Keep your kyusu clean.

[Stentor]

I'm curious, have those of you who have not experienced negative effects from a stained kyusu brewed lots of fukamushi sencha in it or mostly asamushi?
Lately I've been thinking that fukamushi may be the culprit. Not only do brewed fukamushi leaves become a wet sticky clump, there are also powder-like particles suspended in the tea (almost like matcha), whereas asamushi is very clean and clear, leaving less residue behind.
I'm really not sure though, as I think that normal rinsing and cleaning without letting the leaves sit in the teapot for too long should remove that residue.
In any case, I've just cleaned two kyusu and will try not to brew fukamushi in one of them. I guess I'll see the effect in a few months.

[Tead Off]

mainly fukamushi and gyokuro.

[teaisme]

I have not had fuka in a long time (though I do have the cravings).
Mixing different Asa has affected my banko in a negative way.

perhaps the funkiness is coming from the water used to rinse the pot after wards, if you use a different water to brew tea maybe this could be an issue

[entropyembrace]

I drink mostly fuka so its not that.

[Stentor]

Hmm OK thanks.

[Chasm]

In the cup tests I did earlier in the thread, I would have picked up any faint hint of mold or mildew, since I'm extremely sensitive to the stuff. There wasn't any.

But there was a rapid change in the effect on the flavor of the tea given by the banko cups. I wouldn't characterize it as adding a funk, but subtracting out a feeling of lightness and sweetness to the water. That's why it took me a bit to figure it out -- there was nothing wrong with the tea; it just could be even better by extra cup scrubbing.

So is patina that enhances the flavor of the tea patina, and patina that doesn't, funk? I'd say no, unless it's adding in something smacking of mold or mildew, it doesn't qualify. But that doesn't mean it should be kept either. Sounds like a personal preference gray area.

[NOESIS]

My early experiences with Japanese greens (when I drank mostly fuka, hojicha, and genmaicha, and brewed them all in Tokoname pots) led me to switch to asa and porcelain/Hagi. Problem was definitely solved, but I can't be sure of the causation. This is a very interesting subject.

[Bakkoi]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has experienced this.

I've mostly drank Japanese green tea in the past, and I've noticed that my kyusu, especially my fukamushi pot, tends to take on a fishy smell unless I wash it out every time with a tiny drop of unscented 'organic' dish soap and do a minute-long boiling water rinse to sterilize the pot. Otherwise it's eau de fish market.

I don't seem to have this problem with Chinese tea or teaware, though.

[Tead Off]

It seems it's only with Japanese teas that this funky smell has developed from. Since Japanese teas are steamed, I would imagine that this process is responsible for the accumulation in the kyusus that some people are getting. Sencha often has an oceanic or seaweed flavor to it. I could see how this could build up to an unpleasant odor or taste coming from the kyusu. But, I've not encountered this problem and I use kyusus to brew senchas in. Am I cleaning my pots better than others? Are my pots better than others? I don't think so. I even use more leaf than most people do. I really don't know what to make out of all this. I never use soap.

I suggest someone ask Hojo about this problem.

[AdamMY]

It seems it's only with Japanese teas that this funky smell has developed from. Since Japanese teas are steamed, I would imagine that this process is responsible for the accumulation in the kyusus that some people are getting. Sencha often has an oceanic or seaweed flavor to it. I could see how this could build up to an unpleasant odor or taste coming from the kyusu. But, I've not encountered this problem and I use kyusus to brew senchas in. Am I cleaning my pots better than others? Are my pots better than others? I don't think so. I even use more leaf than most people do. I really don't know what to make out of all this. I never use soap.

I suggest someone ask Hojo about this problem.

I do have a few idea's, it might depend on the type of water people are using, or how quickly people clean out their kyusu's after use. When I would let mine sit with leaves in it for several hours after use, before thoroughly cleaning I noticed a little bit of a build up. But if I clean it right after use, and scrub there seems to be no problem.

So an alternate question is: Is anyone experiencing this build up where they do not leave leaf matter in their tea pots for an extended length of time after each session? Also I do suggest rubbing with your fingers when rinsing it out just to sort of rub away any potential build up.

[Chip]

... I just do not have this problem, and I brew a lot of fukamushi (and asa too). The only time I did (and not for the last 4-5 years) was ...

when I brewed a lot of different types of greens and oolongs in the same kyusu.

and

before I used filtered water. Filtering seems to remove scale build up where tea residues "hide" ... for me anyway. I do still have some patina built up however.

I too think water used and/or cleaning/drying methods play a major role in the problem.

[tortoise]

No problem with this at all. Brew fuka all the time and give the kyusu a hot rinse when I'm done, sometimes many hours later. Let the thing dry completely before putting the lid back on. That's my only suggestion because this isn't happening in my Japanese pots at all.

[NOESIS]

Interesting. I've always used bottled spring water for brewing Japanese greens, and have never left spent tea leaf sit in the pot for an extended time. I'm way too AR for that. After a good rinse with warm tap water, I'd fill the pot with boiling filtered water from the Zojirushi and let it sit for a few minutes. Maybe it is just a matter of sensitivity to certain flavors.

At least a good cleaning with baking soda every so often can eliminate any off tastes lurking in your unglazed teapots.

[Chip]

hmmm, just checked, I have 'shrooms growing in mine. Hopefully non poisonous. Maybe they are magic.

[Tead Off]

I often leave leaves in the pot for hours. I never use boiling water to clean them. Always hot tap water with my finger rubbing the interior but not very much, just get the leaves out and any superficial liquor left behind. I do let them dry with the lids off. In BKK, it doesn't take very long to dry things!