Steep Time

[Salsero]

Do you measure gms / oz for your brews with the infuser?

For blacks I use anything from 2.5 to 4.0 grams per 6 ozs water. My "standard" starting point is the 2.5 gr. I tend to use the lesser amounts with South Asian teas like Indian, Nepali, Sri Lankan, and the greater amounts with the Chinese blacks, Yunnan Gold, Simao, Fujian blacks, Emperor Red, Keemun.

[Teaman2]

For tea quantity, I usually use a rounded teaspoon (not a measuring teaspoon) per 8-10oz mug. A heaping teaspoon if a 12 oz'er.

A year or so ago I bought the scales that Upton Tea sells (not sure if they have it still or not, haven't looked) It is pretty cool, small little digital scales that measures down to like 0.1g which is really sensitive. My only complaint about it is that the font size used to display the units of measure (not the measure values which are easily readable) is in a super-micro font. If you don't have a magnifying glass, you can't read them. I use it when I have a tea that has a non-typical density, like some of the white or green teas can be pretty light and airy, almost fluffy. Using a rounded teaspoon won't give the proper amount. So when I saw this cute scales I sprung for it.

It has a cup weight unit which is defined as 1.0 means enough tea for one cup. Course I always like to know what a "cup" is. You say 8 oz... well not so for the English (I'm American so correct me if I'm wrong) who figure a "cup" of tea is one of those china cups that hold about 6 oz. Literature I've read says about 2-3 g per 6 oz cup. This scales also measures in g, oz, and one other unit I'm not familiar with. It says 2.3g is 1 cup wt. That seems light to me but it usually tastes ok.

[Salsero]

Teaman2, I love that avatar. Very simple, very elegant.

[Teaman2]

Thanks Salsero!

I went looking for photos dealing with tea a while back and found a site that had quite a few good ones. They are all small in size so work only for things like avatars. I also liked this one and modified the edges a little to fade out.

[Salsero]

I went looking for photos dealing with tea a while back and found a site that had quite a few good ones. They are all small in size so work only for things like avatars. I also liked this one and modified the edges a little to fade out.

I hadn't noticed at first, but I think the vignetting is what makes it POP out. Good eye.

[GalileosDaughter]

...

But a perfect example of what you're talking about: This morning I brewed Adagio's Spring Darjeeling for the first time (a sample I got ~2 weeks ago). I followed the guidelines on the tin--5 min, boiling water. When finished, the tea, but especially the wet leaves, smelled like cooked spinach/veggies and the tea was "eh." Now, I read here that maybe 5 min is too agressive, and maybe especially so for this particular tea because its Indian. So tomorrow I'll try again with new parameters and see what the difference is--now it could be that I'm just not a fan of Spring Darjeeling either way, but something tells me that I'll like it much better tomorrow than I did today...at least I know to give it a second shot. But someone without the benefit of an educational forum at their fingertips could dismiss the tea completely, and that's sad!

I had the exact same reaction to the Spring Darjeeling! I actually threw it away, I disliked it so much.l Now I wish that I had kept it to try the shorter steeping time.

[Salsero]

Though I haven't had it, the Spring Darjeeling has played to pretty strong reviews from the experienced forum members. So I would guess, shorter time, maybe even cooler water, and you might like it.

[JM]

First you need to buy tea in a bag [ ], then pour super hot water over it [ ] and just leave it in there until you drain it [ ]. I you can't get the good stuff at the bottom [ ] squeeze the tea bag with your fingers against the side of the cup [ ].

Now that's GOOOOOOOD tasting tea!

JM
[kidding]

[Thirsty Daruma]

I just hard a mug of CTC Russian tea (can't read the Russian) but it prescribed a 5 minute steeping. Well, surprise surprise, it looked like I had a jug of soy sauce. Horrible. Conversely, yesterday I had a similar volume of loose leaf Imperial (light smoke) Lapsang Souchong, and after 1:45 steeping the tea had flavor, though 2:00 or even 2:15 would be better. Lasts 3-4 steeps too. Don't let the marketers fool you! Best thing to do, and this applies to almost any tea, is just experiment. It's fun too. Unless the tea is running you a few bucks per serving. Then experimentation can be a little more daunting.

[salamander]

I think it depends on what you want out of tea. If you want a delicate and complex drink, then three minutes is definitely the way to go. If you want something with the flavor and caffeine content to get you through those last few pages of a term paper at three am, I see no reason to stop at five. I honestly quite like the ridiculously-overbrewed flavor, in the right context. That context may be exclusively college, though. I never drink it like that on break.

[chocolate]

I do: 50 to 60 seconds for assam, 2:00 for darjleening, 2:30 for yunnan, 3:00 for Keemun

[Salsero]

I do: 50 to 60 seconds for assam, 2:00 for darjleening, 2:30 for yunnan, 3:00 for Keemun

Mmm, is that gong fu in a gaiwan? Or some other method? How much leaf do you use?

[tsverrir]

2.5 - 3 minutes are way to much for my taste buds. I like to brew black tea gong-fu style using a lot of leaves and very short steep times, about 10 seconds for the first infusions.

[ClarG]

For Assam tea I steep it 2 minutes or 2.5 minutes, for all other black teas 3 minutes at least or sometimes 4-5 minutes if I want it strong.