Breaking up shou after first rinse

[Shine Magical]

My friend breaks up his shou with the end of a tea pick after the first rinse to let the water reach more of the leaves while infusing. Do you think this is a good idea?

He breaks his cakes down into ~10g chunks because breaking them down further would just break the leaves up more he said. I am worried that if I start copying him I might break down the leaves while they're in my yixing which might be worse.

[mr mopu]

My friend breaks up his shou with the end of a tea pick after the first rinse to let the water reach more of the leaves while infusing. Do you think this is a good idea?

He breaks his cakes down into ~10g chunks because breaking them down further would just break the leaves up more he said. I am worried that if I start copying him I might break down the leaves while they're in my yixing which might be worse.

Give them a 10 minute rest after the rinse. It will have almost the same effect as the water will work its way into the leaves.

[Shine Magical]

My friend breaks up his shou with the end of a tea pick after the first rinse to let the water reach more of the leaves while infusing. Do you think this is a good idea?

He breaks his cakes down into ~10g chunks because breaking them down further would just break the leaves up more he said. I am worried that if I start copying him I might break down the leaves while they're in my yixing which might be worse.

Give them a 10 minute rest after the rinse. It will have almost the same effect as the water will work its way into the leaves.

Even when I do that, there is a big visual difference between rinse + 10min rest and picked apart after the first rinse. Most of the shou I have is pretty tightly pressed, esp if its older.

[bryan_drinks_tea]

My friend breaks up his shou with the end of a tea pick after the first rinse to let the water reach more of the leaves while infusing. Do you think this is a good idea?

He breaks his cakes down into ~10g chunks because breaking them down further would just break the leaves up more he said. I am worried that if I start copying him I might break down the leaves while they're in my yixing which might be worse.

Give them a 10 minute rest after the rinse. It will have almost the same effect as the water will work its way into the leaves.

Even when I do that, there is a big visual difference between rinse + 10min rest and picked apart after the first rinse. Most of the shou I have is pretty tightly pressed, esp if its older.

Older tea shouldn't be as tightly pressed as newer tea. try varying times of rest after the first rinse. good luck and most importantly, enjoy!

[debunix]

I never worry about picking it apart. As it comes apart, more leaves will be fully wetted and infuse better, but varying the infusion times is control enough of this process. Picking leaves apart is too much work. And for my favorite Lao Cha Tou, it won't work anyway.

[Shine Magical]

My friend breaks up his shou with the end of a tea pick after the first rinse to let the water reach more of the leaves while infusing. Do you think this is a good idea?

He breaks his cakes down into ~10g chunks because breaking them down further would just break the leaves up more he said. I am worried that if I start copying him I might break down the leaves while they're in my yixing which might be worse.

Give them a 10 minute rest after the rinse. It will have almost the same effect as the water will work its way into the leaves.

Even when I do that, there is a big visual difference between rinse + 10min rest and picked apart after the first rinse. Most of the shou I have is pretty tightly pressed, esp if its older.

Older tea shouldn't be as tightly pressed as newer tea. try varying times of rest after the first rinse. good luck and most importantly, enjoy!

What I was trying to convey was that older shou is more sticky and knotted with age so it doesn't come apart easily. But that is the best kind, dank tea

Even at the end of a long session when the flavor has departed, I can still have a fairly intact 8-15g chunk in my yixing. Its hard to tell if breaking up the leaves while wet would have a better impact on the flavor or if breaking up the leaves would actually damage some of them causing more subtle bitterness and unpleasant flavor to come out instead.

[stevorama]

I like to let the tea naturally expand and loosen by letting it sit after the rinse, and then control the brewing with longer or shorter steep times.

[mr mopu]

I like to let the tea naturally expand and loosen by letting it sit after the rinse, and then control the brewing with longer or shorter steep times.

Agreed on longer steeps. You may try a cold water rinse for a few minutes as well to help it before the first hot rinse.