How strong and how bitter a cup is depends on three things: how much leaf you use for the water, how hot the water is, and how long the leaf sits in it.
They trade off against each other. More leaf with shorter steeps gives a cup of the same strength as less leaf with longer ones, but it tastes different: more leaf brings more body and lasts more steeps.
When a cup isn't right, change just one lever, by a small step, and note it. That's what Steepbook's history is for: you see which change made the cup better.
Words in this article
- Leaf ratio
- Grams of leaf for the water, usually written per 100 ml: 5 g/100 ml in a 100 ml gaiwan is 5 g.
More in Learn
- Water temperature by tea
- Gongfu steeping
- Rinsing the leaf
- Water matters
- Freshness and storage
- The families of tea
- Dialing in a new tea
- Tea glossary
Steepbook is a free app that remembers the steep that worked for each tea, teaware and brew style. Have a look if that sounds useful.