Between Steepings?

[beforewisdom]

I've learned that the higher quality green teas can be a good value despite a higher price as you can steep the same tea leaves at 2 - 3 times.

Since green tea is perishable, what do you do with your tea leaves between steepings if you don't want another cup right away?

[entropyembrace]

Best thing to do is use a smaller pot and get all the steepings at once.

I do sometimes let the leaves sit for a few hours...I just let them rest inside the pot. But usually I´ll drink all the steepings in a row with very little time in between.

[brlarson]

Best thing to do is use a smaller pot and get all the steepings at once.

I do sometimes let the leaves sit for a few hours...I just let them rest inside the pot. But usually I´ll drink all the steepings in a row with very little time in between.

That's good advice. Some quality greens will yield 7+ infusions, so a 50 or 60ml pot might be perfect for one person. I use 100ml gaiwan or hohin to serve tea for two. My pots do seem to be shrinking with time:-)

[Chip]

Exactly, it is all about smaller steep sizes and continuing on. This also greatly reduces the amount of leaf you need or will use. Saves money and allows you to buy better and better teas.

I too will allow tea to sit in the pot, but usually well into the session, maybe 4-5 steeps in or so. I might need a break, or need to go on to another tea. I can then return to the same tea later. Ideally only a few hours later

[beforewisdom]

What does pot size have to do with multiple steepings of the same tea leaves?

[entropyembrace]

What does pot size have to do with multiple steepings of the same tea leaves?

so you can drink more multiple steeps in a row

[Chip]

... and the speed you drink those steepings.

And the sheer amount of liquid.

[beforewisdom]

What does pot size have to do with multiple steepings of the same tea leaves?

so you can drink more multiple steeps in a row

Okay, you like to use one teaspoon of green tea leaves to one cup ( 8 fluid ounces) of water.

Since it is high quality, you can reuse those leaves 3 times to make 3 cups of tea in total

Are you saying that you can get the same results using that one teaspoon, but with 3 cups of water, at once, to get all 3 cups of tea at once?

If so, wouldn't you want a larger tea pot rather than a smaller one?

[entropyembrace]

What does pot size have to do with multiple steepings of the same tea leaves?

so you can drink more multiple steeps in a row

Okay, you like to use one teaspoon of green tea leaves to one cup ( 8 fluid ounces) of water.

Since it is high quality, you can reuse those leaves 3 times to make 3 cups of tea in total

Are you saying that you can get the same results using that one teaspoon, but with 3 cups of water, at once, to get all 3 cups of tea at once?

If so, wouldn't you want a larger tea pot rather than a smaller one?

No, I mean you brew a single infusion of tea normally, drink that, refill your pot as soon as you finish drinking the first infusion to make the second infusion immediately after. When you finish drinking the 2nd infusion fill your pot and make the 3rd infusion right away and drink that too and so on until the leaves aren´t giving anymore flavour. The leaves stay inside the pot the whole time.

Obviously using a smaller pot you´ll be able to go through more infusions before you´ve reached your limit to how much you can drink in one session.

[beforewisdom]

I guess I don't get what the size of the pot has to do with it.

You can just use the same size pot, just with less water and tea inside to make the same amount of tea 3 times.

[beforewisdom]

If you let the leaves sit around for a while between steepings, will the higher quality green tea leaves still make green, green tea, or the golden green tea?

[Chip]

Eventually as you use less and less water, the pot will become too big. With greens, you can get away with steeps that use less of a pot than oolong and other teas.

I try to use at least half the pot for greens. So, if I am brewing 5 ounces, I often use a 7 ounce kyusu for Japanese greens.

As far as brew color, I don't think there is a universal answer. (are you talking about Japanese greens, which have greener brews than say Chinese?) Trial and error. The change in color is likely due to oxidation. I would expect degradation in color and steep quality the longer you wait between steeps.

Also, going from steep to steep, the color will change, become less green and more yellowish.

[skilfautdire]

It is possible to use a large (standard ?) teapot with only a small amount of leaves and water but, lots of steam and heat will go into the empty space of the teapot and the tea won't be as good as brewed in a smaller teapot where everything is tight. Still possible though and if you like good quality green tea brewed in a readily available large teapot, then you could look for a smaller one, approx. perhaps 250 ml, like a Japanese kyusu and you'll probably see the difference in taste. Smaller teapots and tea steeping devices also exists, although a kyusu is quite handy for all kinds of teas.

[brlarson]

An appropriately sized pot gives you more control of the ratio of leaf to water just as a scale gives more control than a spoon when you measure the leaf. These can help you achieve consistent results when you brew your favorite tea.

And you can use pot size to help achieve budgetary goals or to reduce waste. You might find that your perfect serving of tea is 5 ounces. If you use a 180ml pot and fill it most of the way you can produce a number of perfectly sized cups whenever you want tea and you might spend only 2 ½ or 3 grams of leaf per session. Good leaf can be expensive, so finding ways to increase your enjoyment while managing your costs might be useful to you.

Not all green teas use a leaf to water ratio of 1 teaspoon -- conventionally assumed to hold 3.5 grams -- to eight ounces of water. The leaf to water ratio usually rises with the quality of the leaf. Many of the sencha that I drink taste delicious with a leaf:water ratio of 5:4, so I use 4 grams of leaf with 100ml of water (in a 100ml hohin) and generally get 5 infusions. Spending 4 grams of leaf for a pleasant afternoon drinking good sencha is satisfying and is within my budget.

One last thing is that small pots make it easier and less costly to experiment with new teas.

[rdl]

I guess I don't get what the size of the pot has to do with it.

You can just use the same size pot, just with less water and tea inside to make the same amount of tea 3 times.

beforewisdom,
in practice you can do whatever you find suits you best (this may or may not get the best out of the tea leaf but drinking tea the way you enjoy it with the willingness to experiment will lead you to "your" best results). what you're asking, about teapot size and adding the quantity of water for three steepings all at once, yes, this is fine. but with the better senchas, if you do this what you loose is the difference in taste each steeping gives to the tea leaves. as the taste changes with multiple steepings, different qualities of the leaf reveal themselves.
i have also noticed that however you brew tea, the longer it sits having been steeped once, it takes on a bitterness over time. so if you wait too long it's have to reverse this. also, and i cannot explain this with proof, i find it looses it's freshness, and i notice a flatness. this is just my experince, as i have left tea for later steeping and never feel satisfied with it.