It’s temperature that makes tea perfect.

Statistics show that every German drinks, on average, some 70 litres of tea - that’s roughly 340 cupfuls - per year. Against this background, it is astonishing that so many tea drinkers don’t seem to bother about the temperature of the water they use to make tea.

A tea that is a real superlative. Black tea, the most commonly enjoyed variety worldwide, has a more powerful flavour and contains more caffeine than other teas. To unlock its full intensity of aroma and taste, it requires exposure to a brewing temperature of around 95°C. This enablesthe tannins to fully dissolve without the tea tasting bitter. A black tea that is brewed using colder water tastes bland and exhibits little of its qualities. Because of this, it is advisable to use water at a temperature of 95°C when preparing all Avoury black teas.

Not only that, but for the perfect drink, each individual tea must be allowed to steep for the right time. STRONG ASSAM, for example, is a black tea with a pronounced malty flavour and a delicate creamy undertone that should be allowed to infuse for one minute only. It is the ideal drink to get you alert in the morning or when you’ve no time to relax over your cup of tea! But other black tea varieties offered by Avoury, such as DARK PEACH and LADY ROSE, will only reveal their full flavours and aromas if infused at 95°C for about three minutes.

Tea drinkers throughout the world have a fondness for green teas. Their floral, elegant and citric notes ensure that they create a sensation in every cup. However, green teas are particularly demanding when it comes to their preparation. If a green tea is brewed at too high a temperature or is left to infuse for too long, bitter substances will be released. So, avoid pouring boiling water on them directly from the kettle if you don’t want to spoil the subsequent enjoyment of your tea. And, of course, if the water is too cold, the subtle flavours and aromas won’t develop. Green teas typically require non-boiling water at temperatures of roughly 70°C. But there are differences here too - within the extensive range of Avoury green tea varieties are some that need water at higher temperatures. SUPREME GYOKURO, a refined green tea with a tangy touch of umami, only expresses its unique character in full on exposure to a water temperature of 75°C. GRAND GRANATE, by contrast, will only release its lively pomegranate acidity at 95°C. The following list shows how diverse the appropriate water temperatures and steeping times for green teas are:

• ORIGINAL GENMAICHA: Needs to be steeped for two minutes at 80°C

• BEYOND NEPAL: Needs to be steeped for two minutes at 85°C

• JAPANESE TRIO: Needs to be steeped for two minutes at 85°C

• SUNNY BAY: Needs to be steeped for two minutes at 85°C

• DAILY MATE: Needs to be steeped for three minutes at 95°C

• GINGER LEMON: Needs to be steeped for three minutes at 95°C

• MINT GUNPOWDER: Needs to be steeped for three minutes at 95°C

• PEARLS OF JASMINE: Needs to be steeped for three minutes at 95°C

As you can see - one tea type but considerable differences with regard to water and brewing temperatures! If you are a green tea novice who is wondering how best to prepare a tea, you’ll find that the Avoury One will help you out of your dilemma. It identifies the tea that has been inserted and prepares it at the ideal conditions at just the press of a button - so that you can focus on drinking your tea rather than preparing it.

Oolong teas with their complex and diversified flavours, aromas and colours - the latter cover a range from bright green to amber - occupy a niche somewhere between green and black teas. The lighter coloured varieties taste fruity, fresh and light. Such subtly creamy flavours characterise Avoury’s MILKY FAVOURITE and THAI JING SHUAN that needs to be prepared using water at 95°C.

White tea is one of the world’s most coveted teas. It is made using the youngest and most delicate tea leaves. The optimal temperature for these teas is 85°C and the Avoury One will automatically set this temperature. This is also the temperature required to extract the tropical aromas and flavours from LIGHT PASSION. This is a relatively light tea and so needs only to be steeped for about two minutes. Another classic white tea with mild flavours and aromas is LEGEND OF PAI MU TAN. Its full character can be relished when a brewing temperature of 85°C is used and it is allowed to steep for two minutes.

There is no doubt which is the most popular type of tea in Germany - fruit teas lead the field! There is absolutely no limit to the array of flavour combinations that what we call “fruit teas” can have. Avoury employs particularly careful drying techniques to ensure that the precious ingredients, colours and natural flavours of the fruits are preserved. In this case, the rule of thumb is the hotter the better! Hence the ideal temperature for these teas is around 95°C. This is perfect for CREAMY STRAWBERRY with its impressive and finely balanced blend of strawberry and prominent hints of cream. You’ll be able to enjoy this tea to the full after an infusion time of approximately five minutes. It is necessary to steep fruit teas for longer than most other teas to allow them to develop all their aromas and flavours. But all this is child’s play if you use the Avoury One. The corresponding app will let you know when your tea is ready so instead of just waiting around and timing, you can get on with something else in the meantime.

Close behind the fruit teas are the herbal teas, particularly peppermint and camomile teas. Again, creativity knows no bounds when it comes to possible flavour blends of herbal teas. New and unexpected infusions can readily be created. One of these is THE CAMOMILE, a venerable classic that Avoury has reinterpreted. The floral notes of camomile and elderflower, rounded off by the sweetness of honeybush, come as a surprise even to the most seasoned tea connoisseur. The ideal water temperature for its preparation is around 95°C. The special feature of herbal blends is that as most of them do not contain caffeine, you need not worry about drinking them before going to bed.

You’ve now learned that many teas require water at a temperature of 95°C and that green teas need a shorter steeping time than other tea varieties. And that white teas will unlock all their aromas and flavours at just 85°C. Did you know that the ideal brewing temperature for peppermint tea, the most popular tea in Germany, is just 80°C?

Every tea is individual and just as individual are their requirements. It was with this in mind that the Avoury One tea machine was developed. It is capable of mastering the balancing act necessary to find the right temperature for preparing each single variety of tea. Making tea was never this easy before – the perfect brew at the touch of a button.