This is probably one of the most common phenomena in the tea circle: many tea lovers, when brewing tea, pour the first infusion of hot water and then “whoosh” it away. This action has almost become a habit. Many tea enthusiasts practice this, and in a rough calculation, the first infusions discarded by Chinese people could fill a West Lake!

Today, Uncle List will fully analyze the first infusion and tell you that “discarding the first infusion” is actually a big lie in the tea world.

Claim 1: The first infusion can wash away pesticide residues

Due to the unique nature of tea leaves, they cannot be washed like fruits or vegetables, so many tea lovers use the first infusion to “wash away” pesticide residues.

However, most pesticides are fat-soluble substances, and hot water can only dissolve and dilute a very small portion. Relying solely on the first infusion to wash away pesticide residues is simply impossible. If you are still “obsessed” with pesticide residues, the only suggestion is to buy organic tea.

Claim 2: The first infusion doesn't taste good anyway, so discarding it doesn't matter

This statement mainly refers to the moistening effect of the first infusion, believing that the “moistening brew” has not reached the optimal drinking taste, so discarding it is fine. Uncle List does not agree with this practice because the beneficial substances in tea leaves are released to the greatest extent in the first infusion, especially for green tea.

Uncle List has seen people discard the first infusion of Junshan Yinzhen simply because there were fine hairs in the tea soup, which is a great pity because that is the most惊艳 (stunning) brew of premium yellow tea.

Claim 3: The first infusion is used to wash away impurities and dust

This claim is naturally aimed at teas that have been stored for a certain period. The first infusion does have a rinsing effect, and it is not necessary to drink it, but calling it a “useless brew” is somewhat biased. As the first brew, it contains a wealth of quality information about the tea and is highly expressive.

For example: If, when the first infusion enters the mouth, you feel a faint dusty or off-flavor (like rotten vegetables or sandalwood), it indicates the tea’s storage space was not clean or hygienic. If you taste a burnt flavor, it suggests there was a processing issue during production, such as over-frying or charring. If you detect a slight moldy taste, it means the tea was somewhat damp during storage. If the tea soup contains broken leaves and fragments, it indicates low raw material quality or poor tea-prying skills... ...

Some have jokingly called the first infusion the “black box” of pu'er tea, containing information that many merchants are unwilling to tell you. So, the next time you buy pu'er tea, you might lightly taste the first infusion and savor its flavors carefully—this is a very useful method to gain information for assessing tea quality.

Who taught us to start discarding the first infusion?

So where did this theory of “no matter what, always discard the first infusion before brewing” come from?

First, it can be attributed to a mistaken understanding of tea cleanliness. In ancient times, due to poor production techniques and other conditions, plus transportation by boat and vehicle, a very few teas did have cleanliness issues. However, in modern times, as long as tea is produced according to national standards, there are generally no hygiene problems.

From another perspective, if tea leaves were dirty, would we also need to wash coffee grounds before brewing coffee or boil red wine before drinking it? It is said that traditional red wine production involves stomping grapes with feet.

Are there dirty teas? Yes! But generally, tea produced by standard manufacturers does not have hygiene issues.

Second, as mentioned earlier, there is the misconception that the first infusion can wash away pesticide residues.

Third, some unprofessional tea ceremony performances have amplified this practice. During performances, to perfect the steps and flow of tea brewing, almost every performance includes discarding the first infusion, thereby unconsciously exaggerating its role. People then mimic the tea master’s method without distinguishing based on “specific circumstances.”

Finally, it is a sales technique used by merchants. As mentioned earlier, the first infusion of tea often contains much information about the tea’s condition, especially for more耐泡 (resilient) teas like pu'er. Therefore, to allow you to taste the “best soup sensation,” many merchants rinse the first infusion, sometimes even two, three, or four times. Over time, people came to believe this is a correct brewing step, but in reality, it is merely an action by merchants to rinse away undesirable information about the tea.

Expert Interpretation of the First Infusion

Regarding the first infusion, many tea experts and seasoned tea drinkers have their own insights. A reporter interviewed tea expert and owner of Very Friendly Pu'er Tea House, Gao Jianfei, about the first infusion.

Q: When you drink tea, do you usually discard the first infusion? If so, under what circumstances and with which teas? Could you give an example?

Gao Jianfei: Every year, I have the habit of drinking famous early spring green teas. I do not discard the first infusion when drinking them; traditionally, they are consumed as is, and the nutrients are released to the greatest extent in the first brew. For teas I drink more frequently, like oolong or pu'er, I choose to “quickly rinse” them once. The purpose of this quick rinse is actually more about “moistening” the dry leaves. Specifically, when quick-rinsing, I do not fill the brewing vessel completely; I just add enough water to cover the dry leaves, then quickly rinse and discard. Another method I often use when brewing with a gaiwan is to pour more water when infusing, so that about 50 ml overflows, which is equivalent to a re-emphasis on “skimming foam.”

Q: What is your understanding of the first infusion when it comes to pu'er tea?

Gao Jianfei: After pu'er tea production was standardized around 2004, hygiene conditions became no issue. Whether for raw or ripe pu'er, I quickly rinse the first infusion but do not drink it. One reason is that tea is still an agricultural product, and a quick rinse for moistening purposes is acceptable. Another consideration is that the flavor of the first infusion is not complete and has almost no drinking value.

Q: Some tea drinkers say that the first infusion of aged pu'er tea contains much storage information. Do you agree? Would you drink that first infusion?

Gao Jianfei: First of all, I still would not drink it. To some extent, regardless of whether the storage was good or bad, it can reveal some storage conditions. However, if the purpose is to assess quality, I do not recommend drinking it because you can evaluate it from other aspects like smelling the dry leaves, observing the color of the first infusion soup, or examining the infused leaves. Drinking tea should be a joyful experience; you should not drink it just to find flaws. Moreover, if the storage truly had issues, it would be even more inadvisable to drink it.

Q: What do you think about the current practice in many tea shops where, regardless of the tea, they always rinse it when serving customers for tasting? Is this sometimes really a suspicion of “rinsing away problems”?

Gao Jianfei: I believe that except for famous premium teas, a quick rinse of other teas is necessary. However, if a shop repeatedly rinses an aged pu'er or other aged tea more than once, that is worth paying attention to and being cautious about.

Summary: The First Infusion Is Not as Complicated as You Think

For the first infusion, we can simply divide teas into three categories.

First Category: Naturally shaped or lightly processed teas

“Naturally shaped” refers to teas like flower teas or white tea, which are presented in their original form. “Lightly processed” teas include most green teas, black teas, and yellow teas.

For these teas, you drink the inherent flavor of the leaves themselves, so there is no need to discard the first infusion. Especially for some famous premium green teas, the most beautiful aroma and freshness are contained in the first brew.

Second Category: Heavily processed teas

Examples include ball-shaped oolong teas or pu'er teas, tuo cha, brick tea, etc. Due to their special shapes, the leaves undergo a “slow unfolding” process during infusion, so the first infusion is often used to moisten the leaves. This brew is perfectly drinkable.

However, in formal settings, because the tea soup has not reached its optimal drinking state, the moistening brew is not served to guests.

Third Category: Aged teas

This category refers to aged teas, with pu'er tea as a representative, as well as old teas. The first infusion often serves a “moistening” purpose, and more importantly, a “waking” purpose. For teas with storage issues, many people may rinse them multiple times in an attempt to mask the negative effects of storage.

Therefore, as mentioned earlier, in such cases, it is not recommended to drink the first infusion. However, you can assess the tea’s “health” status by smelling the dry leaves, observing the color and aroma of the first infusion soup, or even lightly tasting and spitting it out.