MisterPanda,
I think we just sort of cringe when we hear brewing in a kettle, as we think somehow the heat source is still on and the leaves are boiling to death (not that you would do this). But With black teas its often more convenient for me to add the leaves after the water is poured into the cup. Also I'm slightly unconventional I like my water to cool from boiling a few degrees with my black teas. And I have gotten some rather good brews that way. But you may need to take wooden stick (chopstick or unused Popsicle stick) to push the leaves completely underwater and agitate them slightly.
I think you should do what seems natural, and convenient for you.
Jul 21st, '09, 13:46
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ABx
Some alternatives to consider:
As Adam mentioned, you can actually just put the leaf in the cup. This is actually a very easy way to get a great cup. For green teas you might want to use a glass instead of a mug.
You could also use your current 20oz pot and only fill it half way (or however much you want to brew at a time - you don't need to fill it to the top), or get a large infuser basket for the teapot that would still leave lots of room for the leaf to move around and that you could remove when done steeping.
Other than that you might seriously consider getting another pot. You can get an infuser mug for as little as $5 at your local department store, or you can get a nice pot for $10-$20 (some are even less than $10).
I used an infuser mug for a long time as my primary brewing vessel, and still use it for some things (that or a ~8oz pot that I picked up for around $5).
As Adam mentioned, you can actually just put the leaf in the cup. This is actually a very easy way to get a great cup. For green teas you might want to use a glass instead of a mug.
You could also use your current 20oz pot and only fill it half way (or however much you want to brew at a time - you don't need to fill it to the top), or get a large infuser basket for the teapot that would still leave lots of room for the leaf to move around and that you could remove when done steeping.
Other than that you might seriously consider getting another pot. You can get an infuser mug for as little as $5 at your local department store, or you can get a nice pot for $10-$20 (some are even less than $10).
I used an infuser mug for a long time as my primary brewing vessel, and still use it for some things (that or a ~8oz pot that I picked up for around $5).