Question about Tokoname teapot

[blairswhitaker]

I have to go against the grain here and say the yuuki cha has some great pots at great prices. I use both AN and Yuuki cha with great praise to both.

[Alex]

The price range I have in mind should be something up to 70$ including shipping to Europe.
Is this one a good choice?

*snip*

More recommendations are wellcome!
Thank you all!

Perfect little pot. Just want to warn you about posting links on here though. I've lost items that way

If you ask Toru for "small packet registered" shipping will be close to half that. Or around 40% cheaper and its still like a week to the UK.

[JRS22]

That's the very pot that I have and it's excellent for Sencha and for starting out with gyo.

The OP asked a second question about using the one pot for different teas. This pot is unglazed, so isn't there the same issue as with Yixing about not using one pot for too many types of tea?

[Chip]

I have to go against the grain here and say the yuuki cha has some great pots at great prices. I use both AN and Yukki cha with great praise to both.

A goal of mine is to help vendors. I have even helped Yuuki-Cha quite a bit to a degree that would surprise most.

Perhaps I would not be so adamant regarding Yuuki-Cha except the conduct of Yuuki-Cha is a direct result of Yuuki-Cha impersonating a new member of TeaChat (just like the OP of this topic) who PMed me and asking for a direct comparison of particular products from Yuuki-Cha and O-Cha.

I am contacted quite often via PM for assistance and freely endeavor to help every one. Although I smelled a rat at the time, I answered as honestly and tactfully as I could ... but Yuuki-Cha did not like my answer. Dan of Yuuki-Cha could not handle the truth about very weak products he had at the time.

In hindsight I should have told the member (who BTW had not posted on the forum) to post directly on the forum, but gullable me, I tried to help. The member never returned and never posted. I later tracked the member's IP to Yuuki-Cha's owner.

Bottom line, Yuuki-Cha receives much benefit from TeaChat, yet I was singled out for my honest opinions here on TeaChat in a very underhanded and covert manner. And Dan's actions have been unprofessional, borderline criminal and certainly childish, foolish.

I have repeatedly offered to discuss the matter directly with Dan of Yuuki-Cha hoping to resolve any issues and move forward. However Dan refuses to answer even after he held my hundreds of dollars for 28 days and never did ship the products I ordered nor offer a single word of explantion for his conduct.

It is he who has a vendetta against me. I simply report my experiences here on TeaChat where it all began especially when a question is asked about Yuuki-Cha, especially by a new member who likely does not know my experiences. I continue to offer to discuss the matter directly with Dan of Yuuki-Cha.

My personal policy as simply a member of TeaChat regarding Yuuki-Cha, I do not respond in any manner to a member stating they are drinking a tea or using a product from Yuuki-Cha. However if someone asks about Yuuki-Cha, like anyone else, I will give my honest opinion based on facts as I have documented (and I do have every communication).

I am sure this disturbs some readers, for this I apologize. But do not shoot the messenger.

[Chip]

... I have considered the T-Oolong discussion and how it compares. T-Oolong acted proactively and seemingly professionally to negative discussion that happpened to be occurring on TeaChat and strove to improve products and went above and beyond the call of duty with their customer service.

[Zubo]

I have decided to take that teapot from AN mentioned before. Thank you very much everyone for comments and help!

[Chip]

Excellent, be sure to post photos if you are able!

[Alex]

I have decided to take that teapot from AN mentioned before. Thank you very much everyone for comments and help!

Good choice. Enjoy!

[Zubo]

I've got it today.
I have just tried it by brewing gyokuro and results:
about 7-8g / 5.5 oz
1st steep: 60 degrees C , 90 sec brewing - very tasty, somewhat mild taste, outstanding aroma.

2nd steep: 65 degrees C, 60 sec brewing - completely bitter, I even didn't finish drinking it!
I guess I should have brewed for fewer seconds on second steep? I will definitely test until I get perfect result. Suggestions welcome!

[Poohblah]

http://www.ippodo-tea.co.jp/en/tea/gyokuro_01.html

note: "The proper quantity of water for 10g is around 80mL."
"no steeping is required for the 2nd and 3rd pot, as the leaves have already opened."

That should give you a starting point... gyo is generally brewed in small but strong amounts

(water, leaves, same thing)

[Alex]

Yeah you want an try an instant second brew and adjust from there.

[Chip]

Great new kyusu!

... most gyokuro I will brew at a "ratio" of 2:1 as a starting point. 2 grams leaf to 1 ounce water (30 ml). Then I adjust up or down depending on the gyokuro. If it is a good one, I definitely adjust up. If it is an OK one, I may adjust down. If it is not so good ... I will go as low as 1:1. If it is still not good ... I don't waste my time with it.

So, the 10 gram rule is also if you have money to burn. I will usually brew 2-2.5 ounce gyokuro steeps. This represents 4-5 grams leaf as a starting point for me. A lot easier to "swallow" considering how much really good gyokuro can cost. You can also increase the steep time to 2 minutes for this first steep ... depends on the gyokuro though.

But the really good gyokuro I will go with more leaf ... higher ratio.

At these higher ratios, 60* C may be a bit too hot. I am usually at 50-55* C for the first steep.

Even though your nice kyusu holds more, try smaller steeps. Just make sure you preheat it prior to using.

And yeah, way too long for second steep. But I often go 15-30 seconds max for the second. 60 for the third ... and increasing temps.

[Zubo]

Ok, I did more testing...

Well seems like decreasing ratio gets the job done. With >1:1 I get bitter tea, with 1:1 only second steep is bitter (I didn't brew more because its horrible after 1st steep) so seems like i will have to go for something like 0.6-0.8:1 ratio. According to your comments, the gyokuro is bad.
At first I was afraid the teapot causes bitterness

[Chip]

What gyokuro is it?

[Zubo]

What gyokuro is it?

A gyokuro from local vendor (unknown, I only know it was from steepster.com, and it's tested for radioactivity multiple times). I never tried another, but I already fell in love with this one. (well I sucessfuly brewed it many times before getting the pot) The next gyokuro I will buy will mostly probably be from o-cha. For now, I will do my best to find the way to brew the one I have in best way possible.