How seriously should I take the time limits for infusing tea?
If you’ve ever tasted over-steeped tea, you know that it is bitter and astringent. Three to five minutes is fine for most varieties. Oolong, which is always large leaves, requires a long steeping time: usually between five and six minutes. Darjeeling, interestingly enough, is often best with a steeping time between 90 seconds and three minutes. (Since it tends toward astringency, the short steeping time helps keep the balance of flavors right. This is especially true of first flush Darjeeling.) While the above steeping times are used by some, others prefer to steep tea for 10-15 minutes, some longer, feeling the longer steep time to be more beneficial to the end results–by adding more nutrients from the tea to the culture. Remember, however, the longer you steep your tea –the higher the caffeine and tannin contents will be in your Kombucha Tea.
