Pu-erh steeping

I have read many times that pu-erh can be steeped for a very long time, such as an hour or even overnight. The question is, once you wake up and have your cup, is it suggested that you reheat it or is it perfectly good at room temperature?

Reply to
RB Watts
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Funny, when I read your post I'd just had the last sip of a mug of Puerh that had reached room temperature due to my laziness. It had steeped 15 minutes before the leaves and the liquor went their separate ways. It tasted fine to me.

In my experience, it's unusual for a Puerh to get bitter by oversteeping, unless it's a green one steeped too hot.

As to overnight steeping, I'm no microbiologist, but I'm leery of what could, uh, develop. It isn't just Puerh, by the way: I haven't the courage to try that with any type of tea.

/Lew

Reply to
Lewis Perin

No doubt that Black Puerh can be steeped for very long periods of time without becoming bitter, but I have to ask "what's the point"? If you want a stronger cup use more leaves and resteep them a few times.

Digging back through my gray matter to the days when I used to manage restaurants I will quote what was constantly preached to me by the local Heath Dept. inspectors.

"The temperature zone between 40 degrees and 140 degrees promotes the rapid and progressive growth of potentially harmful bacteria" either keep it hot or keep it cold!

I would not drink a steeped beverage that sat around for extremely long periods at room temperature. This is one of the things that is frequently misunderstood in the south where they often leave sweetened tea for use in iced tea at room temp and it can actually start to ferment.

On 12 Feb 2004 14:35:09 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@transy.edu (RB Watts) cast caution to the wind and posted:

Mike Petro snipped-for-privacy@pu-erh.net

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remove the "filter" in my email address to reply

Reply to
Mike Petro

Lew,

What temp do you usually use for your green Puerh? Similar to regular green tea, say 160ish, or hotter? Do you use lower temps with all greens or just newer ones that are more astringent?

Mike

On 12 Feb 2004 18:19:15 -0500, Lewis Perin cast caution to the wind and posted:

Reply to
Mike Petro

RB snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com2/12/04

17: snipped-for-privacy@transy.edu

That is a decision for *your* mouth to make. It can be done to no ill effect -- provided this is not too early a steep and that there isn't an over abundance of leaf -- I can vouch for that. But, to get the subtlety out of the tea, overnighting is not ideal. Try it and see. (I meant, "taste".)

BTW, puerh is a gift direct from God to China, whose government in its infinite wisdom guards the secrets of its production. *Anything* you read here or anywhere regarding its production is probably bogus, especially my periodic rantings and ravings.

Dog Ma, what's that "wheel" thing you do with Ann up in Boston, and is it actually legal to do that there now?

Michael

Reply to
Michael Plant

Lewis snipped-for-privacy@panix1.panix.com2/12/04 18: snipped-for-privacy@panix.com

Recommend you all stay *out* of *my* kitchen in the early morning...although those of you who have come to know me might feel this begins to explain something.

Thank you.

Reply to
Michael Plant

I regularly steep a 3-cup pot of tea and then drink that tea over a period of days, reheating a cup at a time in the microwave. I actually think the flavor and complexity some Darjeelings improve after a few days.

I'm still on my feet, BTW.

Regards, Dean

Reply to
Dean Macinskas

175F seems to work best for me with green Puerhs. For non-Puerh greens, I find a lot of variation in best temperature, with some doing best at 140F or even lower, and some shining as high as 170F.

I haven't yet had a green Puerh that seemed to work best at a higher temperature, but I haven't given up trying. I should add that I don't think I've had a green Puerh more than 12 years old.

/Lew

Reply to
Lewis Perin

Actually, I have never tried pu-erh. Well, yet anyway. Here in college, I would bring a big thing of tea with me to class, but after a while the tea gets cold and rather unpleasant. I was wondering if there are any special taste characteristics that make pu-erh good at a low temperature.

Reply to
RB Watts

RB snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com2/13/04

12: snipped-for-privacy@transy.edu

Puerh is essentially a high temperature tea. "Green Puerh can -- perhaps should -- be brewed lower. Lew? Help us out here?

PEU (Pu-erh Evangelical Union) A little pu-erh goes a long way.

Michael

Reply to
Michael Plant

I am a RN an sometimes we use tea bags in open wounds. The tannin makes a enviroment that is not good for bacteria reproduction. But, maybe the sugar has a good enviroment to get a buss. Terry

Reply to
RN

Yes, I brew green Puerh around 175F. Mike Petro, though, seemed to imply recently that he brews it even lower: 160F.

/Lew

Reply to
Lewis Perin

I find that different green puers like different temperature water. A XiaGuan tuocha that I have releases a pleasant floral/herbal sweetness at around 160 but gets a bit edgy and loses sweetness at 170 and above. By contrast, two different Meng Hai beencha that I have brew much better in the 170-185 range. My working theory right now is that puer with bigger leaves and a smoky aroma takes higher temps than more mild smelling types.

Cameron

Reply to
Cameron Lewis

What kinds of steeping times do you use with those temps.?

Thanks.

--Tom

-oo- ""\o~

------------------------------------ "Homo sum, humani nil a me alienum puto." Terrance

Reply to
Tom

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