The first Infusion of brewed tea doesn't need to be discarded. Firstly, the volume of water used in brewing tea is usually quite large, and discarding the Brew would be wasteful. Secondly, when brewing tea, the tea is added after the water has boiled, and once it boils again, the tea can be poured out and consumed; there's no need for a Rinse. Thirdly, the tea broth from brewing is sweet, mellow, full-bodied, and smooth. Discarding it would result in the loss of its flavors and prevent you from tasting its true essence.
Should the First Infusion of Brewed Tea Be Discarded?
Whether to discard the first infusion of tea depends on the type of tea, and one should not blindly decide whether to discard or keep it.
1. If the tea is light in flavor, it's not recommended to discard the first infusion; it's best to taste it as it is.
2. If the tea is rich in flavor, it's recommended to discard the first infusion since it doesn't fully represent the tea's taste.
3. For aged teas, it is advisable to discard the first infusion. This serves two purposes: cleaning off any dust and waking up the tea. You can also assess the quality of the tea by tasting the first infusion.
For aged teas, such as old Pu'er, the first infusion acts like waking the tea, and it also helps to wash away bacteria and dust that may have accumulated over time. By discarding the first infusion, you ensure there are no harmful bacteria and can better appreciate the unique experience that aged teas offer. When brewing, it's also important to taste the first infusion. If there's a dusty taste, it indicates the tea is dirty. A musty flavor suggests the tea was stored in excessively humid conditions and has gone moldy. By tasting the first infusion, you can judge the quality of the tea and enhance your tea-drinking experience.
The Correct Method for Brewing Tea
Brew Before Boiling
Brew the tea in a lidded bowl for about five infusions before placing it in a tea cooker to boil. This method requires a certain quality of tea; if it's young or made from buds and leaves, boiling it may result in a bland or astringent taste.
The amount of tea used for boiling shouldn't be excessive, generally following the golden ratio of 3 to 5 grams of dry tea per 300 to 500 milliliters of water.
Teas with strong flavors, such as ripe Pu'er, Citrus Pu'er, Liubao tea, old tea heads, and aged white tea, are suitable for being brewed several times in a lidded bowl before boiling. This method also prevents the tea broth from becoming too strong.
Direct Boiling
When directly boiling tea, use half the usual amount of tea compared to brewing. For example, with 500 milliliters of water, add 5 grams of tea. Heat the water until it boils, then add the 5 grams of tea to the pot and wait for it to boil again before turning off the heat.
Take advantage of the residual heat of the freshly boiled water to let the tea rest briefly in the pot, which results in a better-tasting tea broth.
If you start boiling with cold water, the tea broth will be very thick. Therefore, remember to boil the water first before adding the tea. Also, the water temperature will be high during boiling, so be careful not to fill the pot too much to avoid spilling and scalding yourself.