My rule of thumb is 12 hours between steeps. That's because I never
go longer than that between making a pot. My last pot in the evening
is puer which I let set overnight and brew first thing in the morning
while waking up. I never heard of tea leaves gone bad during the next
rotation of the earth. I always use boiling water so I don't care if
my pot became a petri dish overnight.

Jim

PS Stress suppresses the autoimmune system causing cancer among other
things. Nothing relaxes me more each and everytime than making a pot
of tea. Instinctual mindfulness replaces stress. Your chosen path
will vary.

Ferris92 wrote:
> Obviously many teas benefit from re-steeping (not too mention it being
> economical), but I'm curious about how and how long the leaves can be
> stored between steeps.
>
> For a decent oolong, 7 steeps is pretty average for me, but this means
> that the tea is out for at least 2 or 3 hours. Is this okay? Do
> the leaves go bad being wet and left out? Is there a limit? I
> remember reading a while ago an inconclusive study regarding oolong
> leaves that had been left out for a while and some bacteria (I
> believe) growing in them that caused cancer among mice. (I know, it
> sounds odd.) Has anyone else heard this and has anything been
> substantiated?
>
> Thanks!