Brewing
Does Water Quality Change the Taste of Tea?
Yes. Water is most of the cup, and mineral content or strong flavors in tap water can change how tea tastes. Start with clean, pleasant-tasting water before changing the leaf.
What to notice
If two people brew the same tea and describe different cups, water may be part of the reason. Hardness and other dissolved minerals can influence extraction and appearance. Water with a noticeable chlorine or other odor can compete with delicate tea aromas.
The UK Tea & Infusions Association notes that hard and soft water can affect flavor and suggests considering a filter. That is a possibility, not a demand to buy special water.
A simple home experiment
Brew two small cups with identical leaf amount, temperature, and time. Use your usual tap water in one and filtered water in the other. If the difference is meaningful, you have a useful answer for your own kitchen.
Freshly drawn water and a clean kettle are sensible starting points. Focus on a reliable daily method rather than chasing a perfect mineral formula.