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Jun 2nd, '09, 15:49
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is a tetsubin right for an exclusive green tea drinker?

by clareandromeda » Jun 2nd, '09, 15:49

As of right now I've been heating my water in my grandma's cast iron pan but am looking to upgrade to a kettle. I have a gas stove and drink solely green tea..

From my research It seems a silver kettle or a tetsubin with some sort of diffuser plate over the flame seem to be what I need...

I am finding few visually pleasing silver kettles online and am leaning toward a tetsubin...
Some sources do say that the cast iron could have a harmful effect on delicate green teas, has anyone found this to be true?

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Jun 2nd, '09, 19:33
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by chingwa » Jun 2nd, '09, 19:33

It would only affect the tea if you actually steeped the tea in cast iron, or added water at too high a temperature. Tetsubin is perfect for green tea, that's what it was developed for after all.

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by Chip » Jun 2nd, '09, 21:29

I believe the author wishes to boil the water in an unlined tetsubin. Some members swear by them. I have never had one, so I cannot personally say.

By the way, welcome to the other forum too. :wink:
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Jun 2nd, '09, 21:43
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Re: is a tetsubin right for an exclusive green tea drinker?

by Louis » Jun 2nd, '09, 21:43

clareandromeda wrote:As of right now I've been heating my water in my grandma's cast iron pan but am looking to upgrade to a kettle. I have a gas stove and drink solely green tea..

From my research It seems a silver kettle or a tetsubin with some sort of diffuser plate over the flame seem to be what I need...

I am finding few visually pleasing silver kettles online and am leaning toward a tetsubin...
Some sources do say that the cast iron could have a harmful effect on delicate green teas, has anyone found this to be true?

The most significant factor to affect green tea is the water temperature, but not the container for heating the water. Usually 75 degrees Celsius is the most suitable temperature for green tea, and you'd better use transparent glassglass to brewing greem tea, teapot is not necessary.

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Jun 2nd, '09, 21:47
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by chingwa » Jun 2nd, '09, 21:47

however, boiling water in a reduced-iron or "activated" iron teapot/ tetsubin will change the taste of the water... which of course will change the taste of the tea. I use a tetsubin religiously to boil water for my green tea and would never think of going back to an ordinary kettle now.

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Jun 2nd, '09, 23:11
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by Louis » Jun 2nd, '09, 23:11

Previously, Guangdong Chaozhou person boil water in zisha kettle, and the fuel is pit of olive or charcoal. Nowadays most people in China now use electric stainless kettle to boil the water, because it is easy and simple.

You are right, tetsubin is perfect, we often use it for puerh, as puerh have higher requset to the water. Besides, the water is aslo important, the better water should get from Stream or river, because water from such place is floating, and we called it "Living Water"。Meanwhile, put some carbon in to the water as purificant, and the water will be clean.

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Jun 3rd, '09, 01:50
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by Tead Off » Jun 3rd, '09, 01:50

Tetsubin water for green tea and Puerh cannot be beat. In lieu of not having a tetsubin, not living near a stream or river, unless the Chao Phya river in Bangkok magically transforms itself into 'living water', I use filtered water with bamboo charcoal placed into pitcher. I think this is as close as I'm going to get to 'good' water in Bangkok.

Ahh, I can see the crystal clear blue skies of the Himalayas with the rushing water of freezing streams flowing down into the valleys with the crisp fresh air and the sound of wind in the trees. :lol:

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Jun 3rd, '09, 05:57
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by clareandromeda » Jun 3rd, '09, 05:57

thanks Chip!

I was only planning on using the tetsubin to boil and i would brew in something else. What are the issues regarding lined and unlined? Rust is an issue right? I live in America also so i would have to order from overseas to get an unlined one?

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Jun 3rd, '09, 11:07
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by chamekke » Jun 3rd, '09, 11:07

clareandromeda wrote:I was only planning on using the tetsubin to boil and i would brew in something else. What are the issues regarding lined and unlined? Rust is an issue right? I live in America also so i would have to order from overseas to get an unlined one?
You may want to take a peek at the following threads:

Tetsubins?
cast iron kettle vs. tetsubin
Unlined Tetsubin Vendors
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Jun 3rd, '09, 11:54
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by Tead Off » Jun 3rd, '09, 11:54

clareandromeda wrote:thanks Chip!

I was only planning on using the tetsubin to boil and i would brew in something else. What are the issues regarding lined and unlined? Rust is an issue right? I live in America also so i would have to order from overseas to get an unlined one?
You want an unlined tetsubin to boil water in. Some have enamel coatings inside and some have Urushi (lacquer) coatings. These will prevent the interaction of the water with the iron.

I would think you can find an unlined tetsubin in the States. But, the secret of the unlined tetsubin is it has to undergo a reduction in order for the iron to be activated. You can tell if a tetsubin is reduced by the color of the inside, a charcoal gray-black. Go to hojotea.com and read about them on his site. Lots of useful info.

Rust is a problem if the kettle is not cared for. The site also talks about rust and its treatment.

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Jun 3rd, '09, 19:10
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by chingwa » Jun 3rd, '09, 19:10

a charcoal gray-black
actually, it's waay closer to a slightly bluish medium grey. it should be significantly lighter in value compared to the darker outside of the tetsubin.

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