/15/04

> While intrepidly exploring rec.food.drink.tea, Jaime rolled
> initiative and posted the following:
>
>>
>> I have taken to drinking Red Rose Green Tea. I bought a box of
>> it a few months ago, transferred the tea bags to a canister but
>> it sat in my kitchen cupboards untouched. I just brewed a cup
>> of it and it seems good.
>>
>> I was wondering (since I tossed the box all those months ago)
>> how long should I let it steep for and is brewing green tea
>> do-able in a teapot. I use a brown betty type pot.
>
> Loose leaf green teas typically steep for twice the time of blacks,
> e.g. 3 minutes is typical for a black tea, while 6 to 7 minutes is
> typical of greens. Green tea is also steeped at a lower
> temperature.

Derek, I steep greens seldom more than 2 minutes, even at temperatures as
low as 130 degrees (in the case of best Long Jins and Gyokuros). Once the
leaves open, even less time is required. Perhaps I'm putting in far more
leaf than you. My formula is simple enough and usually works: Half the
number of grams of dry tea as there will be ounces of wet water. More often
I brew at between 160 and 175. Most good green teas seem happy at this
range. Six or seven minutes sounds like a pretty long steep to me.
>
> I steep greens in a teapot frequently for my wife and I to consume.
> The thing is, blacks and oolongs leave behind a little in your
> teapot unless you are really scrubbing it out after each use. So I
> have a second teapot that I use just for green and white teas.

Me too. It's amazing how quickly that residue begins to become noticable.
Many people would even advise a separate Oolong pot.

I'm drinking a beautiful Wu Long I got from the Big Apple Tea House in New
York City on Howard Street just north of Canal between Broadway and
Lafayette Street. This tea is slightly astringent, very floral, very
delicate, offers a persistent and pleasing complementary aftertaste, and is
just all 'round lovely. Worth every cent. I'm a happy camper. I don't think
this tea is any more oxidized than a Bao Zhong, which makes it almost green.

Michael
Gungfuing through the morning

Michael
>