Oregonian Haruspex > writes:

>On 2014-10-21 14:51:11 +0000, Scott Dorsey said:
>
>> Oregonian Haruspex > wrote:
>>> On 2014-09-12 17:09:12 +0000, Scott Dorsey said:
>>>
>>>> I tried two steeps of each of four fully-withered second flush darjeelings.
>>>> None of these have the strong grassy odor that has become typical of modern
>>>> first flush darjeeling teas, they were all selected for being dark and mellow.
>>>>
>>>> I took 30g of each with 250mL of boiling water, steeped for 2.5 minutes.
>>>> I then followed the same procedure again for a second steep. Almost
>>>> certainly the second steep should have been for at least a minute longer.
>>>> This was performed single-blind.
>>>
>>> I think you'd have much better luck if your water was around 190ºF or
>>> so instead of boiling.
>>
>> The thing is, these are all fully-withered teas, very dark and much more
>> like an assam in processing than the modern almost-green darjeelings, so
>> traditionally they are done with boiling water. I suppose I could try
>> them with a slightly cooler water just to see, though. But they're not
>> oolongs like most modern darjeeling is.
>> --scott
>
>I don't know of any tea that is traditionally done with boiling water.
>Things may be different in the UK and associated nations, though.

There isnt necessarily One True Tradition for a given tea. Plenty of
people in China use boiling water for any number of oolongs. Short
steeps, of course.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://babelcarp.org