Is it safe to brew a pot of green tea, drink the liquor, and let the leaves
remain in the pot for an hour or more, before the second infusion?
Presumably the (near) boiling water kills any nasties that might breed on
the wet leaves? I have done this many times, but I wonder whether there's a
hygiene risk. Regards

Tristan J Krumpacker III wrote:
> Is it safe to brew a pot of green tea, drink the liquor, and let the leaves
> remain in the pot for an hour or more, before the second infusion?
> Presumably the (near) boiling water kills any nasties that might breed on
> the wet leaves? I have done this many times, but I wonder whether there's a
> hygiene risk. Regards

If you use near-boiling water to make green tea, you're making it
wrong. Especially if it's a good Japanese green tea.

I've let Se Chung oolong leaves sit overnight and then made a cuppa
from them, using 170-175F water, to no ill effect. I'm sure you're
safe.


stePH
--
NP: Ars Nova, "Danse Macabre"

>From my food handling days in high school, my recollection that
anything above 140 will kill most pathogens. That, and I don't think
much can grown in an hour anyway

I've left stuff overnight. Prob'ly not recommended but I've done it dozens
of times. I use essentially boiling water at that point though, even if
it's green tea, just to ease my mind that any evil growing thing is dead.
I'd simply suggest that if you're going to leave wet tea leaves around you
move them away from any open windows. Maybe put a little towel over the
pot.

Mold begins after a day, not noticable until after two days.

"Tristan J Krumpacker III" > wrote in
:

Using a tea strainer or a tea ball has this one advantage over the more
classic brewing methods -- you can completely remove the tea between
infusions, and even refrigerate it overnight if you feel the need.

I've done that with TiKuanYin or some other oolongs -- drunk the first
infusion in the evening and then the next the following morning. (I suppose
you could refrigerate the whole pot if you used the classic method, but that
would seem to me a bit execessive :-) )

Ozzy

Let's make sure we recognize that airborne bacteria
will "taint" the leaves the second they are removed from
the water. And then they have a nice warm bath to grow
rapidly in (from the water in the leaves). Its the ideal
growing environment for bacteria.

I don't have any health references handy, but I'd stay away
from drinking anything where the leaves have sat for more
than an hour or so. Yes, I've made infusions from the same
leaves over 2-3 hours. But you wouldn't catch me touching
any leaves that have sat overnight.

Just my two cents.

-Gary

..

On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 02:49:28 +1300, Tristan J Krumpacker III wrote:

> Is it safe to brew a pot of green tea, drink the liquor, and let the
> leaves remain in the pot for an hour or more, before the second infusion?
> Presumably the (near) boiling water kills any nasties that might breed on
> the wet leaves? I have done this many times, but I wonder whether there's
> a hygiene risk. Regards

Just a thought: Put it in the freezer until next use. Would it work?
MLB

12/13/05


> On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 02:49:28 +1300, Tristan J Krumpacker III wrote:
>
>> Is it safe to brew a pot of green tea, drink the liquor, and let the
>> leaves remain in the pot for an hour or more, before the second infusion?
>> Presumably the (near) boiling water kills any nasties that might breed on
>> the wet leaves? I have done this many times, but I wonder whether there's
>> a hygiene risk. Regards
>
> Just a thought: Put it in the freezer until next use. Would it work?
> MLB

Anything works, but I think you would have a rather lousy tea the next time
from the thawed spent leaves. It would be better to buy cheaper but fresher
tea. Nonetheless, try it and report back to us. We never know until we try.

Michael

Doubtful, unless flash-frozen!

When anything becomes "frozen" it's usually the water content that is
frozen. Slow freezing causes "spikier" ice crystals that cut the flesh
of leaves and fruit. You'd probably get tea-mush once thawed. Probably
not very tasty. But if you try it and it works, let us know