Wednesday TeaDay 9/09/09 Resteep decision?

[Chip]

Where will you be (or were you) today at 09/09/09 @ 09:09:09 (AM)?

Greetings everyone and welcome to a great TeaDay! Please do drop in and share what is in your cup today.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. If you resteep your tea, how do you decide when to stop resteeping the same leaves? Please share your trade secrets.

I am looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up.

FYI, Hagi Special Offer #4 hits the forum tonight at 10 PM Eastern USA time! It is HOT!

[Salsero]

Cool, three votes in one poll!

[Maitre_Tea]

I think intuition is my overarching "guiding" voice when it comes to brewing tea. I like to smell the tea leaves, because the aroma they give off is a greater indication of quality, IMO. In the past I've steeped X times all the time, because most teas I used to drink tended to putter out by that point. Now that I've been drinking more premium stuff, I've been more fascinated by later infusions.

Didn't have any tea today, since I spent 3 hours in Imen's shop sampling a wide range of different teas. BTW, her '78 DC would be good for all the Pu drinkers out there...it has incredible durability (30+ steepings according to her), some flavors reminiscent of Pu, and just plain awesomeness. It felt like I was drinking very nourishing chicken broth...without the chicken.

[olivierco]

Where will you be (or were you) today at 09/09/09 @ 09:09:09 (AM)?

I was on my way back from the bakery

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. If you resteep your tea, how do you decide when to stop resteeping the same leaves?

I usually go for 3 steeps with sencha, Chinese greens and blacks, 4 or more with gyokuro depending on the strength of the steep.

FYI, Hagi Special Offer #4 hits the forum tonight at 10 PM Eastern USA time!

That will be 4 AM for me. I don't think I like Hagi enough to wake up so early.

Yunnan gold this morning.

[Trey Winston]

At 09:09:09 on 09.09.09 I was in my car, having returned a new Volkswagen Polo to the dealer. Didn't cross my mind that it was a special occasion that will not happen again in my lifetime. I'll be more temporally aware at 10:10:10 on 10.10.10.

As for resteeping, I stop when I genuinely can't taste the tea. Making that distinction can be a challenge with whites.

[Drax]

At the specified time, I'll be at work, probably finishing up a summary report.

I usually stop brewing tea when it starts tasting too weak (or too caustic), when it's time to go to bed, or even if I've just had enough of it.

This morning I've just started out with American Hao 0903. It has a very mild and sweet flavor in this first cup. I was not expecting the smoothness of it... and yet it has a lingering power to it. Mmmmm.

[brlarson]

Still on vacation, so I might be on a hawk watch at 9:09:09 (saw marbled godwit and whimbrel yesterday).

I look and sniff but mainly re-steep for as long as the liquor has flavor. Most of my teas yield three or four steeps. Teas with more steeps get brewed in smaller batches and only when I have the time to finish them in a day.

Kaboku is today's breakfast tea.

[CynTEAa]

Chose look at the leaf, smell the leaf and when the tea weakens.

Although, often there is too much going on to get to a 3rd steep.

Yunnan Gold to kick start the day. Still catching up from vacation. Wish me luck!

[Victoria]

Hey Cyn, good luck!! I know how that goes. Keep the tea flowing!

I re-steep till it tastes weak, or till I run out of time. With black teas I just re-steep once. By then, I'm ready for an oolong.

In my cup this morning ARRG ... The Black Pearl ... ARRG.

I will be here at 09-09-09 09:09 of course!

[brad4419]

On 09/09/09 at around 9:09 I was making some da yu ling oolong and mmmm was it delicious.

Mainly I infuse until it tastes weak, past experience and till I get bored with it.

first time with da yu ling this morning. All I can say is wow, its floral,sweet but not overwhelmingly floral which is good for me.

[depravitea]

I re-steep almost everything. I do this until it tastes weak, which can sometimes be deceptive, a tea with no taste can still have a nice smell.

This morning, another Hong Kong Milk Tea.
I need to stop.
Maybe I should seek out a Hong Kong Milk Tea support group.


Oh, and it's still 7:52 here. No apocalypse yet.

[geeber1]

I will probably be in a meeting at 9:09:09. Good times!

Hunan Black this morning, after two tea-free days. Yay tea!

[Victoria]

09/09/09 - 09:09

It's all about the TEA!!

[CynTEAa]

Hey Cyn, good luck!! I know how that goes. Keep the tea flowing!

Thanks so much!

In my cup this morning ARRG ... The Black Pearl ... ARRG.

Yarrrrrr! hehe!

[depravitea]

Yutaka Midori has helped me kick my Hong Kong Milk Tea habit... at least for now...

At 9:09:09am on 9/9/09 I was on here