Why the second infusion is the honest one
The first pour washes the leaf and wakes it up. The second shows what the tea actually tastes like once the dust and the surface aroma are gone. I now judge every new oolong on the second cup alone.
Slow notes on tea, water and kettles
The first pour washes the leaf and wakes it up. The second shows what the tea actually tastes like once the dust and the surface aroma are gone. I now judge every new oolong on the second cup alone.
Same leaf, same temperature, two waters: the tap here and a bottle of something soft from the north. The soft water gave a sweeter, longer finish; the tap flattened everything into tannin. A cheap filter jug closed most of the gap.
A kettle that shows 90 °C still pours at 84 by the time it reaches a cold pot. Warm the pot first, or aim a little higher than the label says.