John F wrote:
> How popular is it to discard the first brew ?
> Should it be a full steeping or can it be a quick 1-2 min "wash"?

It depends. I personally will drink the first brew for the most part,
except when using my Yixing teapots. Some teas simply need a "wash" or
a quick steam even to soften them and begin to let them unfurl before
brewing. I personally do not believe in "right" or "wrong" with tea, it
is all a matter of personal taste. I'm not a big "rules" guy, I don't
have a thermometer for my water temps... I just go by experience and my
personal taste. BUT. I also have studied tea and at least know what is
considered "right" so I'm not just blindly guessing either.

You will learn over time what produces the best results, that's half
the fun. Just enjoy it and don't worry about what is right and wrong.
Get some pointers online or in books and go from there.

I really enjoyed "The Book of Tea" by Okakura. It is like $4 and will
give you a great background and appreciation for tea and the ceremony
surrounding it. Also if you search the net you will find many sites
covering brewing for each particular type of tea.