Brew times and multiple steepings
Is there a site that gives all of this info? Like how long you need to brew the tea and at what temp the water needs to be. Also how many times you can steep the tea. Sorry about the noobie question, but today I should be getting my order and it is my first time trying to enjoy loose tea. I just do not want to mess it up.
Jun 2nd, '09, 12:04
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hooksie
There are plenty of recommendations out there on the internet and in books and everywhere, but the simple matter is there is no definitive guide on how a certain tea should be brewed.
There are however general rules of thumb you can follow, but even these are rather varied...
For example, tea leaf and steeping time tend to be inversely proportional; the more leaf you use the less time you should steep.
What do you intend to be making?
There are however general rules of thumb you can follow, but even these are rather varied...
For example, tea leaf and steeping time tend to be inversely proportional; the more leaf you use the less time you should steep.
What do you intend to be making?
Jun 2nd, '09, 12:10
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really depends on what tea you are going to be brewing.. for japanese senchas there are tons of examples by people here depending on the type/variety etc. just check out the shincha review thread for instance and you wills ee whats been working for people on the new japanese greens they have been reviewing
Jun 2nd, '09, 12:32
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Victoria
As someone who started drinking loose leaf tea in Nov. 2008, I can understand your confusion. I've combed the internet extensively (and still do!), and it seems that everybody has different recommendations. All I can do is share with you my default parameters:
Black (exc Darjeeling): 212* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 3 min. / 1 infusion
Darjeeling: 195* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 2 min. / up to 3 infusions
White (unflavored): 175* / 2 tsp per 6 oz / 3 min. / up to 3 infusions
White (flavored): 175* / 2 tsp per 6 oz / 2 min. / 1 infusion
Chinese Green (western brewing): 175* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 1-2 min. / 2-3 infusions
Chinese Green (gaiwan brewing): 175* / 1/4 of gaiwan / 10 seconds for 1st (don't drink), 10 seconds for second, add 5 sec for each up to 1 min / 3+ infusions
Japanese Green (exc Gyokuro): 175* (180* for genmaicha) / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 2 min. / 2-3 infusions
Gyokuro: I don't know if the tea I purchased is poor quality, so I'm not certain about my parameters. However, 160* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 45 seconds / 1 infusion
Oolong: 195* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 3 min. / 3+ infusions
Oolong (gong fu method, which is great for oolong): 195* / 2 tsp per 8 oz (use as small a teapot as you can find - 8 oz and under) / 10 seconds for 1st (don't drink), 30 seconds for 2nd, add 5 seconds for each up to 1 min / 6+ infusions
Pu-erh (western brewing): 212* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 10 seconds for 1st (don't drink), 3 min. / 3 infusions. This has a stronger and creamier flavor then the gong fu method.
Pu-erh (gong fu method): 212* / others are same as oolong.
Herbal/Tisanes: 212* / 2 tsp per 8 oz / 5 min. / 1 infusion
Other important recommendations:
* If at all possible, allow the leaves to infuse freely in the pot. Use 2 pots: 1 to infuse the tea, then strain the tea into the second to drink. If you do use an infuser, you need an infuser that is as large as possible. An infuser needs to be at least half the volume of the pot.
* If the tea is bitter, cut back on the time and/or temperature.
* If the tea is weak, first try adding more tea and NOT increase the steep time if first infusion. If you're on 2nd + infusion, try increasing time and/or temperature.
* Use filtered or spring water.
* Scan as much advice as possible and simply start with whatever makes the most sense to you. Then adjust accordingly.
* Youtube has several great tutorials. I tend to use Google/YouTube search term: brew loose leaf tea. Many of these tutorials come from Expert Village.
* Be sure to preheat all vessels (pot/pitcher/cups) with hot water before brewing. You don't need to have the same temp water and it actually doesn't take much water.
* It's not obvious from what I've posted, but tea brewing parameters are actually quite flexible. The finicky aspect is designed to draw out the best flavor of the particular tea, but there's a room for error that still produces a good and drinkable cup.
