How long do already-steeped leaves remain usable for more brews?
Sometimes, like today, I brew a real nice green or Darjeeling before I’m rushed out the door after only 1 or 2 infusions. I come home hours later wondering if I can continue steeping the leaves left in my gaiwan. What is the time limit to be safe? Anyone ever get sick from steeping leaves that were left for a few hours after being steeped once or twice?
Depends on the climate where you are steeping and the type of tea. Very hot and humid I would discard leaves left out after +6 hours. With certain teas, I have done multi-day steeps, without issues, but I am in Southern California, mostly dry (although not lately) and cooler climate along the coast. I haven’t had issues with two steeps and coming back a few hours later to continue, although generally I prefer to let a cool steep occur during that gap time. Oxidation of leaves occurring in open air is an issue, with degradation of flavor occurring.
A couple of threads on topic;
Time between steeps?
&
Longevity of Tea Leaves: Sustaining Multiple Steeps
A couple of threads on topic;
Time between steeps?
&
Longevity of Tea Leaves: Sustaining Multiple Steeps
Used tea leaves go bad mainly by turning moldy. How long this takes really depends on your local climate as Victoria has said above and can range from hours to days. Living in Europe and Canada, i often leave the leaves rest for several hours between steeps: 24h ok, after 48h without steep i'll probably discard it. I may go for several days like that. Some teas actually can benefit from a bit of rest, other just lose their freshness. It all depends if you enjoy the brew.
I also think it depends on what you're going to do with that next steep. A long step starting with boiling water will kill a lot of things that might have started to grow, although some toxins might be resistant. I avoid short/cooler steeps after leaves have been left out, but am pretty cavalier with a long steep starting with boiling water when the leaves haven't been out too long (e.g., 24 hrs or less and indoor temps no more than 75 degrees) and will drink a long steep that started out with boiling water being poured over the leaves before leaving them out even after 48 hours sometimes.
Your health risks may vary; if I were immunocompromised, I might be less likely to try for any later/longer steeps.
Your health risks may vary; if I were immunocompromised, I might be less likely to try for any later/longer steeps.
How long can you leave steeped leaves in a gaiwan before they are bad? I would like to rebrew some puerh that still has life in it, but can’t drink anymore tonight. Can you get sick from resteeping wet leaves the next day? Leaving them out on the table in a gaiwan?
eventually the leaves can get moldy (like after many days), and at that point i wouldn't consider re-steeping it. aside from that, you can't get sick.Guy Juan wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2019 9:42 pmHow long can you leave steeped leaves in a gaiwan before they are bad? I would like to rebrew some puerh that still has life in it, but can’t drink anymore tonight. Can you get sick from resteeping wet leaves the next day? Leaving them out on the table in a gaiwan?
i continue sheng sessions the next day all the time. sometimes i'll even pick up a session i forgot about days later.
if it smells good, brew it. if it tastes good, drink it.
greener stuff (especially actual green tea) is not suitable for next day brewing in my experience. the smell and taste change a lot and not in a good way.
Awesome thanks! I spread them out on a paper towel to help dry...is that necessary?pedant wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2019 10:21 pmeventually the leaves can get moldy (like after many days), and at that point i wouldn't consider re-steeping it. aside from that, you can't get sick.Guy Juan wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2019 9:42 pmHow long can you leave steeped leaves in a gaiwan before they are bad? I would like to rebrew some puerh that still has life in it, but can’t drink anymore tonight. Can you get sick from resteeping wet leaves the next day? Leaving them out on the table in a gaiwan?
i continue sheng sessions the next day all the time. sometimes i'll even pick up a session i forgot about days later.
if it smells good, brew it. if it tastes good, drink it.
greener stuff (especially actual green tea) is not suitable for next day brewing in my experience. the smell and taste change a lot and not in a good way.
no
imo no point in drying them unless you're trying to preserve them for the long haul (to prevent mold). i've never heard of anyone doing that ofc
maybe i'd do it if they were the last tea leaves on earth, and i was interrupted mid-session and couldn't continue for a week or more
just leave them in the gaiwan with the lid on. if you leave them with lid off, they will partially dry and get plastered to the porcelain. then if you change your mind and want to dump them, it's more work to clean out the gaiwan.
edit: leaving the lid on may slightly reduce undesirable oxidation too
imo no point in drying them unless you're trying to preserve them for the long haul (to prevent mold). i've never heard of anyone doing that ofc
maybe i'd do it if they were the last tea leaves on earth, and i was interrupted mid-session and couldn't continue for a week or more
just leave them in the gaiwan with the lid on. if you leave them with lid off, they will partially dry and get plastered to the porcelain. then if you change your mind and want to dump them, it's more work to clean out the gaiwan.
edit: leaving the lid on may slightly reduce undesirable oxidation too
Hahaha...I figured it would help prevent mold overnight. I suppose bacteria and mold does not easily grow on wet tea leaves, which actually surprises me a bit. Good to know!!! This makes me very happypedant wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2019 11:05 pmno
imo no point in drying them unless you're trying to preserve them for the long haul (to prevent mold). i've never heard of anyone doing that ofc
maybe i'd do it if they were the last tea leaves on earth, and i was interrupted mid-session and couldn't continue for a week or more
just leave them in the gaiwan with the lid on. if you leave them with lid off, they will partially dry and get plastered to the porcelain. then if you change your mind and want to dump them, it's more work to clean out the gaiwan.
they grow easily on leaves, but you just had them in boiling water. this knocks down the initial microbial concentration which significantly delays the time it takes for a noticeable amount of growth to happen. just like cooking a piece of raw meat significantly delays spoilage.
Guy Juan wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2019 10:48 pmSometimes, like today, I brew a real nice green or Darjeeling before I’m rushed out the door after only 1 or 2 infusions. I come home hours later wondering if I can continue steeping the leaves left in my gaiwan. What is the time limit to be safe? Anyone ever get sick from steeping leaves that were left for a few hours after being steeped once or twice?
as pointed out by @.m., you asked this question already a couple weeks ago. i merged your two topics together, but what gives?Guy Juan wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2019 9:42 pmHow long can you leave steeped leaves in a gaiwan before they are bad? I would like to rebrew some puerh that still has life in it, but can’t drink anymore tonight. Can you get sick from resteeping wet leaves the next day? Leaving them out on the table in a gaiwan?
Researching everything all at once...I haven’t figured out how to view all of my topics and I get stuck with the search function giving odd results. I still can’t see the other thread I started so I don’t remember.pedant wrote: ↑Sun Jul 21, 2019 11:04 amGuy Juan wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2019 10:48 pmSometimes, like today, I brew a real nice green or Darjeeling before I’m rushed out the door after only 1 or 2 infusions. I come home hours later wondering if I can continue steeping the leaves left in my gaiwan. What is the time limit to be safe? Anyone ever get sick from steeping leaves that were left for a few hours after being steeped once or twice?as pointed out by .m., you asked this question already a couple weeks ago. i merged your two topics together, but what gives?Guy Juan wrote: ↑Sat Jul 20, 2019 9:42 pmHow long can you leave steeped leaves in a gaiwan before they are bad? I would like to rebrew some puerh that still has life in it, but can’t drink anymore tonight. Can you get sick from resteeping wet leaves the next day? Leaving them out on the table in a gaiwan?
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