Infusion Guide

Infusion Guide (edited, from https://secure.worldsourceintl.com/infusion.htm)

We suggest starting with these guidelines and then altering them to meet your individual taste. It stands to reason that the longer the infusion time, the “stronger” the broth. We recommend starting on the lower side of the suggested steep times. We find that shorter steep times allow the tea drinker to “feel” the flavor of the tea, and then begin to experiment and evaluate the way the tea responds to longer infusion times. We do suggest becoming familiar with the desired color levels of the teas. Making teas too “strong” on initial infusions unduly depletes the tea of additional future pours, and often results in tea with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Our usual tendency is to think that more is better, so the stronger we make the tea the better. We urge you to discard that concept, to err on the weaker rather than the stronger side, and to “feel” the flavor of the tea. As you increase your infusion time gradually, you will find the best result for you.

Tea Category Amount of Tea per Cup Vessel Water Temperature Infusion Time 1st Pour Desired Color Infusion Time Additional Pours Number of Pours Un-Oxidized White & Green 1 tsp (2-3 gr) per 6 to 8 oz cup -Zhong Guo Cha Infuser -Glass tea pot -Pyrex glass -Gai Wan (bowl with cover) 160 – 170 deg F 1 – 2 minutes Pale Yellow ½ to 1 minute 4 - 6 Partially-Oxidized Oolong 1 tsp (2-3 gr) per 6 to 8 oz cup -Zhong Guo Cha Infuser -Gai Wan (bowl with cover)  -Tea pot 180 – 190 deg F 2 minutes Golden to Light Amber 1 to 2 minutes 6 - 8 Fully-Oxidized Black & Pu’er 1 tsp (2-3 gr) per 6 to 8 oz cup -Zhong Guo Cha Infuser -Gai Wan (bowl with cover)  - Tea pot 205 deg F 2 minutes Light to Dark Amber 1 to 3 minutes 6 - 8 Tea Blends & Herbal Infusions 1 rounded tsp (3-4 gr) per 6 to 8 oz cup -Zhong Guo Cha Infuser -Glass tea pot  -Pyrex glass -Gai Wan (bowl with cover) 185 deg F 2-3 minutes Pale Yellow to Dark Golden 1 to 3 minutes 4 - 6

Your water should be free of added chemicals. If you drink spring or well water straight from your tap, and you water has been tested and approved, you should be able to use your water for making your tea with excellent results. If however your water is “city” water, or includes any chemical additives, we suggest you use bottled, filtered, or freshly distilled water. If you are using bottled water, it should be high quality water. Read the label to determine where the water actually comes from, and be sure you are satisfied with the origin and the quality. There are many types of vessels used for infusing tea. Most teas can be infused in a variety of vessels. We recommend following the traditional and most common vessel for each of the tea types we offer. The three most common and traditional vessels are the teapot (many varieties), the Gai Wan (small bowl with cover), or the heat resistant (Pyrex) glass. An important part of the tea experience is the appreciation we experience when infusing and sharing the tea with others. Enjoying the aroma, the visual qualities of the tea leaves and the liquor helps us reflect on the importance of each moment of life. This aspect of the tea experience cannot be understated in the pleasure tea can bring to us. Today’s world does not always allow us the time to fully derive the complete pleasure that tea infusion can bring to us.  Temperature is not just important, but critical, especially with the whites and the greens. White and green teas are rushed from the tea gardens to the processing factories so that heat can be applied to stop the enzyme action as soon as possible. To protect the beneficial polyphenols in the tea, care must be taken not to use water that has been heated beyond 170 degrees F.  When beginning infusion in China, the first step is always a rinse of the leaves. The first pour immerses the leaves in the water for a short period of time. We recommend 10-15 seconds for this first “rinse”. The rinse water in China is used to then wash (rinse) the tea cups and serving utensils that will be used during the serving of the tea . During the rinse, the tea leaves “soften”, are cleansed of any surface contaminants, and become conditioned to absorb the first infusion. We recommend the first infusion being slightly longer than the second. After the second, the infusion time can be gradually increased as the number of infusions rise. Eventually, the color of the liquor will begin to diminish which indicates the tea leaves are exhausted of their precious oils and ingredients.

These post are just a beginning, and I hope I, and others, will add more to them eventually.