Steeping Green and White tea

[Peter Brooks]

I have been using Green Tea to make an infusing for some months now. I
put two green tea bags into 2 litres of water and leave in the 'fridge
overnight. You get a rich iced tea, a deep fine colour and a
magnificent non-bitter taste.

I've now just got some white tea and I'd like to achieve the same
effect. Do I have to steep it in 80C water first before doing this, or
can I steep it in water from scratch just as with the green tea?

I've got 2g silk pouches of Sri Lankan (Ceylon of course!) Dilmah
Silver Tips white tea, by the way, in case anybody is familiar with
this particular one.

The instructions on the packet are only for brewing it hot. Of course
it may turn out that this is the only way, in which case I'll brew it
hot and then add it to my iced green tea - which should make it a good
drink to enjoy all day!

Any suggestions gratefully received.

[toci]

Post by Peter Brooks
I have been using Green Tea to make an infusing for some months now. I
put two green tea bags into 2 litres of water and leave in the 'fridge
overnight. You get a rich iced tea, a deep fine colour and a
magnificent non-bitter taste.
I've now just got some white tea and I'd like to achieve the same
effect. Do I have to steep it in 80C water first before doing this, or
can I steep it in water from scratch just as with the green tea?
I've got 2g silk pouches of Sri Lankan (Ceylon of course!) Dilmah
Silver Tips white tea, by the way, in case anybody is familiar with
this particular one.
The instructions on the packet are only for brewing it hot. Of course
it may turn out that this is the only way, in which case I'll brew it
hot and then add it to my iced green tea - which should make it a good
drink to enjoy all day!
Any suggestions gratefully received.

I believe it should work by the cold steeping method, but why not try
both ways to see which you prefer? Toci

[Peter Brooks]

Post by toci

Post by Peter Brooks
I have been using Green Tea to make an infusing for some months now. I
put two green tea bags into 2 litres of water and leave in the 'fridge
overnight. You get a rich iced tea, a deep fine colour and a
magnificent non-bitter taste.
I've now just got some white tea and I'd like to achieve the same
effect. Do I have to steep it in 80C water first before doing this, or
can I steep it in water from scratch just as with the green tea?
I've got 2g silk pouches of Sri Lankan (Ceylon of course!) Dilmah
Silver Tips white tea, by the way, in case anybody is familiar with
this particular one.
The instructions on the packet are only for brewing it hot. Of course
it may turn out that this is the only way, in which case I'll brew it
hot and then add it to my iced green tea - which should make it a good
drink to enjoy all day!
Any suggestions gratefully received.

I believe it should work by the cold steeping method, but why not try
both ways to see which you prefer?    

Thank you - I am doing that. It clearly takes longer to steep than
green tea, which usually leaves a fairly good drink after only an hour
or two.

[Lewis Perin]

Post by Peter Brooks

Post by toci

Post by Peter Brooks
I have been using Green Tea to make an infusing for some months now. I
put two green tea bags into 2 litres of water and leave in the 'fridge
overnight. You get a rich iced tea, a deep fine colour and a
magnificent non-bitter taste.
I've now just got some white tea and I'd like to achieve the same
effect. Do I have to steep it in 80C water first before doing this, or
can I steep it in water from scratch just as with the green tea?
I've got 2g silk pouches of Sri Lankan (Ceylon of course!) Dilmah
Silver Tips white tea, by the way, in case anybody is familiar with
this particular one.
The instructions on the packet are only for brewing it hot. Of course
it may turn out that this is the only way, in which case I'll brew it
hot and then add it to my iced green tea - which should make it a good
drink to enjoy all day!
Any suggestions gratefully received.

I believe it should work by the cold steeping method, but why not try
both ways to see which you prefer?    

Thank you - I am doing that. It clearly takes longer to steep than
green tea, which usually leaves a fairly good drink after only an hour
or two.

Why not try brewing it at room temperature? I often find green tea
takes only ten minutes that way.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin / ***@acm.org
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

[Scott Dorsey]

Post by Peter Brooks

Post by toci
I believe it should work by the cold steeping method, but why not try
both ways to see which you prefer? =A0 =A0

Thank you - I am doing that. It clearly takes longer to steep than
green tea, which usually leaves a fairly good drink after only an hour
or two.

When drunk hot, it tends to be made a little more weakly than typical
greens, I think. It's supposed to be subtle, and I think that subtlety
is going to be lost when icing it. But it would be interesting to try,
indeed.

Cold steeping gives you a very different result than hot steeping and
it's not always predictable.
--scott

[Peter Brooks]

Post by Scott Dorsey

Post by Peter Brooks

Post by toci
I believe it should work by the cold steeping method, but why not try
both ways to see which you prefer? =A0 =A0

Thank you - I am doing that. It clearly takes longer to steep than
green tea, which usually leaves a fairly good drink after only an hour
or two.

When drunk hot, it tends to be made a little more weakly than typical
greens, I think.  It's supposed to be subtle, and I think that subtlety
is going to be lost when icing it.  But it would be interesting to try,
indeed.
Cold steeping gives you a very different result than hot steeping and
it's not always predictable.

You're right. I've had a chance to try it now, and, for my taste, it's
a little too subtle.

However, steeping it with green tea gives a very pleasantly enhanced
experience. What I've done is have one 2g teabag of white tea along
with one of green in 2 litres of water overnight. That's about half
the strength you'd make either in hot steeping, but you drink about
twice the volume when it's cold.

I'm not sure if I'm getting everything from the leaves this way, so
I'm trying something else as well. When I've completed the steeping,
I'm putting the leaves in the freezer. When I've got a few frozen,
then I'll see what they produce from a steeping. My logic is that
freezing them will break open the cells without oxidizing the
contents, so it might be possible to produce another, maybe stronger,
maybe just different, brew.

