Proper Brewing Techniques
Water Filtration - Start with a Good Beginning
1. Background- Brewed leaf iced tea is 99% + local water. Due to tea's light flavor, the quality of input water is crucial to the end product served.
- Clarity, color and taste are the most important iced tea characteristics. Clarity can be adversely affected by high mineral content in water.
- Coffee equipment, as well as the new generation of automatic iced tea brewers, contain water solenoid valves, spray heads and heating elements which are susceptible to particulate clogging and scale/lime buildup especially in high mineral areas.
2. Water Problems Affecting Iced Tea Quality
- Water Hardness - caused by high mineral content (i.e. calcium and magnesium). Tests show any hardness in excess of 200 ppm can cause clouding in iced tea.
- Chemical taste and/or odor caused by chlorination of municipal water and the presence of hydrogen sulfide in the water.
- Particulate Matter/Scale and Lime Accumulation - adversely affects the operational efficiency of automatic tea brewing equipment.
3. The Solution
To minimize problems associated with a less than optimal water supply, the Tea Association recommends installation of appropriate filtration/conditioning equipment.
a.) Desired Water Filter Characteristics
- Mechanical particulate filtration at a minimum 20 micron level (40 microns can be seen unaided).
- Activated carbon filter to remove soluble organic chemicals, taste and odor causing compounds and chlorine.
- Lime/scale inhibitors to keep calcium and magnesium in suspension and separated from product bonding and reduce buildup on heaters and spray heads but do not inhibit clouding tendency.
- Easy cartridge replacement
- Minimum of 6 months cartridge life for average commercial use. Print installation date on filter for monitoring purposes
- One all-purpose filter effective for all identified problems except water hardness.
b.) Water Conditioning Equipment
- Water softening equipment to reduce or eliminate water hardness caused by excessive mineral content.
- Proper maintenance and cartridge replacement or recharging of this equipment according to manufacturer's recommendation to ensure optimal performance.
c.) Hard Water
- In extreme hard water areas, use a preventive maintenance service arrangement.