Tea brewing funnel

A brewing funnel assembly for extending the steep time of a brewed beverage, comprising:

• a) a funnel body defining a mouth and an interior surface;
• b) a sump formed in said interior surface of said funnel body;
• c) a drain aperture in said sump;
• and
• d) a delay mechanism connected to said funnel body communicating with said drain aperture;
• said delay mechanism comprising a housing having a top opening at a top portion of said housing, a bottom opening at a bottom portion of said housing, a passage extending between said top and bottom openings, an orifice proximate to said bottom portion of said housing, a cap covering said top opening of said housing, a filter structure attached to said orifice and extending from said housing, and a tube assembly comprising an elongated hollow cylinder and a tip having a bore therethrough, said bore of said tip being in direct connection with said hollow cylinder, said tip positioned proximate to said drain aperture outside of said interior surface of said funnel with said hollow cylinder protruding through said drain aperture into said funnel and extending into said passage of said housing, said bottom portion of said housing resting within said drain aperture within said funnel, said tube assembly attached to said housing at said drain aperture.

A method of prolonging the steep time of a brewed beverage within a brewing funnel assembly, said brewing funnel assembly having a funnel body defining an interior surface and a mouth, a sump formed in said interior surface, a drain aperture formed in said sump, and a delay mechanism connected to said funnel body, said delay mechanism including a housing having a passage between a top opening of said housing at a top portion of said housing and a bottom opening of said housing at a bottom portion of said housing and an orifice proximate to said bottom portion of said housing, a cap connected to said top portion of said housing, said cap covering said top opening, a filter structure attached to said orifice and extending from said housing, and a tube assembly comprising an elongated hollow cylinder and a tip having a bore therethrough, said bore of said tip being in direct connection with said hollow cylinder, said tip positioned proximate to said drain aperture outside of said interior surface of said funnel body with said hollow cylinder protruding through said drain aperture into said funnel body and extending into said passage of said housing, said bottom portion of said housing resting within said drain aperture within said funnel body, said tube assembly attached to said housing at said drain aperture, comprising the steps of:

• a) placing a charge of brewing substance within said funnel body;
• b) dispensing heated water into said funnel body and over said charge of brewing substance;
• c) infusing said water with said charge of brewing substance to form a liquid brew;
• d) gravitating said liquid brew into said sump, then through said filter structure and said orifice, and into said passage;
• e) continuing dispensing of water into said funnel body to raise said liquid brew within said passage around said elongated hollow cylinder, said liquid brew rising within said passage relative to a height of water and liquid brew within said funnel body outside of said delay mechanism;
• f) siphoning said liquid brew in said funnel body and in said passage into and through said hollow cylinder and said tip when said liquid brew rises to a height in said passage which is above said cylinder;
• and
• g) draining said liquid brew into a container positioned below said funnel body.