Question about the Fukugata

[Mary R]

The kikumaru is my sencha pot. The sasame screen is very fine, which is especially nice when brewing the near-'dust' that is fukamushi.

[CynTEAa]

The kikumaru is a classy pot, mine is still waiting for me to break it in. The pot is stunning. It is as close to perfection as any pot I have ever touched, held in my hand.

Chip, I have teapot envy! It is gorgeous! From Rishi?

[TheSteamyPot]

I just purchaced the Fukugata today, I can't wait to get it

[Wesli]

Congratulations, SteamyPot, you won't be disappointed.

[Chip]

CYN, Yep, from Rishi. I wanted a very simple, elegant white clay kyusu, very hard to come by.

This one fit the bill, she is just drop dead gorgeous...I am still a little nervous around her.

[Buzz Fledderjohn]

Since we are on the kyusu/Fukugata/Kikumaru subject again, I was reading somewhere the other day that suggested brewing gyokuro, sencha, and bancha each in their own separate pots. Does anyone here do this? Do you think this is necessary or do you just use one kyusu for all of your Japanese greens? I could see brewing houjicha or houji-kukicha in a separate pot because it is roasted but...one for each type of Japanese green?

[brandon]

I'm with you, I happily dump any steamed Japanese green tea leaf into my kikumaru. I disbelieve claims that Tokoname unglazed teawares are porous enough for this to matter. Flavors, teagunk, and scale will build up inside the pot, but it takes some greater effort to get something to permeate the clay such that fukamushi vs gyokuro in the same pot would be a problem.

[TheSteamyPot]

Congratulations, SteamyPot, you won't be disappointed.

Thank you, I don't think I will be either

[Wesli]

My fukugata, which has brewed kilo's of sencha, has only built up a very light seasoning, it is not something to worry about.

What you may have read, is that different teas preferred to be brewed in differently shaped pots. Gyokuro pots often take on a flattened shape, being low and wide. I believe this is for better expansion of the larger amount of leaf one uses when brewing gyokuro.

By the way, while Mary may like having a finer screen for brewing fukamushi, I, most definitely, do not. I enjoy watching all the little fuka bits fall into my chawan and begin to swim around as I pour out the fukamushi. Unfortunately, the bits will settle out, so I get to enjoy creating a rhythmic breathing cycle to mix them back up again.

It is my opinion that having bits in the tea create a bolder flavor profile to enjoy. So drink 'em up!

[Space Samurai]

For pots like the fukugata or the kikumaru I don't see a problem, but I'm not taking any chances with my more expensive kyusu. If I ever find the need to drink bancha or something roasted on a regular basis, those teas will get their own pot.

[TheSteamyPot]

Well I hope its not blasphmy to brew Chinese oolong in a Japanese pot (the kyusu) lol. If it is...well, oh well thats what I bought it for, nothing but oolongs.

[Space Samurai]

shhhh, my most expensive kyusu is used for hong cha, don't tell Chip.

[Chip]

...draws light saber...

I would not think of using a kyusu used for sencha for houjicha either...nope, not happening under this roof.