Hi, I'm rather new to the art of tea, and my question is: will using infuser baskets yield as good tea as using a teapot? I typically make only one cup of tea, to which purpose using a teapot seems too much.
My infuser basket looks something like this:
http://www.cookscorner.net/AccessoryPics/teeli.jpg
It's all metal and it has a lid.
While it is best to brew tea loose so that it can fully unfurl and move about I sometimes use an infuser basket for convenience sake. If the basket is large enough so the tea is not cramped it will work fine. Some teas expand a great deal(like Ti Kuan Yin) and would not allow good circulation in the basket but some of the smaller leaf types do pretty well.
It actually looks pretty big to me, so I would say yes go ahead and use that basket for your tea. While, a few teas may not have all the room that they need to expand, it will work for the majority of teas.
And, it is a MUCH better option that a teastick or a teaball in my opinion.
And, it is a MUCH better option that a teastick or a teaball in my opinion.
"Make tea not war"
Favorites: Sencha, Dragonwell, White Monkey, Silver Needle, Gyokuro, Kukicha, Darjeeling
Favorites: Sencha, Dragonwell, White Monkey, Silver Needle, Gyokuro, Kukicha, Darjeeling
Jan 19th, '07, 12:04
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
...I have used infuser baskets for years and felt it was ok...and it is ok. It is generslly not best though. For most blacks, I would say it is almost as good as none at all.
But I have noticed an improvement when not using a basket of any kind when brewing oolong, green, white and pu-erh. The differences may be subtle, but they are perceivable.
By the way, I used the RofT large mesh infuser basket which is larger and more porous than any other basket I have seen. I will still use a basket in certain circumstances where it is impractical to not use one...
But I have noticed an improvement when not using a basket of any kind when brewing oolong, green, white and pu-erh. The differences may be subtle, but they are perceivable.
By the way, I used the RofT large mesh infuser basket which is larger and more porous than any other basket I have seen. I will still use a basket in certain circumstances where it is impractical to not use one...
blah blah blah SENCHA blah blah blah!!!
I'm fully of the opinion that an infuser basket is God's gift to the American tea drinker. But Procarel and Chip are right when they say that they can affect the taste of oolongs and such--teas that are big expanders. I think that this can be lessened, however, if you use a basket that maximizes space and maximizes waterflow.
I've had the best results in single cup brews when I have a basket that is almost the exact same size as my cup to maximize space. So if face with two options, a "cup sized" or a "pot sized" basket, I would choose the pot sized even for cup brewing. I also prefer a basket that has a screen-like mesh instead of holes. So generally, I find that the cheap baskets that come with most tetsubins work wonderfully for cup brewing and are very easy to clean--at most, a light scrub with an old toothbrush will do wonders. I can brew even fine rooibos in them without creating a mess. The link at the bottom shows this type of basket, but I have not bought anything from this particular vendor so I can't vouch for them.
http://www.zensuke.com/460822823.html
A final note: some people say that using a metallic basket can impart a metallic taste to the tea. I've personally never noticed this, but for others its a problem. Gold-plated infusers supposedly cut down on this taste. Other people like to use ceramic ones, but I think the ceramic option drastically reduces even water flow.
I've had the best results in single cup brews when I have a basket that is almost the exact same size as my cup to maximize space. So if face with two options, a "cup sized" or a "pot sized" basket, I would choose the pot sized even for cup brewing. I also prefer a basket that has a screen-like mesh instead of holes. So generally, I find that the cheap baskets that come with most tetsubins work wonderfully for cup brewing and are very easy to clean--at most, a light scrub with an old toothbrush will do wonders. I can brew even fine rooibos in them without creating a mess. The link at the bottom shows this type of basket, but I have not bought anything from this particular vendor so I can't vouch for them.
http://www.zensuke.com/460822823.html
A final note: some people say that using a metallic basket can impart a metallic taste to the tea. I've personally never noticed this, but for others its a problem. Gold-plated infusers supposedly cut down on this taste. Other people like to use ceramic ones, but I think the ceramic option drastically reduces even water flow.
Thanks
Thanks to you all for your replies! You have been most helpful. I guess I will be using the basket for a while. I'm interested in buying a teapot, but have some questions about them too. I would appreciate very much if you could help with them, however, I'll open a new topic.
