Body arrives after the bitterness

[Okra]

Question or objective: keep malt and body with less bitter front edge
Tea category: black tea
Exact product: Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush
Vendor: Mountain Letter Tea
Origin: Dibrugarh, Assam
Cultivar, if known: assamica mixed clonal
Harvest season/year: summer 2026
Processing or roast: orthodox black tea
Cake/batch number, if relevant: cake/lot noted above where applicable; otherwise N/A
Purchase/opening date: purchased 2026-06-01; opened 2026-07-06
Storage since purchase: sealed original pouch inside a dark cupboard
Style: Western
Vessel: ceramic mug with basket
Vessel material: glazed ceramic + stainless basket
Nominal and actual filled capacity: 350 ml nominal / 300 ml filled
Filter or strainer: fine stainless basket
Kettle: stovetop kettle + thermometer
Vessel preheated: yes
Dry leaf weight: 4.0 g
Water volume: 300 ml
Water temperature: 96°C
Water source or mineral profile: filtered tap water, Dublin; moderately hard
Rinse: 5-10 s where noted by the recipe; otherwise none
Infusion schedule: 3 min 30 s
Agitation: one stir at 30 seconds
Was each infusion completely decanted?: yes
Aroma: malt and raisin
Sweetness: medium
Bitterness: high
Astringency: medium-high
Body/texture: full
Flavour: malt, raisin, cocoa
Aftertaste: dry malt
Number of satisfying infusions: 1
Exact problem: bitterness appears before the body is fully developed
Desired result: keep malt and body with less bitter front edge
Variable changed: time
Previous value: 4 min
New value: 3 min 30 s
Result: slightly less bitter but also slightly thinner
Dry-leaf photograph: available in the author’s notes; not embedded in this archive
Liquor photograph: available in the author’s notes; not embedded in this archive
Wet-leaf photograph: available in the author’s notes; not embedded in this archive
Video if pouring or drainage is relevant: not relevant

i have reached the stage where changing three things at once is only producing new kinds of confusion. The cup is giving me bitterness appears before the body is fully developed. The last controlled change was time: 4 min to 3 min 30 s, and slightly less bitter but also slightly thinner. i’d like the next test to be one variable only. If you have brewed this exact tea, or something genuinely comparable in a similar vessel, that would be especially useful.

My target is simple: keep malt and body with less bitter front edge. I am not looking for a new shopping list unless the equipment is actually the problem.

[Okra]

Tested solution
Direct recommendation: drop temperature to 92°C while keeping 3:30.
Applies to: Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush / black tea in a setup close to ceramic mug with basket.
Evidence: firsthand test by the questioner on Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush.
Change: drop temperature to 92°C while keeping 3:30.
Expected effect: similar body with a softer bitter edge.
Observed result: slightly less bitter but also slightly thinner.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Peter Masala]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: drop temperature to 92°C while keeping 3:30.
Applies to: Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush / black tea in a setup close to ceramic mug with basket.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: drop temperature to 92°C while keeping 3:30.
Expected effect: similar body with a softer bitter edge.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Safety 81]

Comparable tea
Direct recommendation: increase leaf slightly to 4.5 g and shorten to 3 minutes.
Applies to: Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush / black tea in a setup close to ceramic mug with basket.
Evidence: firsthand experience with black tea in a different vessel.
Change: increase leaf slightly to 4.5 g and shorten to 3 minutes.
Expected effect: fuller aroma and body with less late extraction.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Safety 81]

Inference
Direct recommendation: drop temperature to 92°C while keeping 3:30.
Applies to: Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush / black tea in a setup close to ceramic mug with basket.
Evidence: inference from the posted parameters, not a test of this exact tea.
Change: drop temperature to 92°C while keeping 3:30.
Expected effect: similar body with a softer bitter edge.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Wok-Dough]

Same tea/batch
Direct recommendation: increase leaf slightly to 4.5 g and shorten to 3 minutes.
Applies to: Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush / black tea in a setup close to ceramic mug with basket.
Evidence: firsthand use of the same Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush in a closely matched setup.
Change: increase leaf slightly to 4.5 g and shorten to 3 minutes.
Expected effect: fuller aroma and body with less late extraction.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: Water chemistry may change the result, so I would not generalize this to every city.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Safety 81]

Comparable tea
Direct recommendation: remove the stir.
Applies to: Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush / black tea in a setup close to ceramic mug with basket.
Evidence: firsthand use of a comparable black tea with similar parameters.
Change: remove the stir.
Expected effect: slightly softer cup with clearer sweetness.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Okra]

Professional experience
Direct recommendation: remove the stir.
Applies to: Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush / black tea in a setup close to ceramic mug with basket.
Evidence: general brewing principle consistent with repeated tests; not this exact batch.
Change: remove the stir.
Expected effect: slightly softer cup with clearer sweetness.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Peter Masala]

Professional experience
Direct recommendation: increase leaf slightly to 4.5 g and shorten to 3 minutes.
Applies to: Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush / black tea in a setup close to ceramic mug with basket.
Evidence: firsthand experience with black tea in a different vessel.
Change: increase leaf slightly to 4.5 g and shorten to 3 minutes.
Expected effect: fuller aroma and body with less late extraction.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Okra]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: remove the stir.
Applies to: Rain Porch 2026 Assam second flush / black tea in a setup close to ceramic mug with basket.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: remove the stir.
Expected effect: slightly softer cup with clearer sweetness.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: Water chemistry may change the result, so I would not generalize this to every city.
Commercial relationship: none.

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