Caffeine Free Tea DIY
Hot Wash Method

When drinking oolong tea in China, it is common practice to throw away the first infusion. People do it as a precautionary measure to remove any dust and residue that might be found in the tea.

In the West, it is a popular DIY decaffeination method.

It is widely believed that 30 to 45 seconds of soaking would remove 80% of the caffeine, while preserving the remaining tea nutrients.

A 1996 study conducted by Auburn University dispelled this myth.

The researchers found that the average caffeine released in the first through third infusions were 69%, 23%, and 8%, respectively. Each infusion takes about 5 minutes.

30 seconds of hot wash won’t work, it removes only 9% of the caffeine. Here is the breakdown:

30 seconds 9%

1 minute 18%

2 minutes 34%

3 minutes 48%

4 minutes 60%

5 minutes 69%

10 minutes 92%

15 minutes 100%

The researchers did this for 6 different types of tea: 3 bagged and 3 loose, for green, oolong and black respectively. They also repeated their experiment 3 times to eliminate any error.

If you are caffeine sensitive, try hot washing your tea for 5 minutes to remove 70% of the caffeine. If the tea has enough quality, it will still taste good for the next 2 infusions.

Hicks M.B.; Hsieh Y.-H.P.1; Bell L.N. Tea preparation and its influence on methylxanthine concentration .Food Research International, Volume 29, Number 3, April 1996, pp. 325-330(6)

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