lewis perin

Prof Wonmug <wonmug@e.mcc> writes:

I'm not sure what "too strong" would mean if the liquor is neither too
bitter nor too astringent.


Not for me, at least. Last week I made some Assam that was too harsh
for me in 15 seconds. Too much leaf.

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

prof wonmug

Maybe I am looking for a difference that doesn't exist.

I have done tests where I brewed a tea at a low strength (<1g/cup) for
a long time (>5 min) and got a cup that seemed to me to be both weak
and bitter.

On the other hand, in trying some suggestions here for much more leaf
(3-5g/cup) for short times (10-30 seconds), I've gotten a cup that did
not have any of that biting bitterness, but was too strong.

Unless I'm way off base, I think I can detect the different when it's
extreme. The problem is when I brew something at medium strength for
medium time. If it's off, I can't always tell whether I should reduce
the amoubnt of leaf or the time.

I think I can detect astringency.


By "harsh" do you mean "bitter"?

dominic t.

The basic steps, of approx. 1tsp of leaf to about 6oz. of water is
where to start almost always when unfamiliar. Then change time and
water temp to adjust. For a black tea go with boil or just off boil
water, start at 15 seconds. Go to 30, 45, etc. until you hit the sweet
spot for you.

There is no magic to this all, I think you are making it more
difficult than it needs to be... and some teas just will never be for
you. Assams are usually drunk with milk and or sugar/honey... if you
aren't up for that, then move to a new tea.

- Dominic

lewis perin

Prof Wonmug <wonmug@e.mcc> writes:

Both, in this case

/Lew
---
Lew Perin / perin@acm.org
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html
recent addition: chayun

lewis perin

"Dominic T." <dominictiberio@gmail.com> writes:

Sorry, but I really don't think it's this simple. One teaspoon of CTC
tea, which is extremely dense, is a *lot*. One teaspoon of a fluffy
whole leaf tea that hasn't been twisted or rolled, like some
leaf-and-a-bud white teas, can be barely enough to scent the water
it's steeped in. If you want a default starting place, the weight of
the leaves, not their volume, is what you need.

It's true that, with experience, a scale may not be necessary, but
only if you've become practiced at eyeballing the approximate weight
of the leaves you have in front of you no matter how they've been
manufactured.

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

space cowboy

I think too much leaf means strong. I thing too much time means
bitter. One of the taste sensations is bitter. Try some Bakers
chocolate. I encounter bitter almost daily in Chinese greens. I
simply judge bitter by the tongue, throat, stomach. Ive had Samovar
tea that was cooked for hours that was strong and not bitter even when
diluted. Im on my last sips of a multiple infusion of Darjeeling
which causes my eyes to squint. It is not bitter or strong but more
like a chalky taste. I think tea taste is so sufficiently complex it
can only be appreciated and not analyzed. The Indians dont mess
around with Assam. They drink it as Chai. If you want to play around
with strong and bitter buy some British blends.

Jim

dominic t.

Believe me I understand what you are saying, but I think the 1
teaspoon number is a good starting point still. I understand it varies
by leaf, but the average teabag contains about 2g of tea in it...
which is about a teaspoon for most unscientific reasonings. I see
people use 6g or more sometimes in brewing a cup of tea, I rarely see
someone brewing with too little such as only 1g or less. So the
concept of 1 teaspoon is valid... maybe not actually getting out a
teaspoon and measuring but the idea itself - even if he did actually
use a teaspoon in this case, I think he'd be OK. There has to be a
base to begin experimenting with. Once he tries 1 teaspoon and boiling
or near boil water and progresses through the 15 seconds up to a
minute or so brewings, I'd imagine one cup will stand out as the
"best". If it happens to be that none do or if it is that first 15
second steep cup, then I would say to halve the amount of leaf and go
through the steeps again.

The point I was trying to get at is that each tea requires a free-form
approach. The concept of a baseline of 1 tsp of leaf to 6 oz. water
and varying time upwards, is sound IMO... it's not the end, it is a
baseline to start. Once you dial in the baseline, then you have
somewhere to experiment from.

- Dominic

peter roozemaal

One thing to try is diluting the brewed tea with hot water. If the tea
is too strong you'll make two cups of good tea from one strong one.
The Russians make tea by diluting a concentrate (lots of leaves in a bit
of water) with hot water from a samovar.

Some teas have a natural bitterness, because some tea-drinkers prefer a
somewhat bitter cup. If you don't like it, pick another tea.

peter roozemaal

I tried a Ceylon a few months ago and while it was possible to brew
acceptable pots of tea, it was pale in comparison with a Yunnan or
Keemun. (You can't extract from the leaves what is not there.) I usually
have better experiences with Assams producing a malty or "tobaccoish" brew.

Being aware of what you're eating and drinking and discussing it makes
you grow. And there is a natural tendency to prefer less sweet foods
when you grow older.

prof wonmug

That's for sure. When I was a kid, we used to pour so much sugar on
our Cheerios, that there would be a sugary sludge in the bottom of the
bowl that we would drink at the end. That was the best part. It makes
me gag just to think about it now. ;-)

This was before sweetened cereals, but I bet we would have added sugar
to sweetened cereals, too.