Herbal blends with sagan-daila are usually brewed with water at around 90–95 °C — boiling water can make the flavour too sharp, especially if the blend contains chaga and bergenia. The optimal time for the first infusion is 6–8 minutes: long enough for the invigorating character of sagan-daila to come through, but not long enough for bitterness to appear.
The leaves can be reused — this is one of the features of such blends. The first cup is the richest and brightest. With repeated brewing, the infusion becomes softer and calmer: the invigorating note recedes into the background, while the willowherb and bergenia come through more fully. Some people prefer the second or third infusion precisely for its balance.
According to the instructions, one portion of the blend is placed in a warmed teapot and 400–600 ml of water is poured over it; choose the portion size to taste. If the flavour seems too intense, reduce the amount of tea or shorten the steeping time rather than lowering the water temperature.
You can keep the brewed blend in a thermos, but for no more than a few hours: with prolonged steeping the flavour may turn slightly bitter.