tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8825055425170299721.post1182825193827479330..comments2024-03-20T16:34:04.414-04:00Comments on Alex Zorach's Tea Blog: Do you infuse black tea only once?Alex Zorachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08335878680429494039noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8825055425170299721.post-83659849081441304212010-12-29T14:12:13.132-05:002010-12-29T14:12:13.132-05:00Rishi Tea has a Hong Yue from Taiwan that stands u...Rishi Tea has a Hong Yue from Taiwan that stands up to 8-10 steepings. I was never much of a black tea fan but this tea is great!Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18170686880666176626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8825055425170299721.post-39831137620356113222010-12-20T16:52:32.007-05:002010-12-20T16:52:32.007-05:00For me it usually comes down to leaf size and the ...For me it usually comes down to leaf size and the amount used. <br /><br />I will typically steep my Darjeelings twice, knowing that my second cup will probably be worse than the first. <br /><br />Long-leaf Chinese blacks, such as Golden Yunnan are, in my opinion, ideal candidates for gong-fu style brewing. My current favorite example is a 2009 Sun Moon Lake black tea from Taiwan (of which I am almost completely out :( That tea usually yields at least 5 great infusions.Bretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07391009406909467410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8825055425170299721.post-81832508826122956402010-12-20T12:02:35.260-05:002010-12-20T12:02:35.260-05:00That makes sense...and it would be a matter of per...That makes sense...and it would be a matter of personal taste because different people like different aspects of a tea.<br /><br />Usually if a tea is becoming weaker with each infusion and I don't like that, it's easily remedied by using longer infusions until there's just nothing left.<br /><br />One problem I have with black teas, however, is that some of them become astringent if you use this approach. I find this is often true even of lighter Darjeelings which I would not describe as tannic...there can be a sort of muted astringency if you let a cup steep a long time. I also find that many of the fruity and floral tones (which, in some teas, is what I like the most) depart after the first infusion. And unlike green and oolongs, I find that it is rare that new qualities emerge in later steepings. For example, I find greener oolongs often acquire a very pleasing herbaceous quality, which I sometimes describe as tasting like celery or parsley, on later steepings.Alex Zorachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08335878680429494039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8825055425170299721.post-51821931203618149542010-12-20T11:19:05.980-05:002010-12-20T11:19:05.980-05:00Golden Bi Luo can withstand many steepings, about ...Golden Bi Luo can withstand many steepings, about 6-8. However, I find that wit black teas, the taste profile doesn't change much from steeping to steeping, rather, the taste weakens with each subsequent steeping. Kind of related, I've been getting a lot of questions about teas (after purchase) asking how many times they can steep a tea they've bought. My answer is the same each time, keep steeping until you no longer enjoy the taste.Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395159969981514279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8825055425170299721.post-72768882456255847632010-12-20T11:16:16.709-05:002010-12-20T11:16:16.709-05:00That's fascinating; maybe something about it b...That's fascinating; maybe something about it being hand made? I have never tried any Georgian tea, in fact, I haven't even seen any for sale to list on RateTea.net, but I bet I could find it if I sought some out.Alex Zorachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08335878680429494039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8825055425170299721.post-91059917758682244582010-12-20T11:14:43.827-05:002010-12-20T11:14:43.827-05:00I don't know why but Georgian hand made black ...I don't know why but Georgian hand made black teas infuse well up to 3 or 4 steeps.nigelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11499563802830072418noreply@blogger.com