Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

For general/other topics related to tea.


Nov 30th, '13, 23:28
Posts: 225
Joined: Nov 24th, '13, 23:52

Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

by ClarG » Nov 30th, '13, 23:28

Here's a question for everyone do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

I sometimes do, and sometimes I do not. How about you?

User avatar
Dec 3rd, '13, 10:49
Posts: 445
Joined: Mar 25th, '13, 23:03
Location: Lexington Park, Maryland

Re: Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

by MEversbergII » Dec 3rd, '13, 10:49

I do, typically 2-3 times.

M.

User avatar
Dec 3rd, '13, 11:14
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Re: Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

by debunix » Dec 3rd, '13, 11:14

Resteeping is a traditional way of brewing most types of teas. Search 'gong fu' or 'gongfu' brewing and you'll find many, many threads.

I do it for almost all teas, but I start the brewing with that in mind, and brew the first infusion knowing I need to leave enough in the leaf for later infusions.

User avatar
Dec 3rd, '13, 13:22
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

by Chip » Dec 3rd, '13, 13:22

ClarG wrote:do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?
Yes.

(usually 4-6 steeps for Japanese greens which is what I am usually drinking)

User avatar
Dec 3rd, '13, 14:39
Posts: 445
Joined: Mar 25th, '13, 23:03
Location: Lexington Park, Maryland

Re: Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

by MEversbergII » Dec 3rd, '13, 14:39

Chip wrote:
ClarG wrote:do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?
Yes.

(usually 4-6 steeps for Japanese greens which is what I am usually drinking)
Man, what are you making and how do you make it? Mine seem to be pretty much dead the third time around.

M.

User avatar
Dec 3rd, '13, 18:30
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

by Chip » Dec 3rd, '13, 18:30

MEversbergII wrote:
Chip wrote:
ClarG wrote:do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?
Yes.

(usually 4-6 steeps for Japanese greens which is what I am usually drinking)
Man, what are you making and how do you make it? Mine seem to be pretty much dead the third time around.

M.
Depends on the sencha. And depends on personal preferences, taste. Sitting and relaxing with a pot of sencha, I often feel I would be wasting good tea by stopping at 3. But admittedly beyond this yields results more in the realm of TeaWater ... but it a nice "cool down" at the end of a great session.

I also start pretty rich, 1.25 or so grams per ounce of water is where I seem to be these days for sencha.

User avatar
Dec 3rd, '13, 22:00
Posts: 445
Joined: Mar 25th, '13, 23:03
Location: Lexington Park, Maryland

Re: Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

by MEversbergII » Dec 3rd, '13, 22:00

Pah, metrics to the imperial :p

So about 10.5g per 250 ml...just about double where I am for sencha.

All my sencha has been Den's, and I've only used their packaging recommendation, mostly as I haven't really gotten to experiment on it yet. If memory is brain right now, it's about 5.5g per 250ml, at 80C for 60s on first infusion. Second one they recommend boiling(!) water for 30s. After that, I can get a kind of...weird tasting third cup. I guess Tea Water, yeah, is a good way to put it.

If I get some time, I'll give it a try your way.

M.

User avatar
Dec 4th, '13, 11:42
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

by Chip » Dec 4th, '13, 11:42

It pays to experiment with sencha and other Japanese teas versus simply following vendor recommendations. But this is the case for all teas, really?

The longer I have been drinking sencha, my ratio has slowly but surely edged/evolved higher. I remember years ago being blown away with my first really good sencha at a ratio of .5 grams per ounce water (30 ml).

My times fluctuate, often based upon the tea.

My temps have basically gone down over the years which sometimes puzzles me. Most sencha I am drinking today, I brew at 150-153* (67* C) for the first steep ... in a generally non preheated pot. Used to be around 176* (80* C).

User avatar
Dec 4th, '13, 12:17
Posts: 48
Joined: Nov 6th, '13, 16:49
Contact: toasterburn

Re: Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

by toasterburn » Dec 4th, '13, 12:17

I've been able to get 2 strong cups from black tea. My attempts with white tea haven't turned out as well. The second cup is always devoid of flavor, like drinking just hot water. Haven't tried multiple steeping with other teas yet.

User avatar
Dec 4th, '13, 13:03
Posts: 445
Joined: Mar 25th, '13, 23:03
Location: Lexington Park, Maryland

Re: Do you reuse or resteep tea leaves?

by MEversbergII » Dec 4th, '13, 13:03

Silver needles has, for the ones I've purchased, produced numerous cups.

Chip, when I find myself some time (and large enough stock), I think I'll play about with fine tuning sencha brewing processes.

I mostly drink bancha (so far as Japanese teas go), as I can produce a good cup with boiling water and quick infusion, which is great for on-the-job tea.

M.

+ Post Reply