yuuki-cha vs dens. Trying to find a good green tea vendor!

[SilentChaos]

looks like we all think alike here, I love that particular tea in my tachi banko, and I also have no problems pouring fukamushi out of mine "slow and gentle" the ball filter does a great job.

I only learnt how to do this (and about pouring ) much later. Before, I made terrible fuka and a fine mesh made it all good. Maybe I'm slow Just thought it might help ensuring a great first fuka experience.

[Tead Off]

looks like we all think alike here, I love that particular tea in my tachi banko, and I also have no problems pouring fukamushi out of mine "slow and gentle" the ball filter does a great job.

I only learnt how to do this (and about pouring ) much later. Before, I made terrible fuka and a fine mesh made it all good. Maybe I'm slow Just thought it might help ensuring a great first fuka experience.

I own a few Banko pots and some pour better than others. Shape of pot might have something to do with it. The problem of clogging with Fuka might mean a more bitter brew. But I also think some of the Fukas are more difficult to brew because of their leaf disintegration with the heavy steaming process. Some will clog almost any pot and many auxiliary filters.

[Kevangogh]

Fukuamushi teapots are generally taller than wide and have special filter screens on them with a lot of surface area.

[Stentor]

Taller "bucket" shaped pots vs. flat pots help with fuka, too. There are exceptions, though. Some flat pots also work well.
Other than having a pot with a stainless steel mesh filter, using a taller "bucket" shaped pot, with a fine ceramic filter, filled only to 2/3 capacity at the most, works best with fuka, in my opinion. This way most of the leaves will be driven towards the pot's wall right below the filter (and be trapped there while pouring), and the filter itself will block most of the particles that may be swirling around.

Cagan, you mentioned you do 16 oz steeps and pour into 8 oz cups and then make a second steeping the next morning.
You might want to reduce this by half (or further) and use 8 oz of water to 4-8 grams of tea (depending on how strong you like it and how accustomed you are to the intense taste). Then you can enjoy (!) a second steeping, which is often better than the first, right after the first, then a third, fourth... (until you feel like the tea is getting too light).
You could use less water and smaller cups to do this all in one sitting. That's why around here we all have small (5-9 oz are common sizes) teapots and steep multiple times.

As far as brewing. 70°C, steeping for 1 minute is a good starting point. Lighter steamed tea (more intact leaf) you can do longer if you want, deeper steamed (more broken up leaf) you may want to do like 40 seconds.
Second and third infusion you can pour the tea right away.
You don't have to let it sit for any amount of time. Just add water to the teapot again, put the lid on, pour. Easy.
Fourth may need a few more seconds.

I had not recommended vendors in my previous post. My current two favorites are O-Cha.com and Maiko.
I would also suggest that you don't start with the very high end teas right away. Tea is something that you have to get to know and get accustomed too. I would start at the medium price range.
Definitely get a light steamed (Asamushi) and a deep steamed (Fukamushi) sencha, so you can see which of these two general types you prefer and also to have some variety if you happen to like both (as I do!).

[Stentor]

Also, let me just add... You keep asking if a certain tea will taste like the one from Den's. Just buy the one from Den's.
Try something else after that if you feel like it.

[Tead Off]

Fukuamushi teapots are generally taller than wide and have special filter screens on them with a lot of surface area.

You must be talking about kyusu with metal screens. I tend not to buy such kyusu. In lieu of metal screens, which type of clay filter do you think works best with fuka?

[Chip]

Fukuamushi teapots are generally taller than wide and have special filter screens on them with a lot of surface area.

You must be talking about kyusu with metal screens. I tend not to buy such kyusu. In lieu of metal screens, which type of clay filter do you think works best with fuka?

No, IMHO they do not have to have stainless steel screens. Relatively larger clay ones work versus smaller clay ones. I recently purchased a kyusu with a large, very good ball screen ... very fast pour and 100% pour.

I find screen location is very important. It should be higher up in the pot. If it is lower, the leaves immediately rush to the screen. Higher up, many of the leaf particles cling to the side of the pot. This is why a taller kyusu is ideal for fukamushi ... but if the screen is at the bottom, this defeats the purpose.

