LurfysMa > writes:

> Is it true that a batch of tea leaves can be reused (re-steeped) at
> least once?

With most teas, yes. With some, believe it or not, you might get ten
or even more good steeps.

> [...]
>
> Is the second steep the same time as the first? Perhaps I should have
> steeped it a bit longer the second time.

This varies a lot. There are some teas, like sencha, where you should
probably pour off the second steep instantly.

> 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.

Sorry to be wishy-washy once again, but teas vary a lot; some just
don't have any bitterness in them.

> How come two 3-minutes steeps are not bitter but one 6-minute steep
> is?

This is very interesting, now that you mention it. I've noticed this
often myself. Dog Ma, are you there?

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html