On Tue, 06 Jun 2006 08:07:50 +0100, danube > wrote:

>On Mon, 05 Jun 2006 17:28:17 -0700, LurfysMa wrote:
>
>> Is it true that a batch of tea leaves can be reused (re-steeped) at least
>> once?
>>
>> I use a Chatsford teapot. I put the loose leaves in, add boiling water,
>> set the timer, then pour it through a strainer into a cup or thermos.
>>
>> To make a second steep, can I just dump the leaves back into the pot and
>> go again? I just tried that with a batch of Earl Grey. The second steep
>> was slightly weaker than the first, but still fairly good.
>>
>> Is the second steep the same time as the first? Perhaps I should have
>> steeped it a bit longer the second time.
>>
>> Is the second steep likely to be bitter? This one wasn't. It was actually
>> a bit milder on both the taste scale as well as the bitterness scale.
>> Everyone keep saying that steeping too long causes the tea to be bitter.
>> How come two 3-minutes steeps are not bitter but one 6-minute steep is?
>
>Steep once in the volume of one cup for 3 minutes, or once in the volume
>of two cups for 6 minutes.
>JB

Doh. Some scientist I am. Two separate 3-minute steeps is not
comparable to one 6-minute steep because the volume of the water is
also doubled.

Now I have to go run some tests:

Tea Water Time Result
1 tsp 1 cup 3 min My regular brew
1 tsp 1 cup 6 min Bitter?
1 tsp 2 cups 3 min Weak?
1 tsp 2 cups 6 min ???

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