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In my foil pack that was almost empty, it looked like 1 1/2 times the amount of Foushoushan leaves that I have been using in a glass gaiwan remained. I decided to use it all. The brew was not ideal. When the leaves were fully expanded, I could see that they were about double my usual. So, I divided the wet leaves into 2 gaiwans to return to perfect results. Not a big deal, not a moment of genius. I am trying to laugh instead of feeling stupid. This is the only time I thought to do this with too many leaves. In the past I had kept preparing tea with the excess, trying to steep quicker or after pouring the brew into a cup adding water into the cup.

I wonder how many of us somehow never thought of simple sensible solutions..... Cheers

Sometimes happens to me to miscalculate, teapot is bursting with leaves. Half-way in the session I simply take out leaves until the remaining can breathe.
No big loss either, as the ones close to the opening will have already have lost more flavour compared to the ones further in.

i've never split one session in two, but i'll keep that one in my back pocket

Bok wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:19 pm

....... ones close to the opening will have already have lost more flavour compared to the ones further in.

I did not know nor think about leaves losing flavor at different rates within a teapot or other teaware. This would make some habits sensible, such as stirring leaves steeping in a bowl; and, moving leaves around between infusions in a gaiwan (which I do sometimes when I feel like removing stems). By"opening" do you mean the spout or the top by the lid?

Top by the lid

Sometimes I shift tea to a larger pot.....and sometimes I take some leaves and set them in a larger cup with cool water to enjoy a cool-brewed 'finish' to my session.

I was stuck with 8g of oolong for a 120ml gaiwan so I decided to go ahead and do 4g and 4g instead of forcing the entire 8.

I had such a moment last summer - or rather, my brother did.
I was explaining how I needed to do quicker infusions because I had put too much leaves in the pot, and he said: "why don't you take some leaves out?"
I think my brain froze for a full five seconds there.