I've had good results with this approach for shou and liubao. I heard it is also a good idea for aged oolong.
Any thoughts?
Keeping lid on between steeps
I only take my lid off for light styles of high mountain tea, but that just reflects my usual drinking preferences.
Keeping the lid on can help for old puer and similar teas that are heavily-compressed or which need to 'wake up' - a short rinse with a long pause before the first brew can create a different result as compared to short rinse and short pause, or long rinse and short pause.
In contrast, I try to drink yancha quickly, before the pot cools down or the leaves spend too long between steeps, so I haven't experimented much in that area. And I haven't experimented with aged wulong much either, but perhaps it would depend upon whether the leaves have been kept 'dry' or have been re-roasted.
Andrew
Keeping the lid on can help for old puer and similar teas that are heavily-compressed or which need to 'wake up' - a short rinse with a long pause before the first brew can create a different result as compared to short rinse and short pause, or long rinse and short pause.
In contrast, I try to drink yancha quickly, before the pot cools down or the leaves spend too long between steeps, so I haven't experimented much in that area. And I haven't experimented with aged wulong much either, but perhaps it would depend upon whether the leaves have been kept 'dry' or have been re-roasted.
Andrew
As a gentleman, I always keep my hat on, unless inside or at the dinner table.
That aside, I brew fast and focus on the tea and do not tend to make pauses, or get distracted by conversation, so lid on-lid off happens in fast succession. Some people, get distracted while making tea and might need the approach of lid off for certain teas, although I find that good quality teas across the board do not need this...
That aside, I brew fast and focus on the tea and do not tend to make pauses, or get distracted by conversation, so lid on-lid off happens in fast succession. Some people, get distracted while making tea and might need the approach of lid off for certain teas, although I find that good quality teas across the board do not need this...
The lid stays on for teas that are slow to open, especially these modern tightly balled teas (why are they doing this?!).
Otherwise, I usually vent the immediate steam for 20 sec or so and replace the lid to keep the pot warm. I’m not easily distracted and it is simply part of the flow. I don’t time anything, as you know @LeoFox, so it is all intuitive.
I remove or tilt the lids for delicate teas like sencha.
My goal with leaving the lid on is to encourage difficult to open tea to open. My goal with removing the lid is to prevent it from opening too quickly. Think of it like the throttle on a car. Using this method can increase consistency between steeps.
Otherwise, I usually vent the immediate steam for 20 sec or so and replace the lid to keep the pot warm. I’m not easily distracted and it is simply part of the flow. I don’t time anything, as you know @LeoFox, so it is all intuitive.
I remove or tilt the lids for delicate teas like sencha.
My goal with leaving the lid on is to encourage difficult to open tea to open. My goal with removing the lid is to prevent it from opening too quickly. Think of it like the throttle on a car. Using this method can increase consistency between steeps.
I feel as though I can’t offer much of an insight, but I always make sure to leave the lid on between steeps.
One of my favorite things is to smell the leaves before each steep, and keeping the lid on seems to concentrate the aroma inside of the brewing vessel.
Other than that, I think keeping lids on may aid in the opening of tightly balled teas like @Baisao mentioned - although I’ve never tested side by side to know for sure.
(Should be noted I pretty much exclusively use spouted vessels, so there’s always some amount of circulation regardless)
One of my favorite things is to smell the leaves before each steep, and keeping the lid on seems to concentrate the aroma inside of the brewing vessel.
Other than that, I think keeping lids on may aid in the opening of tightly balled teas like @Baisao mentioned - although I’ve never tested side by side to know for sure.
(Should be noted I pretty much exclusively use spouted vessels, so there’s always some amount of circulation regardless)
Because it doesn't kill those teas for me (because in many ways, these teas are already dead). For other teas, it starts getting bad flavors for me - invariably - doesn't matter the cost of the teas. Ruins the session.
Especially for greens and non roasted oolong. In fact, if anyone tells me they leave the lid on for greens, I will probably not drink with them or share any tea with them.
My approach is closer aligned to how baisao brews
I also keep the lid off by default, though this makes sense since I drink so many green oolongs. The few times I've forgotten to do this, the tea got spinachy and bitter. For some reason, I've extrapolated this method to black, green, and white teas, and even to my very occasional sessions with aged oolong. I don't drink shou or liubao, so can't comment on them.
I usually try to brew the first infusion at the recommended temperature and time for the specific tea I am drinking. After that, I sometimes experiment with higher or lower temperatures and shorter or longer steeping times depending upon my experience with the first steep.
I normally steep 4 -5 grams of tea leaves in a porcelain pot that holds 200 ml water. Steep times will range between 2-4 minutes depending upon the tea. Thus, my my method is somewhere between Gong Fu and Western style. If I detect too much bitterness in the first steep, I reduce the temperature and increase the steeping time for the second. If I detect no bitterness, I might increase the temperature for the second steep.
