Auto-SummaryThe author conducted an experiment comparing tea potency extracted through steeping and pressure cooking (PC) methods. They used the same amount of Golden Teacher cubensis powder and water for both methods, dehydrating the resulting tea and dregs to measure potency and active ingredient content. The steeping method yielded significantly more potent tea, with approximately 38% less potency with each successive decoction compared to the PC method, which only showed a 29% reduction. The steeped tea contained over 400mg of actives, while the PC tea contained just over 325mg. The experiment concluded that the steeping method was more effective at extracting actives, despite the PC method achieving higher temperatures.
PC vs Steep Here is my latest experiment in tea potency. I wanted to compare steeped tea to tea prepared in the PC (or in my case an Instant Pot). After the unexpected results from the steep vs simmer teas, I hypothesized that it was the difference in water volume rather than the difference in temperature that caused the steep to be more effective at transferring the actives to the solution. If that is true, then I thought that preparing the tea in an IP (instant pot) should produce more potent tea because it achieves a higher temperature while minimizing any water loss during the transfer stage. If the temperature is actually causing a reduction in potency when the tea is boiled it should also show up in these results as lower PCed tea potency.
To test this hypothesis I will run two sets of three decoctions. One set of decoctions will be done on the stove top by bringing a set volume of water and amount of mush to a boil and then reducing heat to allow it to steep for a set time. For the other set of decoctions, I will use the same volumes of water and active material in the IP for the same amount of time. Then each decoction will be labeled and evaporated in a dehydrator until completely dry, weighed, and tested for potency. Using the final weight and potency I will determine which method extracted the most actives. Additionally, I will also dry, weigh and test the dregs of both methods after the final decoction to determine how much active materials still remain in the dregs.
For this test I used 25 grams of the same Golden Teacher cubensis powder from previous tests and 500 ml water for each decoction. To limit the variables as much as possible, I used a quart Ball jar with a modified lid for both the pc cycles and the steep in a double boil bath.
     The extra jars in the IP are just there to keep the tea jar from falling over in the cycle. (also apologies for the switching of tenses, I am writing this as I go and so different parts are being written at different stages of the process)
After each decoction I used a french press to extract the tea into condiment cups on dehydrator trays for drying. Each decoction got its owns tray and a cup was labeled to make sure to keep them straight. After the final decoction I also placed the dregs from the teas into condiment cups in the dehydrator. After 24 hours, most of the tea was dehydrated, however there were some sticky spots so I gave them another 16 hours.
    The condiment cups are just a little to tall for my dehydrator trays, so I used a thermal shirt to cover the gaps. Silly but effective.
  left to right decoction 1, 2, & 3 with dregs from PC. 2nd picture is the same for the steep. And I am off to start scraping cups now.
Resulting Active Instant Teatm from the tea dehydration cycles and some dregs.
  As I expected after my first try at this, the amount of dried tea dropped off significantly with each successive decoction. This time I kept them separate so I could compare them and it looks like you get approximately 72% less with each decoction. Static is a real problem for getting all of the light flakes especially in the later decoctions. If I weren't keeping it all separate for testing, I would just keep reusing the same condiment cups so there would be thicker tea residue to work with. That is much easier to handle than the thin flakes that want to stick to everything except the receiving container.
Time to do some potency testing now.
  Before and after the hot water bath. I did the tea samples at half the concentration based on the past results. Some were above the colorimeter's ability to read before. The dregs are at full strength because I expect them to be well within the range of the colorimeter based on past trials.

 Whelp, wrong again. I was pretty confident that the PC would be more efficient but the data says it is not. The difference is not that significant, but it is certainly not worth the extra work to get slightly less good results.
Reading the chart.- The first decoction of each yielded a bit over 8.5 grams of dehydrated tea but the steep tested over 38% more potent.
- The second decoction of each yielded 29% and 27% of the first decoction amount at under 2.5 grams each. The potency dropped off for both to a similar level.
- The third decoction yield was again 29% of the second decoction and the potency continued to decline.
- The combined yield weighed close to 12 grams for both and over 400mg of actives in the dehydrated steeped tea versus a little over 325mg actives in the combined PCed tea.
- The total actives remaining in the dregs were 47mg and 37mg meaning that nearly 90% of the actives were extracted in the three decoctions and most of that came in the first decoction.
I am actually quite pleased with this result, even if they did surprise me some.
That is all I have for today. Looking at trying acidification next.
Okay, one more little tidbit that I was thinking of keeping to my self, but that is just not my style. I wonder how much ground up Active Instant Teatm will fit into a 00 capsule?
Edit: to update the graph with percents of actives extracted with each decoction and percent left in dregs.
-------------------- Stoned Gummys | BRF Pucks | Primo Reusable Plates | Easy LI 4 Preserv & Propo"Psychedelics are powerful substances. Nothing that powerful is completely safe... and nothing completely safe is that powerful!" - Abigail Calder at ALPS 2023
Don't Panic
Edited by ReverendMyc (12/04/24 06:50 PM)
|