The Everyday Long Steep

Sometimes you want tea, not a project. Use a modest amount of leaf, a comfortable mug or pot, and one longer infusion. The result gathers the tea’s different moments into one complete cup.

A dependable baseline

• Leaf: 3–4 g per 250 ml
• Water: 75–85°C for green tea; 85–95°C for white tea and light oolong; 90–100°C for most other teas
• Time: 2–4 minutes
• Finish: separate every drop from the leaves when the cup tastes balanced

Make a second infusion with fresh hot water and extra time. Fine and broken leaf releases quickly, so start shorter. Large whole leaf often has more to give later.

Why the last puddle matters

Tea left around the leaves keeps extracting after most of the pot is poured. That hidden puddle may make the next serving surprisingly bitter.

A basket infuser that lifts clear or a pot that drains fully makes the recipe easier to repeat. If leaves remain loose in a glass, use a top-up method instead: drink down to about one-third and refill.

When this method shines

Choose it when:

• you want a large, dependable cup;
• you are at work or eating a meal;
• the leaf is fine and quick-brewing;
• you are meeting a tea for the first time;
• many tiny servings sound like unnecessary washing-up.

Short Infusions, One After Another reveal a tea’s changes more clearly. The long steep gives an integrated portrait. Neither is more “correct”; they answer different questions.

Tip

If the first mug is too strong, shorten the time before changing everything else. The easiest recipe is the one you can remember tomorrow morning.