Quick infusion ≠ Gongfu infusion

If there is any instruction on how to prepare a cup of tea in the packing of the expensive Japanese green tea Gyokuro, it is often a few times the 1 to 100 tealeaves to water ratio, 20 to 60 seconds, and most definitely below 80°C (mostly 65!) In a serious demonstration or a Japanese tea ceremony for gyokuro, very often a 250 or 300 ml pot made from Yixing clay is used. I wouldn’t call that gongfu tea. I’d say good tea-making 

I have recently gotten into Sencha.  According to this package, I should use 3 ounces of water at 180F, with 2 grams of leaves and steep for 60 seconds.

So, after unscrambling the mixed units, it appears to call for 83 degree Centigrade water, with 1g of Sencha to every 45ml of water.  This isn’t too far off the 2g to 100ml suggested in the “Measurements” article for “Proper Tasting”.

Using my kyusu, which is a 250ml volume, that looks like 5.5g in the pot.  Unless my math is wrong.  I can manage to get about 3 infusions (60s, 15s with boiling, 45s with boiling) before it gets weak.  Actually, might be a good idea to take Leo’s last post and this one and separate it into it’s own thread.

M.