Shiboridashi

[cold_tea]

Hello,
New here, but I have been interested in tea for several years, and seriously into coffee for many years. I'd like to get something to start drinking Japanese greens, especially some of the senchas that come highly recommended, specifically the sae midori from o-cha.com and a few others.

I notice that the sae midori is a deep steamed or fukamushi sencha, and they discourage use of these teas in the shiboridashi that they sell in their online store. Is this simply to discourage the impatient from using these pots? Does anyone have experience brewing deep steamed senchas in shiboridashi?

I ask only because the asthetics of the shibos really appeal to me. It seems something very simple, that I would use at work and at home, but I cannot imagine buying enough gyokuro to drink everyday just to make the pot work "properly". It seems with some of the senchas, you can spend around $20-30 per 100g and get reasonable quality for everyday drinking.

I also enjoy genmaicha and darjeelings, and like the versatility and simplicity of having only one brewing vessel. That, and kyusus just don't hold the same asthetic appeal for me.

These are the pots I am looking at:

http://www.o-cha.com/Kyoto-Shiboridash-Teapot-Set.html (somewhat small)

http://www.o-cha.com/shiboridashi-teapot.html (out of stock )

[Chip]

It may or may not be doable in a shib, but it can also be frustrating and at times disasterous ... so to speak.

The problem is, will the liquid pour out relatively quickly after brewing? The answer is a big maybe. If the shib clogs while pouring, you may be in a panic mode trying to get your brew out before it gets bitter from overbrewing. And each successive steep/pouring will get more difficult.

A second issue, a shib may release too many particals into your cup when pouring fukamushi. This might not bother you, but too much in the cup means it may continue to brew in your cup and again become bitter.

With careful pouring and practice, it may work for you ... or may not. A Kyusu is a better bet for fukamushi.

[blairswhitaker]

shiboridashi often let more than what is considered and acceptable amount of leaf come through into the cup. This is based on the design of the filtering mechanism. If you like the simplicity and aesthetics of the shiboridashi, but not those of a kyusu perhaps a hohin would be a fair compromise for you. you can pour fuka with most hohin's as long as you are attentive to your pour, basically slow and steady.

you might try one of these, as the stainless steel mesh is great for fukamushi
http://www.yuuki-cha.com/japanese-teapo ... hin-teapot

http://www.yuuki-cha.com/japanese-teapo ... hin-teapot

here a few others in varying clays, glazes, and price ranges.

http://www.rishi-tea.com/product/ho-hin ... ot/teapots

http://www.zencha.net/ta05201.php

http://hojotea.com/item_e/available.htm

[cold_tea]

Thank you both for your help.

After thinking about this, it's funny, but the teaware is more important that the tea to me at this point (good tea being a bonus). I think I'm going to get the shiboridashi and a sencha that will go well in it.

I like the process or ritual of tea, and it's essential to me to learn the patience that may come with brewing and pouring with a shibo. I also enjoy how making tea takes me out of my day a little, gives me something to concentrate on, and helps reduce the stress of a multitasking job and lifestyle.

[Chip]

Thank you both for your help.

After thinking about this, it's funny, but the teaware is more important that the tea to me at this point (good tea being a bonus). I think I'm going to get the shiboridashi and a sencha that will go well in it.

I like the process or ritual of tea, and it's essential to me to learn the patience that may come with brewing and pouring with a shibo. I also enjoy how making tea takes me out of my day a little, gives me something to concentrate on, and helps reduce the stress of a multitasking job and lifestyle.

Nice teaware certainly enhances the experience greatly! I also feel it helps to bring focus to the brewing ... it is more likely that I will focus more if the teaware is speaking volumes to me.

Perhaps for this reason I virtually never use a stainless steel screen for fuka or any Japanese green. It is distracting and detracting. I would much rather pay closer attention ... focus on the pouring ... nurturing the pot of tea leaves. When brewing fuka or most Japanese greens for that matter, you usually cannot do a "dump" pour with any kind of clay screen.

For a great selection of Japanese teawares in a wide range of prices, http://www.artisticnippon.com is great!!! However I have also purchased from Zencha, Rishi, Hojo, Den's, and O-Cha and have had all good experiences.

[Chip]

Oh, not sure if it was mentioned already, I see you want to also brew genmaicha in the pot. If you want to brew genmaicha or any roasted or grain tea in the same pot you brew other teas, you should stick with glazed pots ... unless over time you want all your teas tasting toasty ...

[Senchamatcha]

I recently purchased a shib. from o-cha.com (the "small one" you mentioned), it has nice grooves near the pour spout. So far if I brew the recommended ~1/2 western teaspoon (sencha sae midori, a fukamushi) in it I have no clogging problems and only a small bit a leaf matter leaks out into the tea.
However I attempted a 1 tsp in my tiny 3.5 oz shib. and it clogged starting with the second infusion. Of the tea that did pour out initially I did not like the taste of the resulting brew, way too strong and slightly sour. I much prefer the lighter brew that I had earlier in the day with just ~1/2 tsp.

Notes: don't use too much tea, don't shake the pot, and when pouring tip slowly.

Good luck Cold_tea!

[Bobblertea]

Good answers above.. Deep steamed senchas break down to tiny particles that clog up normal tea pots. The deal breaker problem is when brewing for 30-seconds, and it takes 60-seconds to pour (and trust me you’ll get tired of trying to coax the teapot to work with deep steamed teas).. I had one of those small glass tea pots from Taiwan, with the stainless steel spring in the spout. I found I could constantly flip the spring with my finger and usually keep the poor flowing. But as others have stated you end up with more tea particles in your cup then you would like. If you get the fukamushi teapot you will have the brew time under control, and if you want leaf in the cup add a pinch (because none will come thru the screen).. This being said I don’t love my fukamushi pot, because green tea doesn’t develop a patina (that I know of), rather smells not that great (even tho I dry it each time at least overnight).. I’m kind of a minimalist, so I still try to use my? Thing that looks like a gaiwan but has groves for pouring. One thing you can do is start the pour very slowly to minimize clogging. I was just now looking for a new fukamushi pot (and saw this post), I would like to get away from the metal screens.. If anyone can suggest such a pot.