Re-Steeping Loose Tea

Steeping loose tea is the process of unlocking the many flavors and health benefits of your loose tea leaves, through the use of hot water and a tea infuser. Just as steeping reveals the character of your loose tea blend, re-steeping reveals even more character not tasted or felt on the first steep. The many mystical moments that occur throughout the process of steeping loose tea leaves carry in to the art of re-steeping. Subtle nuances, once hiding in the background, are now allowed to come center-stage, and a new understanding of your tea blends.
What Happens When I Re-Steep My Tea?

The same thing that happens when you steep your tea leaves for the first time… the leaves unfurl and the natural flavors and health benefits of the loose tea leaves are extracted into your beverage. In some cases (such as a tightly rolled green tea) more antioxidants get released the second or third time being steeped, than they do in the first.
What Are The Benefits of Re-Steeping Loose Tea?

For starters, you’re getting much more bang for your buck. Some loose leaf teas can get pricy, but steeping the same leaves for multiple pots of tea, can easily help you justify paying for those pricier premium loose tea blends. Second, you discover more about your tea. The first steep will often produce a beverage that tastes most like the main ingredient, which often overpowers the other more subtle flavor notes. When you re-steep your tea leaves, the more prominent flavors get muted, which allow the other flavors to come forward and reveal their roll in the blend. Lastly, you’re utilizing a greater percent of your tea leaves. When you steep you tea leaves once, and throw them away when you’re done, you’re also throwing away the left-over antioxidants and nutrients that were not extracted after just the first steep.
What Kind Of Tea Should I Re-Steep?

When you re-steep your tea leaves, the number 1 rule is they must be whole leaves. Whole leaves compared to chopped leaves hold much more flavor and nutrients. Chopped tea leaves (often found in bagged tea) is only good for one steep. After the first steep, chopped tea leaves produce a very weak, bitter tasting beverage that contains little or no antioxidants and nutrients. The next thing to keep in mind about re-steeping your tea leaves is quality. The nicer your tea blends, the more they have to offer after every re-steep.
Which Tea Types Should I Re-Steep?

- White teas become slightly sweeter with each resteep.
- Green teas, especially ones tightly wound or twisted, often taste better after the first or second steep.
- Oolong teas often reveal more character nuances every resteep.
- Most herbal and fruit teas provide the most flavor on the first steep. The second one can still be pretty good though!

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