Strategies for Multiple Infusions

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Sep 23rd, '10, 12:02
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Strategies for Multiple Infusions

by tortoise » Sep 23rd, '10, 12:02

I'm posting this topic here because I realize that multiple infusions may be different for each variety of tea.

When considering the price of tea, we usually take into account that we will get more than one infusion out of each pot we brew. For gong fu brewing, this is particularly appropriate, but even decent sencha can yield more than two good cups.

Usually, though the tea I brew may yield multiple infusions, I am more likely to drink all the infusions within a few hours time. For some reason, I just don't like the idea of brewed leaves sitting in my gaiwan or teapot for longer than that and I feel a self-imposed pressure to finish it.

Do any of you stretch your infusions over a number of days? If so, do you have any concerns of damp leaves sitting out on your table top? What practices do you employ to maintain optimum quality?

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Sep 23rd, '10, 12:09
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Re: Strategies for Multiple Infusions

by nickE » Sep 23rd, '10, 12:09

Honestly, I'm usually really lazy and just let leaves sit in the gaiwan overnight... :oops: Seems to work fine as long as they're drained properly.

I've heard of people putting them in tupperware and even in the fridge though.

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Sep 23rd, '10, 13:43
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Re: Strategies for Multiple Infusions

by olivierco » Sep 23rd, '10, 13:43

I brew small steeps 100ml or even less, so I don't keep the leaves for more than one hour in the teapot.

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Sep 23rd, '10, 16:17
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Re: Strategies for Multiple Infusions

by tortoise » Sep 23rd, '10, 16:17

Thanks. I really have no logical reason for not wanting to leave the tea out overnight. Drinking it all at once can lead to a few more trips to the restroom than I'd prefer. Just curious what others do.

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Sep 23rd, '10, 19:14
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Re: Strategies for Multiple Infusions

by nonc_ron » Sep 23rd, '10, 19:14

If It's bedtime and you still have 2 or 3 steeps still left in the pot. Brew them up, put them in a pitcher and stick in the fridge. Shouldn't take you more then ten minutes.
Personally I'd just let it sit. 8)

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Sep 24th, '10, 02:20
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Re: Strategies for Multiple Infusions

by the_economist » Sep 24th, '10, 02:20

sometimes if i have time to do gongfu brewing in the morning, i brew, and then let it sit in the gaiwan til i return home in the evening for a rematch!

works so far for my TGY. the rematch can be surprising!

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Sep 24th, '10, 19:53
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Re: Strategies for Multiple Infusions

by entropyembrace » Sep 24th, '10, 19:53

I don´t like letting leaves sit around for more than a few hours...they seem to get a sour taste developing if I leave them say overnight...

I´ve been drinking a lot of sencha and matcha lately where it´s not much of an issue...the sencha usually only lasts for 3 or 4 infusions and matcha obviously is just made a bowl at a time. But I´m starting to turn my attention back to puerh and oolongs and now I´m really feeling my teaware is letting me down with them...only getting 4 infusions out of a nice puerh from the current OTTI for example doesn´t quite feel right.

In the end my solution was to look for a smaller pot so that I can drink more infusions at a time.

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