Water for Brewing Iranian Tea: Why Water Quality Matters

When people talk about good brewing, the leaf, the time and the temperature usually come to mind — but water is the other half of the equation. Even a premium leaf, brewed with the wrong water, comes out dull and underwhelming.

What Does Water Hardness Do?

Hard water — high in calcium and magnesium — reacts with tea's compounds and forms a cloudy film on the surface of the brew; it dulls the flavour and darkens the colour beyond what's natural. Softer or filtered water lets the leaf's real flavour and aroma reach the cup unobstructed.

Mineral, Filtered, or Tap?

Tap water in most Iranian cities is reasonably good, but if your area has hard water or you can taste noticeable chlorine, a simple filter or filtered water makes a real difference in the cup. Sparkling mineral water isn't suited to brewing; still mineral water with a moderate mineral content is a good choice.

Fresh Water, Not Reboiled

Always fill the kettle with fresh water from the tap, not water that's already been boiled and cooled once. Reboiling drives off the water's dissolved oxygen and leaves the tea tasting flatter and less lively — the same point we made in our article on the proper ritual of brewing Iranian tea.

At a glance:

• Hard water dulls the flavour; soft or filtered water works better
• Still mineral water is fine, sparkling water isn't
• Always use fresh water, never reboiled water

If you want to try all of this side by side, Sehreh's Premium Black Tea is a good choice for noticing exactly how much water quality changes the cup.