Battra, I got instructions that if you have rust spots in tetsubin you should brush them off with a soft brush and boil tea in it (and never touch inside of tetsubin with your hands).
I am a bit suprised that you can boil water that fast in your tetsubin - I measured 500ml and it took almost exactly 15min. to bring the water boil. Maybe this tetsubin has thicker walls or something, at least it feels heavy
Battra, I got instructions that if you have rust spots in tetsubin you should brush them off with a soft brush and boil tea in it (and never touch inside of tetsubin with your hands).
Battra, I got instructions that if you have rust spots in tetsubin you should brush them off with a soft brush and boil tea in it (and never touch inside of tetsubin with your hands).
Thanks, I wiped the inside with a towel and it came out completely black and brown - the inside doesn't look that rusty anymore at least. In fact I read something about not cleaning your tetsubin, as seasoned tetsubin gives a better taste, but I think this was a little too much rust.
I also read that you shouldn't touch the inside with your hands, but I'm afraid this tetsubin had already been exposed to hands a bit. In Sweden we have a day when kids walk around and collect candy in a kettle, and this was the main use of this tetsubin from 1980 and onward. Well, if I continue to get good results with this I'll buy a new tetsubin.
This was what I read at the teamasters blog, by the way:
http://teamasters.blogspot.com/2008/05/ ... ttles.html
I just read that you can clean out rust by cooking rice porridge in your tetsubin, so I might try that too.
I also read that you shouldn't touch the inside with your hands, but I'm afraid this tetsubin had already been exposed to hands a bit. In Sweden we have a day when kids walk around and collect candy in a kettle, and this was the main use of this tetsubin from 1980 and onward. Well, if I continue to get good results with this I'll buy a new tetsubin.
This was what I read at the teamasters blog, by the way:
http://teamasters.blogspot.com/2008/05/ ... ttles.html
I just read that you can clean out rust by cooking rice porridge in your tetsubin, so I might try that too.
I have the same tainted taste, but i'm not complaining. If you use water that is hard the minerall deposits will create a protective layer on the surface. Use some dissolved rice flour available at asian markets or use the water from rinsing uncooked rice, use either one to rinse and clean the rusty insides. It also rids the kettle from unwanted storage odours and strong iron smells.
You see cast iron does make better tasting water, and is not your imagination.
You see cast iron does make better tasting water, and is not your imagination.
Oct 12th, '08, 22:58
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Oct 12th, '08, 23:07
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Oct 12th, '08, 23:32
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Chip, I think that's a matter of personal opinion -- some will say yes, some will say no.
I have a feeling the iron it adds isn't that significant. After all, lots of people cook exclusively with iron. That will probably add way more iron than any amount you'd get from drinking tea made with iron-kettle water.
I have a feeling the iron it adds isn't that significant. After all, lots of people cook exclusively with iron. That will probably add way more iron than any amount you'd get from drinking tea made with iron-kettle water.
I answer yes, trying out one was the only way to settle my doubts.Chip wrote:So, does it enhance flavor or not? Perhaps we should add a poll asking those who have a non lined one if it improves flavor or not??? I might add one.
My reasoning was that if the Japanese have used them since the 600's and their metallurgist had the early knowledge of stainless steel production, why did they continue cast iron tetsubin usage? It must be for a valid reason; enhancing tea.
I was actually very surprised that I felt such a big difference in the taste of tea made with water from a tetsubin.
I am convinced that a part of this is really psychological! Just as it will taste better to drink tea from a beautiful cup made by a skilled artisan than from an ugly mug with advertisement on, the look and feel of massive iron, the singing sound when it starts to boil and the smell of wet hot iron will contribute to the taste.
The water that taste best for me is the water that I have pumped up myself from a well, or took directly from a spring, and I am quite sure there is a psychological effect there too - I don't think that the water would feel as vibrant if I couldn't hear the sound of the spring while I was drinking it.
I'm not saying there isn't a real difference in the water, but what would that difference be, and what would be the explanation for this?
Is it higher iron content that makes the water taste better, or will the oxygen concentration be different in water boiled in an iron kettle?
Even if the difference should be purely psychological, that would of course still be a reason for me to use a tetsubin.
I am convinced that a part of this is really psychological! Just as it will taste better to drink tea from a beautiful cup made by a skilled artisan than from an ugly mug with advertisement on, the look and feel of massive iron, the singing sound when it starts to boil and the smell of wet hot iron will contribute to the taste.
The water that taste best for me is the water that I have pumped up myself from a well, or took directly from a spring, and I am quite sure there is a psychological effect there too - I don't think that the water would feel as vibrant if I couldn't hear the sound of the spring while I was drinking it.
I'm not saying there isn't a real difference in the water, but what would that difference be, and what would be the explanation for this?
Is it higher iron content that makes the water taste better, or will the oxygen concentration be different in water boiled in an iron kettle?
Even if the difference should be purely psychological, that would of course still be a reason for me to use a tetsubin.
In my case I was intriqued with the electric steel kettle available at imperial tea http://www.imperialtea.com/AB1002000Sto ... gory_ID=18 The spout pours precise and straight, the shiny surface, the convenience of the base, and the automatic setting that prevents temp dropping below optimum temp
The initial attraction or psychological impression didn't add to the improvement of water, in the beginning I disliked the Tetsubin for its clumsiness and weight but it proved to benefit water the most. Speaking personally, the iron and porous nature of cast iron is the catalyst for this.
The initial attraction or psychological impression didn't add to the improvement of water, in the beginning I disliked the Tetsubin for its clumsiness and weight but it proved to benefit water the most. Speaking personally, the iron and porous nature of cast iron is the catalyst for this.
It would help the water, but it would be very bad for the stainless kettle.Salsero wrote:Would it work to put a hunk of iron in the stainless kettle?orguz wrote: The initial attraction
When Iron or iron molecules are in contact with stainless steel, a reaction occurs that will cause the stainless steel to corrode. I worked with Laboratory Equipment used for testing the colorfastness of Laundered fabrics, and because the stainless tanks had to remain rust free despite the presence of key steel parts, a 'Sacrificial plate' of aluminum was placed on nylon pillars in the bottom of the water chamber.
Since the Aluminum is more reactive than the stainless steel, free iron molecules were attracted to the aluminum plates instead of the stainless steel. The aluminum corroded rapidly had had to be changed out several times a year.
If you place iron in contact with stainless steel without the sacrificial plate to attract the reactive elements, the stainless steel will corrode.
Oct 14th, '08, 12:48
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