eor1122 wrote: My question (and forgive me if I should be asking someplace else) would a second infusion (well I guess it would really be a third) infusion also be decaffeinated or would you have to do the thirty second infusion, discard and do a 'full' infusion.
Each time you infuse the leaves, they have a little less caffeine in them, so the next infusion will be less potent. It's always a step down each time, but it takes a long time to get close to zero, and by then the tea is probably too weak to drink.
Carnelian wrote: I've actually pondered that question myself, but have no experience that I can use to answer it.
There is some discussion of this tired and tiring old issue
HERE. The shortest, simple rule-or-thumb I have found so far is that 3 minutes in boiling water will reduce the caffeine content by half. In other words, flavor and caffeine go pretty much hand-in-hand.
Chip (I think) has a sensible, compromise system. He does some infusions of whatever tea, and saves the last one or two until just before bed. While these undoubtedly still have
some caffeine, it is much less.
But basically, you can not make truly decaffeinated tea at home.