New tea drinker

[gsep]

Hello, I am new to tea and I just bought some monkey picked oolong tea from teavana. I'm not sure what's the best way to steep the tea. I usually use lots of leaves but my ceramic 22 ounces pot only can hold so many leaves because they expand. I can't even use the strainer b/c the leaves expand too much. I would appreciate any advice to get the best cup of tea.

[AdamMY]

If you are filling a 22 oz pot with leaves without a strainer, you are entering the realm of Jumbo Sized Gong Fu.... do you get many infusions out of the leaves?

If you aren't making tea for many different people, my advice might sound contradictory but get a smaller pot and do many infusions and shorter infusions.

[gsep]

I just make a ton at a time b/c i'm in college and I dont always have time. I usually just keep it in a pitcher and I use about twenty ounces of water and 4 or 5 tsps of oolong. I could use the strainer but i feel like it restricts the leaves from expanding. The leaves take approximately half of the pot when they are fully opened. The only problem is that I have to pour the tea into the pitcher through a strainer to make sure that i dont steep the leaves for too long. It's a bit unorthodox. I get like 5 steeps out of it and I haven't bothered to steep more because I dont know when the leaves aren't good anymore. I guess I could just tell by the color of the tea but I dont know.

[Chip]

Take the infuser/strainer out of the pot for brewing, then pour the tea from the pot, through the strainer. Pour carefully, and as the leaves unfurl, they will likely be too large to pass through the spout, but any that do will be caught by the strainer.

This will allow the leaves to unfurl completely.

The leaves are still good as long as they are providing you with flavorful brews, but the brews will change from steep to steep.

Welcome to the forum.

[gsep]

how long should the other steeps be compared to the first?

[Oni]

Stay away from teavana, you will not learn from them, they are bad quality, for missinformed consumer.

[DJ3riple]

I agree, you should start your journey with Adagio instead

[Dreamer]

Welcome to the 'chat!

As a busy college student, whatever method works for you is right for you! I'll second what Chip said, you will find that if you let the leaves be "free" in the pot and pour the tea thru the strainer that you'll get more enjoyment from your tea.

I'll also second what Oni said, you will find that your tea money will go further and you'll get better tea if you take a look at Adagio and order some samples.

Have fun,
Dreamer

[teabone]

Do yourself a favor and buy from a small, independent tea source. Stay away from Teavana unless you WANT to be taken advantage of - they don't give a hoot about their customers once your charge card has been accepted!