Question about unglazed kyusu / teaware for rooibos

[zicheng]

I'm thinking about picking up a kyusu for brewing teas like rooibos, herbal teas, and other teas that I will be drinking casually. I was going to pick up a glazed kyusu like the ones at denstea, but then I noticed I can get a much better looking unglazed kyusu at artisticnippon for not much more; some of their small kyusus can be had for under 40 dollars.

My question are:

How porous is the clay used in Japanese kyusus? If they are as poros as Yixing clays, then I may avoid using the pots for different teas. But I won't mind if there is a little mixing of flavours.

Are the sesame filters adequate to filter out rooibos? I think this is going to be my main hot drink.

About rooibos, which I don't have access to right now (but have tried) since I live in China, can it be brewed multiple times (2-3)? The more affordable nice teapots are only 5 oz, and I would probably want to drink at least two times that much tea at a time.

And lastly, is there teaware that is better for brewing rooibos? I think it would be difficult to brew in a gaiwan, for instance. How fine do you need the filters to be? Would the denstea kyusu's metal filters do a good job?

[Tead Off]

Go for the Bankoyaki. 100% natural clay made by a living treasure. It will change the water and make green teas even better. They are high temp fired and reduced in the kiln.

[Geekgirl]

I don't really drink much rooibos, but I do occasionally make it for guests. My preference is a stainless steel mesh filter because the tea is so fine and needle-like, I wouldn't want to try to scrub it out of a good clay filter.

[Victoria]

A sasame filter will not filter rooibos. You will need to also pour thought a strainer.
And if you get an unglazed pot, you will have to devote it to rooibos.

[hooksie]

Agreed. The clay filters I have seen all appear to have filter holes too big for rooibos.

In my experience, Rooibos tea doesn't last as long as "regular" teas, but that's because I tend to go for one really long steep.

[cupioneer]

Go for the Bankoyaki. 100% natural clay made by a living treasure. It will change the water and make green teas even better. They are high temp fired and reduced in the kiln.

Uhh, the poster wasn't asking about green tea. It seems like 75% of your posts are shill for Banko pots regardless of the question.

I agree with the other posters besides Teadoff, both because of the filter issues and the absorption of the tea in the clay. I've used my Banko pot (which I love) for sencha for about a month now, and it already smells deeply of sencha. Even plain water out of the pot tastes a little different. I would probably go with a glazed pot with a mesh strainer for your purposes.

[Chip]

Seems like a glazed or glass version would be better since the OP is going to be cross brewing possibly aromatic herbals/rooibos and a clay one would likely pick up some odors which might not be advantageous in this case.

There is no reason to seek out a pricey pot like Banko for this purpose, and a stainless screen is likely a must for rooibos, something not even available in a Banko.

[Oni]

If you are brewing rooibos and other tea, and not expencieve japanese green tea, than do not buy expencieve handmade teapots. Tokoname clay is very good quality, and so is banko clay, just like yixing clay they absorb flavour, my banko teapot had smell after 2 packs of sencha, so it retains the aroma very well.

[Tead Off]

Go for the Bankoyaki. 100% natural clay made by a living treasure. It will change the water and make green teas even better. They are high temp fired and reduced in the kiln.

Uhh, the poster wasn't asking about green tea. It seems like 75% of your posts are shill for Banko pots regardless of the question.

I agree with the other posters besides Teadoff, both because of the filter issues and the absorption of the tea in the clay. I've used my Banko pot (which I love) for sencha for about a month now, and it already smells deeply of sencha. Even plain water out of the pot tastes a little different. I would probably go with a glazed pot with a mesh strainer for your purposes.

I'm a shill for quality but you're right about the Rooibos. Banko is good for the other teas mentioned by the OP.

[JRS22]

I use a mug with a stainless steel filter like this one http://www.harney.com/curveteamug.html for rooibos. The filter is effective and easy to clean. Unlike green tea rooibos doesn't need a lot of space to brew in. There are other brands with good stainless steel filters - look for the .3 mm.

[zicheng]

Thanks for the responses. I can't justify spending a lot on a pot which will not be optimal for the tea I intend to brew. I'll pick up something glazed instead. The unglazed Kyusus are very beautiful. If I ever get into Japanese green teas, I'll definitely get one.

[zicheng]

I'm thinking that a glazed kyusu (I really like the side-handle design) without a filter might serve my purpose. I can brew rooibos in it and then pour the tea over a filter. And do the same whenever I brew other teas in it. Does anyone know if the glazed kyusu-s sold by denstea or similar ones have detachable metal screens? All kyusu-s I've seen have filters of some kind.

[Chip]

I'm thinking that a glazed kyusu (I really like the side-handle design) without a filter might serve my purpose. I can brew rooibos in it and then pour the tea over a filter. And do the same whenever I brew other teas in it. Does anyone know if the glazed kyusu-s sold by denstea or similar ones have detachable metal screens? All kyusu-s I've seen have filters of some kind.

Good question, I think the ones from Den's are detachable. Some stainless steel screens are attached with some kind of adhesive, but I do not believe this is the case with Den's.

There are also kyusu that are sold w/o the screen (and no means of attaching one either), generally low end ones.