Since my pot has an infuser basket, one thing I sometimes do is pour the tea out into a GongDao Bei which reduces the temperature slightly. I then pour the tea back through the tea leaves and allow it to steep longer to extract more flavor. I realize that it is not a typical technique, but I have found that with some teas it can help extract flavor without introducing bitterness.
I normally steep 4 -5 grams of tea leaves in a porcelain pot that holds 200 ml water. Steep times will range between 2-4 minutes depending upon the tea. Thus, my my method is somewhere between Gong Fu and Western style. If I detect too much bitterness in the first steep, I reduce the temperature and increase the steeping time for the second. If I detect no bitterness, I might increase the temperature for the second steep.
Since my pot has an infuser basket, one thing I sometimes do is pour the tea out into a GongDao Bei which reduces the temperature slightly. I then pour the tea back through the tea leaves and allow it to steep longer to extract more flavor. I realize that it is not a typical technique, but I have found that with some teas it can help extract flavor without introducing bitterness.
The thread is about whether you leave the lid on or off. What do you do with the lid?RayClem wrote: ↑Mon Apr 18, 2022 12:25 pmI usually try to brew the first infusion at the recommended temperature and time for the specific tea I am drinking. After that, I sometimes experiment with higher or lower temperatures and shorter or longer steeping times depending upon my experience with the first steep.
I normally steep 4 -5 grams of tea leaves in a porcelain pot that holds 200 ml water. Steep times will range between 2-4 minutes depending upon the tea. Thus, my my method is somewhere between Gong Fu and Western style. If I detect too much bitterness in the first steep, I reduce the temperature and increase the steeping time for the second. If I detect no bitterness, I might increase the temperature for the second steep.
Since my pot has an infuser basket, one thing I sometimes do is pour the tea out into a GongDao Bei which reduces the temperature slightly. I then pour the tea back through the tea leaves and allow it to steep longer to extract more flavor. I realize that it is not a typical technique, but I have found that with some teas it can help extract flavor without introducing bitterness.
I created a habit ( probably from locals ) to take it off ( at least with first 5 - 8 steepings ) . I have a feeling, of course correct me if I'm wrong , that not letting the leaves breathe the heat and moisture out while not actually brewing them, causes the leaves still being somehow "brewed" ( sort of stewed inside ).
I believe it works ok for dark side like shu and specially for wet taste like teas like Liu Bao, where this extra stewing up will boost that wet basement taste.
But again, I'd do it in later steppings in order to get more out of the leaves when they starting to fade away.
I also think that there is no right or wrong with this. I believe that you will get different output if brewed in exactly the same conditions but one with lid On and the other Off. I think in greener teas would be more noticeable. Would be an interesting idea to do such a A/B test , preferably in neutral material like white porcelain gaiwan and testing few different teas ( from green to dark )
I believe it works ok for dark side like shu and specially for wet taste like teas like Liu Bao, where this extra stewing up will boost that wet basement taste.
But again, I'd do it in later steppings in order to get more out of the leaves when they starting to fade away.
I also think that there is no right or wrong with this. I believe that you will get different output if brewed in exactly the same conditions but one with lid On and the other Off. I think in greener teas would be more noticeable. Would be an interesting idea to do such a A/B test , preferably in neutral material like white porcelain gaiwan and testing few different teas ( from green to dark )
I most often leave the lid off or tilted open between early steeps of more delicate green/white/'green oolong' teas where I am seeking the most subtle sweetness and floral notes. But after that, or throughout with my traditional roast oolongs, balhyochas, puerhs and heichas and black teas, I leave it on.
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ChihuahuaTea
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Sorry for the basic question….Baisao wrote: ↑Mon Mar 07, 2022 1:19 amThe lid stays on for teas that are slow to open, especially these modern tightly balled teas (why are they doing this?!).
Otherwise, I usually vent the immediate steam for 20 sec or so and replace the lid to keep the pot warm. I’m not easily distracted and it is simply part of the flow. I don’t time anything, as you know LeoFox, so it is all intuitive.
I remove or tilt the lids for delicate teas like sencha.
My goal with leaving the lid on is to encourage difficult to open tea to open. My goal with removing the lid is to prevent it from opening too quickly. Think of it like the throttle on a car. Using this method can increase consistency between steeps.
But I assume this is for the teapot, between steeps?
So you transfer hot water from a kettle to a teapot, and then steep for a short period of time and transfer to a cup to drink.
So this question is for that time between when you would add hot water from the kettle to refill the teapot?
And the question is whether to keep the kid on or off during that time?
Am I following?