Black (exc Darjeeling): 212* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 3 min. / 1 infusion
Darjeeling: 195* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 2 min. / up to 3 infusions
White (unflavored): 175* / 2 tsp per 6 oz / 3 min. / up to 3 infusions
White (flavored): 175* / 2 tsp per 6 oz / 2 min. / 1 infusion
Chinese Green (western brewing): 175* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 1-2 min. / 2-3 infusions
Chinese Green (gaiwan brewing): 175* / 1/4 of gaiwan / 10 seconds for 1st (don't drink), 10 seconds for second, add 5 sec for each up to 1 min / 3+ infusions
Japanese Green (exc Gyokuro): 175* (180* for genmaicha) / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 2 min. / 2-3 infusions
Gyokuro: I don't know if the tea I purchased is poor quality, so I'm not certain about my parameters. However, 160* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 45 seconds / 1 infusion
Oolong: 195* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 3 min. / 3+ infusions
Oolong (gong fu method, which is great for oolong): 195* / 2 tsp per 8 oz (use as small a teapot as you can find - 8 oz and under) / 10 seconds for 1st (don't drink), 30 seconds for 2nd, add 5 seconds for each up to 1 min / 6+ infusions
Pu-erh (western brewing): 212* / 1 tsp per 6 oz / 10 seconds for 1st (don't drink), 3 min. / 3 infusions. This has a stronger and creamier flavor then the gong fu method.
Pu-erh (gong fu method): 212* / others are same as oolong.
Herbal/Tisanes: 212* / 2 tsp per 8 oz / 5 min. / 1 infusion
Other important recommendations:
* If at all possible, allow the leaves to infuse freely in the pot. Use 2 pots: 1 to infuse the tea, then strain the tea into the second to drink. If you do use an infuser, you need an infuser that is as large as possible. An infuser needs to be at least half the volume of the pot.
* If the tea is bitter, cut back on the time and/or temperature.
* If the tea is weak, first try adding more tea and NOT increase the steep time if first infusion. If you're on 2nd + infusion, try increasing time and/or temperature.
* Use filtered or spring water.
* Scan as much advice as possible and simply start with whatever makes the most sense to you. Then adjust accordingly.
* Youtube has several great tutorials. I tend to use Google/YouTube search term: brew loose leaf tea. Many of these tutorials come from Expert Village.
* Be sure to preheat all vessels (pot/pitcher/cups) with hot water before brewing. You don't need to have the same temp water and it actually doesn't take much water.
* It's not obvious from what I've posted, but tea brewing parameters are actually quite flexible. The finicky aspect is designed to draw out the best flavor of the particular tea, but there's a room for error that still produces a good and drinkable cup.
Last edited by davidlhsl on Jun 2nd, '09, 14:45, edited 3 times in total.
Jun 2nd, '09, 12:49
Posts: 1574
Joined: Dec 30th, '08, 21:16
Location: The foot of the great Smoky Mountains
Good stuff above.. I notice you didnt have any Japanese greens but in case you do for myself..and like it was said ,everyone tried a little differently, but I use 165 to 175 depending on the type of sencha for 1 minute first infusion, 30 to 45 seconds for second infusion and then creep up time and temp on the following ones. I usually end up with at least 4 or 5 good infusions
Thanks for the help guys. I do understand that, just like everyting else, everyone has their own way. But i was just looking for a starting point, and I beleive that davidlhsl provided it. Victoria, I do not know if this is what you are talking about, but the water will be heated in just a plain old tea pot. As far as drinking it, I have a 16 oz porcelain tea pot that I will use to steep the tea in.
I know that some people will keep a puerh overnight in the yixing pot and use it the next day. Puerh can go 10 steeps easily and sometimes over 20 steeps. With other teas it is generally considered that one would drink all of the steeps in, say, an afternoon's time.p_funk wrote:One more noob question if you do not mind. When resteeping the tea, how do you store it? Do you just leave it in the infuser/ball? Sorry for the stupid question, I just do not want to do this wrong.
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