I just read Helen Gustafson's Users Guide to Green Tea and she recommends 1 TSP steeped for 2-3 minutes. I have tried both using a tea ball and letting the tea stay loose and the bottom of the mug, and in both instances after 3 minutes the liquor is practically clear. I find I need about 5-6 minutes.
I use water heated to the "fish eyes"/160F-185F stage and give the leaves (or ball) a couple jousts at the 1 minute steep mark, to no real avail: the tea still barely tastes like green tea. After 5 minutes, it's better.
Do others find that the 1 tsp/2-3 steep combination to be unsatisfactory? Any suggestions?
I'm using good organic tea that I'm buying at a local tea house, so I don't think it's from the quality of tea.
Feb 11th, '09, 17:25
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Feb 11th, '09, 19:25
Posts: 508
Joined: Apr 1st, '08, 12:43
Location: united states IL.
Contact:
silvermage2000
1 tsp of tea (about 3 grams) for every 6 oz of water at 80C/175F for 3 minutes is a pretty typical starting point for Chinese green tea. Remember to prewarm your teaware. If that's not producing adequately extracted tea, it may be stale or you may have an atypical type of tea. Try more leaf instead of longer brewing times - Japanese greens, for example, prefer it that way.
Chip's rule of thumb is a good one.
Chip's rule of thumb is a good one.
With sencha I use the rule of Tong that goes 60, 20, 45, 1.20, 2.20, this should be modified acording to the qulity and release time of your tea, but when it comes to glass brewing, that is like using the remote for your cable tv, nobody will teach you, you should figure it out on your own and do it your way, nobody will teach because it is too easy. Watch it, smell it, taste it (make love to it).
Thanks all
Thanks all. I am using an 8oz cup and have tried with both a Chinese Tai Mu San, Dragon Well and a decaf Sencha with similar results.
I still find it curious that two tea masters (Gustafson and Mike Harney of Harney and Sons) both state in their books the 1 tsp/8 oz ratio if the consensus of commenters is that you need something stronger.
I still find it curious that two tea masters (Gustafson and Mike Harney of Harney and Sons) both state in their books the 1 tsp/8 oz ratio if the consensus of commenters is that you need something stronger.
It's just that "1 teaspoon" is a nebulous measurement that really means something more like "1 serving".
It's not the greatest choice of words (even "1 spoon" would be better), but the only generally applicable way of measuring is by weight; it's a common guideline because "1 teaspoon" is a lot more user friendly than "pull out the scale..."
It's not the greatest choice of words (even "1 spoon" would be better), but the only generally applicable way of measuring is by weight; it's a common guideline because "1 teaspoon" is a lot more user friendly than "pull out the scale..."
and it depends a lot on the kind of green tea.. from my experience chinese greens can be steeped longer than japanese ones without getting undrincable (had this talk in anothor thread, tried it, it works 
). for instance i'm brewin my sencha ariake for 1.30 minutes, if i leave it for 2.30 it's bitter and at 3 it's practically undrinkable. with long jing i went even up to 5 minutes and it was still ok. it also depends on the water temperature, the cooler the water, the more time you need.
). for instance i'm brewin my sencha ariake for 1.30 minutes, if i leave it for 2.30 it's bitter and at 3 it's practically undrinkable. with long jing i went even up to 5 minutes and it was still ok. it also depends on the water temperature, the cooler the water, the more time you need.Mea culpa
Ouch. I just checked the measuring spoon that I've been using and it's a 1/2 teaspoon, so there lies the dissonance. I made a cup of Dragonwell that after two minutes had a deep liquor and quite a kick compared to my earlier (mis)adventures.
Thanks also ctx and raveme for your comments.
Thanks also ctx and raveme for your comments.
Feb 16th, '09, 16:16
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
I am thinking this is "fukamushi?" Regular sencha that is less steamed will generally require more time, 60-90 seconds for most and even up to 120 for others.Topmounter wrote:I have some Sencha from Dens and it suggests a 30s first steep which seems to be plenty... the second steep is still pretty good at 2m or so.
Additionally if I can make a recommendation? Try a short second steep of 10-30 seconds increasing the temp to 172-176*. Increase time and temp with each additional steep.
2 minutes seems pretty long for a second steep.
blah blah blah SENCHA blah blah blah!!!
Chip wrote:I am thinking this is "fukamushi?" Regular sencha that is less steamed will generally require more time, 60-90 seconds for most and even up to 120 for others.Topmounter wrote:I have some Sencha from Dens and it suggests a 30s first steep which seems to be plenty... the second steep is still pretty good at 2m or so.
Additionally if I can make a recommendation? Try a short second steep of 10-30 seconds increasing the temp to 172-176*. Increase time and temp with each additional steep.
2 minutes seems pretty long for a second steep.
You are correct sir, Fukamushi
I'll give that a shot. I'm still trying to "get used to" this tea. I don't know if it is the caffeine content or something else, this tea seems to wind me up, but not like drinking coffee.