Favorite Infusion #?

[ryan]

I tend to steep green tea 2 times, and sometimes even just once if I don't have a lot of time. I know a lot of people here are careful brewers and get 4+ infusions from their tea.

Does anyone have a green tea where the favorite infusion is not in the first few?

[olivierco]

Usually with sencha and gyokuro I tend to prefer the second steep. After the third steep it becomes more water with some taste than tea. Enjoyable but not the best.

[AdamMY]

I'm almost hesitant to reply to this on the Green tea thread, as in my experience most green teas, while you can get multiple infusions, the infusions are often more consistent. Now more sweetness may emerge yet the overall picture of the taste of the tea is there.

Now with oolongs I had two teas just the other day where the best infusions were the 3rd through 5th.

And puerh can last so many infusions and change so much that it can be surprising.

[clareandromeda]

I like the 2nd steep the best, then closely followed by the 1st then the 3rd and then the 4th. I rarely go beyond that.

[bongoman]

As someone who is fairly new to the world of sencha, I find I enjoy the first infusion the best. I find I get the best brothy, umami flavors in the first pot.

[woozl]

I agree with C.Andromeda. The 2nd usually shows off the tea best.

[teaisme]

usually 1st for greens, whites, yellows
usually 2nd for oolongs
usually 2nd after steeping longer then first for blacks , the first is more complex in flavour but the 2nd I feel is better overall
I have zero real experience with pu, but imagine that I would like the 3rd or so after 2 rinses

[Rainy-Day]

I like 2nd infusion when using more leaf & multiple infusions. 3rd infusion is the worst, always (I don't go beyond that). However, I nearly always prefer to use less leaf and longer infusion and infuse just once - for convenience. I find that it's almost as good as the 2nd infusion with the first method and my kyusu is 11oz - 2 infusions would be more than I want most of time. I'd rather take more smaller tea breaks than a few larger ones...

[Tea and coffee]

I would say for my rolled teas the 2nd infusion is better.

I have a girls ring tea and the 1st infusion is much too light even after 4 minutes.
But by the second time I brew you can actually taste the tea more.
Maybe I should try just breweing that tea 6 minutes I think?

My black tea that is golden tips I can get 5 infusions out of that one and is is still ok in the end.
the first infusion of that one is the best though.

For my white tea I find the second infusion is also more flavourful and has a bit more lemony flavor.
But today I tried to steep the white tea 4 times and the 4th time just let the leaves sit in the cooled off water 10 minutes in an uncovered measuring cup and the 4th coup was quite tasty and has a greeniness and sweetness to it

But for most teas 3 steeps is all the tea I have the patience for and can hardly finish 3 cups in a day.

[DoctorD]

During the day it's the 1st by default, since I rarely have time for anything more. Evenings it's generally 2nd, also by default, since I've gotten into the habit of keeping the first infusion a bit shorter than recommended for the tea in question and then simply discarding it, to lower the caffeine content a bit. (Another contentious issue, I know, and call it a placebo effect if you wish, but it seems to work for me.)

[AdamMY]

During the day it's the 1st by default, since I rarely have time for anything more. Evenings it's generally 2nd, also by default, since I've gotten into the habit of keeping the first infusion a bit shorter than recommended for the tea in question and then simply discarding it, to lower the caffeine content a bit. (Another contentious issue, I know, and call it a placebo effect if you wish, but it seems to work for me.)

There is proof that it reduces the caffeine, I think the contention is people claim its now Decaf as in a greatly reduced amount of caffeine. I don't know the guidelines for calling something decaf but I'm pretty sure it implies that there should be a very small portion of the original caffeine amount remaining, aka.. <10% or so.

[Dr. Eel]

well if we're talking chinese greens i tend to associate with the glass brew school, allowing my experience with a particular tea to sort of flow into one long steep, adjusting water temp as taste dictates. very interesting how a chinese green can put up a few good hours worth of warm mellow light sweetness.

japanese greens are a whole 'nother thing.

[Dreamer]

For black teas, my favorite is the first infusion, but late in the day a third infusion can be just the thing!

For oolongs, the flavor seems to go so long and it changes, so I can't say I have a favorite.

For Japanese greens, the 2nd is my favorite. The first steep is like the first few minutes of a conversation with a favorite friend who's back from a long absence..everyone is excitedly talking at once about 14 different topics. The third steep is like the mellow breakfast conversation after they've been at your house for a night. But the 2nd is like the wonderful after dinner conversation where you listen, talk and laugh, and really catch up.

Time for sleep...

Sweet dreams,
Dreamer

[ryan]

Thanks all for your input this has made for an interesting read!

[Chip]

I have just not been able to give an answer to this topic for several weeks.

I think I just now finally realized I do not have a favorite steep for greens, therefore I could not find the answer.