Too Bitter or Astringent? Four Variables to Adjust
When someone else brews a tea sweet but yours comes out bitter, it often isn't the tea's fault. Brewing has only a few variables: leaf amount, water temperature, time, and how you pour, plus your teaware and water. Find which one is off, adjust just one at a time, and you'll quickly get the tea back on track.
What the Four Variables Do
| Variable | More | Less |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf amount | Stronger, fuller, more prone to bitterness | Lighter, thinner |
| Water temperature | Higher aroma, flavor comes out faster, but also more bitterness and astringency | Gentler, less bitterness and astringency, but possibly less aromatic |
| Time | Stronger, bitterness and astringency rise | Lighter, more refreshing |
| Pouring force | Leaves tumble, flavor comes out faster | Smoother liquor |
Too Bitter?
Try these in order:
- Shorten the time: The fastest fix. For the first few infusions, pour off as soon as it's full, 5–8 seconds.
- Use less tea: In a 110 ml gaiwan, drop from 7 g to 5–6 g.
- Lower the water temperature: Use 90–95°C (194–203°F) for young raw pu'er.
- Pour low along the edge: Don't let the water hit the leaves directly.
- Open the lid after pouring: Let the leaves cool so they don't stew.
In good pu'er, bitterness dissolves and turns into huigan, the sweet aftertaste. If the bitterness and astringency just sit on the tongue and won't fade even after adjusting your method, it may be the tea's own character, or it may simply be too young; let it rest a while before drinking. The difference between bitterness and astringency is explained in Bitterness and Astringency: Two Different Things.
Too Weak?
- Extend the time: Wait 5–10 seconds longer per infusion.
- Add more tea: Add 1–2 g.
- Check the water temperature: Ripe pu'er and aged teas must have boiling water, and warm the vessel first.
- Compressed tea hasn't opened yet: The first few infusions of dragon pearls and laochatou are naturally light; be patient while they loosen.
- Use a smaller vessel: The same amount of tea in a smaller gaiwan naturally gives a stronger brew.
Does a Sour Taste Mean I Brewed It Wrong?
Sourness can come from several sources:
- Brewing method: Ripe pu'er brewed with water that's not hot enough, or stewed too long, can sometimes taste slightly sour. Switch to boiling water and pour off a little faster, and it will improve.
- The fermentation note of new ripe tea: Ripe pu'er that's recently come out of the fermentation pile can have a slight sourness that fades with time.
- Storage problems: Tea stored in an overly humid environment may taste sour or moldy. This sourness won't go away by changing how you brew, and it comes with a damp, musty smell.
- Tea left sitting too long: If brewed tea sits at room temperature too long and turns sour, don't drink it.
If the sourness comes with a moldy smell, sliminess, or an off odor, please don't drink it. How to tell is in Off-Flavors and Defects.
How to Avoid a Stuffy Taste
A stuffy taste is the dull flavor of leaves smothered in steam, like overcooked vegetables. To avoid it:
- Pour each infusion out completely;
- For raw tea, open the lid or set it ajar after pouring;
- When pausing mid-session, don't leave the lid on;
- Don't steep young raw pu'er in a thermos for long;
- When brewing in a big cup, take the leaves out when time is up.
Heavy Astringency and a Dry Mouth
Astringency is different from bitterness; it's a puckering, drying feeling in the mouth. To reduce it: shorten the time, pour so the water avoids the leaves, reduce broken leaves (put them at the bottom of the gaiwan), and lower the water temperature a little. A small sip of plain water or a little tea snack after each sip of tea also helps a lot.
Change Only One Thing at a Time
The most common mistake is changing three variables at once and then not knowing which one made the difference. Our suggestion: change only the time first. If it's still bitter at 5 seconds, reduce the leaf amount. If that doesn't work, adjust the water temperature. Write down each setting, and the next time you brew the same tea, you'll have the answer.
Check Your Water and Teaware Too
Water that's too hard makes the liquor dull, the aroma stuffy, and the mouthfeel astringent. A thick gaiwan or a pot that holds heat too well can also make young raw pu'er bitter. Try different water or a white porcelain gaiwan, and you'll often notice a difference. Choosing water is covered in Water for Tea.
Quick Symptom Guide
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Try this first |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter, harsh | Steeped too long or too much tea | Shorten pours to 5–8 seconds |
| Astringent, dry mouth | Lots of broken leaves or water too hot | Put broken leaves at the bottom, pour along the edge |
| Weak, watery | Too short or water not hot enough | Wait 5–10 seconds longer, use boiling water |
| Stuffy, dull | Tea not fully poured off, lid left on | Drain fully each time, open the lid after pouring |
| Slightly sour | Water not hot enough or stewed too long | Switch to boiling water, pour off a bit faster |
FAQ
What if it's too bitter? First shorten the time to 5–8 seconds, then use 1–2 g less tea, and finally lower the water to 90–95°C (194–203°F).
What if it's too weak? Wait 5–10 seconds longer per infusion or add 1–2 g of tea. For ripe pu'er and aged tea, always use boiling water and warm the vessel.
Does a sour taste mean I brewed it wrong? Water that's not hot enough or stewing too long can cause slight sourness; switch to boiling water and pour faster. If the sourness comes with a moldy or off smell, don't drink it.
How do I avoid a stuffy taste? Drain each infusion fully, open the lid after pouring, leave it off when pausing, and remove the leaves on time when brewing in a big cup.