Steeping blacks twice

[Vulture]

I don't care what the tea is - I steep and steep and steep until there is no point.

I do the same but only until I am done with the tea. That could be 2 steeps or 8.

Interesting how most of us still love the idea of a Big Mug of Tea enough not to bother with gong fu hong cha. Is it worth it?

Sometimes a big mug of black tea just hits the spot more than many little cups. Green teas and oolongs are great gong-fu-ed, but black tea just tastes best to me in my favorite mug.

+1 I do this all the time at work. It gives a good chunk of caffeine. It gives me a nice relaxing break. It also warms me from the cold temperatures of the networking room.

[Oni]

Black tea is kung fu tea, it should be brewed gong fu way.

[Herb_Master]

Oddly, I rarely do blacks twice opting more for English style, but I am sure the Fujian Baroque would make a tasty 2nd.

Not sure whaat "English Style" means in this context!

(In my corner of England)
In the 1950's I used to go out for Afternoon Tea with my Grandparents, every weekend - everywhere would serve the tea in a teapot, with a second pot of hot water.

When the tea had had 5 minutes tea was served to one and all, and before anyone had started drinking the second pot of water was added to the teapot. By the time anyone was ready for a second cup the second brew would have had at least 7 minutes but by the time the last person was ready for a second it may have been brewing 15 minutes. The second brew only occasionally seemed weaker than the first, and the very last cup never seemed too strong, so I doubt a 3rd brew would have been successful!

Tea was still served like this in good hotels and tea shops in the 1960's and 1970's - I can only presumably still imagine it is I don't go to many Tea Shops these days usually going for Expresso etc when out and about!

[silverneedles]

Black tea is kung fu tea, it should be brewed gong fu way.

It's all very well to have principles, but when it comes to tea you have to be flexible.

[Janine]

I will do a big mug of oolong, green or any other tea whenever I feel like it. I made a great giant travel mug of wen shan baochong for a car trip recently.

Tea is flexible - even gong fu tea. It depends on how much you're paying attention. A really good tea master will sooner or later tell you that in one way or another (my 2 cents)

Herb_Master, thanks for the description of the English tea rooms. I grew up with English style tea after school, at a neighbor's whose parents were from England. We always had a second pot the way you describe it, if I can recall correctly

[Chip]

Oddly, I rarely do blacks twice opting more for English style, but I am sure the Fujian Baroque would make a tasty 2nd.

Not sure whaat "English Style" means in this context!

(In my corner of England)

This is a common phrase used here in the USA. there are different ways of brewing with differing parameters. Gong fu, "semi" gong fu, and English style are the most commonly mentioned around here on TeaChat.

Black tea is brewed this "English style" here more than any other tea, I would believe. English style is typically using 2.3 grams (or a teaspoon of most blacks) per 6 ounces of water. Compared to more gong fu styles of brewing, this is significantly less leaf.

Perhaps it would be better to say Western style brewing. But the phrase is commonly used by drinkers and vendors.

[Cofftea]

I don't care what the tea is - I steep and steep and steep until there is no point.

I do the same but only until I am done with the tea. That could be 2 steeps or 8.

I increase steeping times by 1 min per infusion.

[gingkoseto]

I don't care what the tea is - I steep and steep and steep until there is no point.

I do the same but only until I am done with the tea. That could be 2 steeps or 8.

Me too. I normally do at least 3, usually 4-5 for keemun and my kenya mamri tea. I can barely get 3 infusions for my darjeeling and 2-3 for my ceylon. But I almost never do one-single-infusion for any tea.

[Salsero]

But I almost never do one-single-infusion for any tea.

Same here. I'm with Gingko on this one.

[thanks]

I usually use lots of leaf and boiling water with extremely short steeps to push all of my teas for a long time. The problem I've found with black teas, is that I usually tire of them quickly. I love them, and really get in the mood for them sometime, but after the fourth large infusion of Dian Hong I'm already getting tired of it. Not enough change, perhaps?

[sphughes]

I will typically go as far as the tea lets me. Being 'new to the game' I am learning as I go but I do know what I like. I get at least 2 infusions from the Blacks that I have tried and the greens. I find that as I try different Puers, the number of infusions can be increased well beyond. (Though 6 is the most I have done).

I think the answer is to experiment and learn what works best for you. Since taste is so subjective, you will know quickly what varieties lend themselves to multiple infusions and how they evolve. This is what has hooked me; the experience and satisfaction a tea gives.

-Scott

[sporkubus]

So I have a question... do you steep your tea again immediately after? Or is it okay to leave the tea for a few hours or a day and steep the same leaves again then?

[Victoria]

It's ok to leave them.


By the way - when I say "English Style" I usually mean in a larger pot, which then you refill your cup from. I brew this way often, in my 16oz glass pot. It makes it easy to take the tea away on a tray and move it other areas of the house or outside. Also convenient many times at work, when I can't focus on brewing.

I always get two good brews - even English Style.

[silverneedles]

i usually resteep soon
if you do leave them, the hot water in & on the leaves will continue to infuse.
After a couple hours of laying around some tea leaf reinfused tastes different to me.

[shardy53]

I do two cups at a time English style and do a second infusion immediatly afterward and mix both batches together in a 32oz stainless thermos. It works great everytime.

Steve