I'll keep you posted.

[andy22]

freezing the leaves will broke the cells when they are still fresh,
and have water inside. once they are dried i don't know if the water
of being infused will be part of the cell again... in any case, the
effect will be the same after infusing or just soak the leaves until
they become soft... i think

kind regards,
bonifacio barrio hijosa
http://worldoftea.iespana.es/

Post by Peter Brooks
You're right. I've had a chance to try it now, and, for my taste, it's
a little too subtle.
However, steeping it with green tea gives a very pleasantly enhanced
experience. What I've done is have one 2g teabag of white tea along
with one of green in 2 litres of water overnight. That's about half
the strength you'd make either in hot steeping, but you drink about
twice the volume when it's cold.
I'm not sure if I'm getting everything from the leaves this way, so
I'm trying something else as well. When I've completed the steeping,
I'm putting the leaves in the freezer. When I've got a few frozen,
then I'll see what they produce from a steeping. My logic is that
freezing them will break open the cells without oxidizing the
contents, so it might be possible to produce another, maybe stronger,
maybe just different, brew.
I'll keep you posted.- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

[Peter Brooks]

Post by Peter Brooks
I'm not sure if I'm getting everything from the leaves this way, so
I'm trying something else as well. When I've completed the steeping,
I'm putting the leaves in the freezer. When I've got a few frozen,
then I'll see what they produce from a steeping. My logic is that
freezing them will break open the cells without oxidizing the
contents, so it might be possible to produce another, maybe stronger,
maybe just different, brew.

Well, I've tried this. I put two of the frozen white tea bags in to
steep and I got another brew! Not strong, but quite good enough to
enjoy. So it's a nice economical way of extending the precious stuff a
bit further.

[n***@ix.netcom.com]

In all its forms bud,leaf,mix the class of white teas is cheap and
plentiful compared to other more rare and expensive teas from China.

Jim
...talking to himself which I do occasionally...

Post by Peter Brooks
Well, I've tried this. I put two of the frozen white tea bags in to
steep and I got another brew! Not strong, but quite good enough to
enjoy. So it's a nice economical way of extending the precious stuff a
bit further.

[Peter Brooks]

Post by n***@ix.netcom.com
In all its forms bud,leaf,mix the class of white teas is cheap and
plentiful compared to other more rare and expensive teas from China.

I'm sure you can spend more on pretty well anything, but, to me, white
tea is expensive already!

The rare and expensive Chinese teas are, mainly, white teas, as far as
I can tell, or are you suggesting that some black, green or oolong
teas are more expensive than white ones?

[n***@ix.netcom.com]

Post by Peter Brooks

Post by n***@ix.netcom.com
plentiful compared to other more rare and expensive teas from China.

I'm sure you can spend more on pretty well anything, but, to me, white
tea is expensive already!
The rare and expensive Chinese teas are, mainly, white teas, as far as
I can tell, or are you suggesting that some black, green or oolong
teas are more expensive than white ones?

Yes. Tea prices are basically supply and demand especially with
Chinese. They do grade some teas and add a premium for that so you
can buy Dragonwell cheap or expensive. White tea isnt graded but
spring bud is more expensive than fall leaf. Comparatively white teas
are cheap so that is a bargain.

Jim

[Peter Brooks]

Post by n***@ix.netcom.com

Post by Peter Brooks

Post by n***@ix.netcom.com
plentiful compared to other more rare and expensive teas from China.

I'm sure you can spend more on pretty well anything, but, to me, white
tea is expensive already!
The rare and expensive Chinese teas are, mainly, white teas, as far as
I can tell, or are you suggesting that some black, green or oolong
teas are more expensive than white ones?

Yes. Tea prices are basically supply and demand especially with
Chinese.  They do grade some teas and add a premium for that so you
can buy Dragonwell cheap or expensive.  White tea isnt graded but
spring bud is more expensive than fall leaf.  Comparatively white teas
are cheap so that is a bargain.

You've lost me there. Comparatively to what are white teas cheap?

[n***@ix.netcom.com]

Post by Peter Brooks
You've lost me there. Comparatively to what are white teas cheap?

Asked and answered.

Jim

[Peter Brooks]

Post by n***@ix.netcom.com

Post by Peter Brooks
You've lost me there. Comparatively to what are white teas cheap?

Asked and answered.

If you don't know, fair enough, but your previous post didn't include
an answer to that question. At least not one that made any sense to
me.

[Lewis Perin]

Post by Peter Brooks

Post by n***@ix.netcom.com

Post by Peter Brooks

Post by n***@ix.netcom.com
plentiful compared to other more rare and expensive teas from China.

I'm sure you can spend more on pretty well anything, but, to me, white
tea is expensive already!
The rare and expensive Chinese teas are, mainly, white teas, as far as
I can tell, or are you suggesting that some black, green or oolong
teas are more expensive than white ones?

Yes. Tea prices are basically supply and demand especially with
Chinese.  They do grade some teas and add a premium for that so you
can buy Dragonwell cheap or expensive.  White tea isnt graded but
spring bud is more expensive than fall leaf.  Comparatively white teas
are cheap so that is a bargain.

You've lost me there. Comparatively to what are white teas cheap?

Some white teas are expensive and some are cheap. In New York, you
can probably buy Shou Mei (Sow Mee) for a penny a gram. (I haven't
checked lately.) At the top end, I've never heard of any white tea as
expensive as some rare oolongs and Pu'ers.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin / ***@acm.org
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html