Tannic Darjeeling

Try a lesser amout of leaf, with below boiling water, for less than two minutes steeping time. The result will be weak, but you can taste fruit and nut nuances, and it shouldn't be tannic. toci

Or try lots of leaf, again with below-boiling water for *very* short steeps, starting with maybe 15 seconds and gradually increasing. If the leaves are good, you should get five steeps or more before losing interest.

/Lew

I'll try that, thanks.

AP

Cool.

Do you have a suggested steeping schedule for the multiple infusions?

AP

I've brewed Darjeelings with a large pot and also at times using Lew's method, which, I should add, to state the obvious perhaps, is revolutionary in that it applies a Chinese twist to Indian tea to excellent effect. Seldom have I been plagued with bitterness or an unpleasant degree of tannin. So, several possibilites come to mind for you: First, perhaps you need to lower the temperature from boiling because Darjeeling isn't truly red [that is, black] tea, but more toward the green side these days. Second, start with a somewhat decreased steep time and then work up until you hit the tannin target. Third, the tea you are drinking might not be high quality. Low quality leaf will go tannicy faster than higher quality sometimes.) Finally, it's not impossible that your tolerance for tannic/bitter qualities is lower, and therefore Darjeeling is not your cup of tea, to coin a phrase. In the final analysis, my advice is, Don't give too quickly. (Sorry for wordiness, not to mention redundancy if all this has been said.)

Michael

I am also very sensitive to the tannic/astringent characteristic,m and find it very unpleasant. A nice recent option is Darjeelings made in the old, higher-fermented ("oolong") style. I've tried quite a few now, from good estates. Some particularly nice examples in diverse styles are mentioned in two posts in this thread:

They ranged from generally very enjoyable to spectacular. Interestingly, they are also much easier to "get right" than modern, greenish DJs. I've made them in boiling and tepid water, in single big-pot infusions and gongfu style in a packed gaiwan with multiple steeps, and even at room temperature. Excellent results with all, and nil astringency.

For the more common DJ offerings, I agree with those who suggest cooler water and/or very short steeps.

-DM

Not really. These teas do vary, really. And for a particular tea, the results of each steep are a guide to what to do next. If it's getting astringent, then the next steep should be shorter; if it's getting thin, longer.

/Lew

They should be fresh and green and taste more like grass clippings than like tannins.

Try a different source, say the Upton's sampler.

--scott

About 20 years ago Darjeelings were much more like black teas and it was easy to get the typical nutty Darjeeling taste. Nowadays they are much more like green teas (with some exceptions) and I would brew them like green teas.

JB