What’s the Difference

A tea enthusiast asked: "Isn't it said that for healthy tea drinking, there should be a separation of tea and water? But why do I see some people, when using a glass cup or a large pot to brew tea, leave one-third of the tea infusion in the cup when adding more water?" Another tea enthusiast asked: "When I brew tea using a purple clay teapot, if I don't completely drain the water, is that called letting the tea sit in the cup? What's the difference between letting the tea sit in the cup and steeping it for too long?" The questions above all relate to several concepts involved in tea brewing: "leaving the root," "letting the tea sit in the cup," and "steeping for too long." What do these terms mean, and what are their respective applications? Today, let’s expand our knowledge together. What Does “Leaving the Root” Mean? Leaving the root refers to leaving a portion of the tea infusion (also called the base) in the brewing vessel each time you pour out the tea before adding more water for the next infusion. The purpose is to maintain the taste of the tea, ensuring that its flavor doesn’t…