperature" does not mean "pouring boiling water directly," nor does it imply a uniform brewing temperature for all black teas. General guidelines: Pour quickly, within 5-10 seconds without steeping; measure tea quantity proportionally, not by intuition; warm the cup; rinse the tea briefly before discarding.
How to choose the water temperature? Consider the fermentation level and the tenderness of the raw material. Instead of memorizing formulas, just remember: observe the tea to brew the tea. Longrun Tea's 2025 Dragon Bud exemplifies this—selecting tender buds from the large-leaf variety in Changuing, Baoshan. With delicate buds, a water temperature of 85-90°C, and a tea-to-water ratio of 1:25 (e.g., 5g in a 125ml gaiwan), a quick infusion unlocks floral honey fragrance and sweet richness.