There are also methods of pouring that help. Cocking the handle down a bit (sort of like a boat throttle) so the spout is not directly down will allow the pieces to cling to the side of the kyusu, then when most of the liquid is out, point the spout directly down to release the remaining liquid. Repeat a few times to extract the last dribbles.

Of course, a wide stainless screen is often the easiest to pour with fukamushi ... but I never feel I have to use one.

[blairswhitaker]

Fukuamushi teapots are generally taller than wide and have special filter screens on them with a lot of surface area.

You must be talking about kyusu with metal screens. I tend not to buy such kyusu. In lieu of metal screens, which type of clay filter do you think works best with fuka?

No, IMHO they do not have to have stainless steel screens. Relatively larger clay ones work versus smaller clay ones. I recently purchased a kyusu with a large, very good ball screen ... very fast pour and 100% pour.

I find screen location is very important. It should be higher up in the pot. If it is lower, the leaves immediately rush to the screen. Higher up, many of the leaf particles cling to the side of the pot. This is why a taller kyusu is ideal for fukamushi ... but if the screen is at the bottom, this defeats the purpose.

There are also methods of pouring that help. Cocking the handle down a bit (sort of like a boat throttle) so the spout is not directly down will allow the pieces to cling to the side of the kyusu, then when most of the liquid is out, point the spout directly down to release the remaining liquid. Repeat a few times to extract the last dribbles.

Of course, a wide stainless screen is often the easiest to pour with fukamushi ... but I never feel I have to use one.

+ 1

[Kevangogh]

Yes, I'm talking about the ceramic teapots with the stainless steel screen. They're made especially for fukamushi, they work great, nothing wrong with them at all. There really is no ceramic only teapot that's going to work better than one of these for deep steamed green tea.

[Cagan]

We're looking @ this teapot. I know this isn't the teapot thread but you guys seem so helpful! Would this be good? http://www.denstea.com/teapots-cups-pre ... 5_433.html

Or any on this page http://www.denstea.com/teapots-cups-c-275.html seem like they'd be good? These seem reasonably priced and a large selection. We'd like an 8oz or 9oz pot. Any links would be helpful if you have suggestions! Thanks.

[Xell]

We're looking @ this teapot. I know this isn't the teapot thread but you guys seem so helpful! Would this be good? http://www.denstea.com/teapots-cups-pre ... 5_433.html

Or any on this page http://www.denstea.com/teapots-cups-c-275.html seem like they'd be good? These seem reasonably priced and a large selection. We'd like an 8oz or 9oz pot. Any links would be helpful if you have suggestions! Thanks.

Looks good, filter is quite big. Though unglazed kyusu better not to use for teas with different strong aroma. If you will be using mainly for sencha, better avoid using same teapot for genmaicha or hojicha for example. Also first time see white clay from Tokoname

[Chip]

I purchased the white one 4 or so years ago. It is smaller than your 8-9 ounces though.

Technically, this is a whitish Tokoname clay, but it has a whiter "slip" applied.

We really like the pot ... so much so, I later purchased the yuzamashi and tiny cups. I find this is an ideal pot for smaller steeps of finer to finest sencha-s. So it does not get used as often as I would like.

The wide opening makes for easy clean-up. However, it is not the greatest pot for fukamushi due to this wide opening and its relatively low profile.

[Chip]

The wide opening makes for easy clean-up. However, it is not the greatest pot for fukamushi due to this wide opening and its relatively low profile.

Funny but true ... I am guessing Den read this topic based on a few comments he made to me at the World Tea Expo earlier this month. It was not until rereading this topic just now that I realized this as he was extremely tactful and polite.

He also brewed fukamushi in this white pot for hours on end without any problems. In our quest for the perfect kyusu, I sometimes think we overthink.

Den is also a super nice guy. I always look forward to seeing him and having him brew up sencha at tea shows.

[SilentChaos]

He also brewed fukamushi in this white pot for hours on end without any problems.

Must have em crazy pouring skills? I always hesitate about when to stop pouring and how much/little water to leave behind in the kyusu.