Tea lovers often ask: Which type of tea is the most enduring for multiple steeps? Is more expensive oolong tea always able to be steeped more times? How many times can your tea be steeped?
Different types of tea, brewing methods, and water temperatures all affect how many times tea leaves can be steeped. Generally speaking, teas with higher levels of oxidation and roasting are more enduring. Green teas and lightly oxidized oolong teas tend to have fewer steeps. Using an 150ml teapot with 8g of tea leaves at a water temperature of 95°C: green tea and lightly oxidized oolong can be steeped 3-5 times; Oriental Beauty, heavily oxidized oolong, and heavily roasted oolong can be steeped 5-7 times; heavily roasted Tieguanyin and Pu-erh can be steeped 6-10 times. However, no matter the tea, you will need to increase the steeping time for later infusions, otherwise it will taste weak and flavorless.
▲ Heavily roasted and heavily oxidized teas can be steeped more times.
Is more expensive oolong tea always able to be steeped more times? No, the price of tea has nothing to do with how many times it can be steeped. Among Taiwanese oolongs, high mountain oolongs command the highest unit price, yet they are mostly lightly oxidized and relatively less enduring for multiple steeps. A high mountain oolong costing over NT$10,000 per 600 g might only yield 3-5 good steeps. Meanwhile, a heavily roasted oolong costing just a few hundred NT dollars per 600 g can actually be steeped 5-7 times.
If you are looking for long-lasting oolong tea, you can choose Oriental Beauty or heavily roasted oolong tea, which can be steeped 5 to 7 times or more.