New to tea ... so what beginner teapot?

[paisan70]

Hello, teachatters! I am new to this forum, but it's better than that. I'm new to tea altogether. But after looking all over the internet for a relatively definitive answer to an important question, I know that I found the right place.

[skip this if you have a short attention span] I have never liked tea. Not even iced tea, and that's saying a lot from The South (I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida). But then something happened ... I grew up. That is to say, I've grown to like many things that as a child or adolescent I didn't like ... dare I say, even hated. But I've always been an amateur chef. Over the many years of loving good food, I wanted to learn how to pair wines. And so I have become a wine enthusiast. And then a cheese enthusiast. Even a beer enthusiast. Then about a year ago I was watching my favorite program on tv, Good Eats with Alton Brown, and after watching his True Brew episode on Tea, I suddenly found myself interested in trying it again. Yummy! So that's why I liked hot tea at the chinese restaurants when i was a kid. Tea goes GREAT with fruit desserts.

But alas, I now bring to you my quiry. Where do I start? Not with teas, because I want to try them all. I need to know what teapot to get. I do not come to you without having done some homework. It seems to me that although I may be able to get a cheap yixing pot, it will become seasoned and I may want to assign a particular yixing pot to a particular tea. In other words, it seems I may want to first try different teas for a year and find out what I like before investing in a yixing tea pot. What do you think? I'm trying to find out if I should buy a decent $30 to $40 enameled tetsubin, or a non-enameled tetsubin, or a gawain (sp?), or just a glass pot because I'm a beginner. I have honestly looked tediously over the internet and didn't find an answer or opinion on the subject, one that would guide me towards deciding one over the other. Oh I found plenty of information about what the enameled and non-enameled tetsubin do, but need your expert help in deciding whether it is right for me as a beginner. (for all I know it may be a perfect fit specifically BECAUSE of my novice status).

Additional information: I'm willing to spend up to and no more than $50.
I also plan on doing this right - no dust or shavings or tea bags for me - I'll only brew long leaf tea with no filter basket in order to let the leaves spread out.

I thank you for your patience in reading my long-winded quiry, and I look forward to your tea enlightened response.

-Brandon

[Zanaspus]

As I posted in your intro, I think a gaiwan is an ideal first brewing implement. Inexpensive, trusty, no tears when it breaks.

[Proinsias]

Another vote for a gaiwan, something around 100-150ml should be ideal.

Whilst a tetsubin may look nice as far I'm aware they were never really intended for brewing tea, they're for heating water, and as such are not really the best choice. This is only my opinion, for the tetsubin brewers out there.

Something like this from a shop with a good selection of quality teas would allow you to get a vessel capable of brewing the finest teas on the planet and still have cash left to buy a load of samples to brew in it.

[paisan70]

Thank you thank you thank you. I look forward to hearing more opinions.

On the issue of Tetsubin, Alton Brown uses them, but I don't think he mentioned whether it was enameled or not. I mention this because i was about to purchase one just before I learned about yixing and gaiwan. I understand that enameled are good for heating and brewing the tea; but does that make them "superior"? I understand that non-enameled are great for boiling and add healthy iron to the water, but NOT for brewing.

This is the first indication I've seen to go the way of the gaiwan over tetsubin and I'm glad of it (although I guess I eventually could use the non-enamelled in conjunction). I get the impression from you and others that it is "proper" and versatile. Plus since it's just for me or for me and my friend, the proportional size looks right.

[pb2q]

paisan: you should first consider the brewing style that you're after as a beginner. If you see yourself steeping the tea for a few minutes on a timer while you focus on something else, then maybe something like a small porcelain or glass teapot would be a good start.

Hold off on getting a yixing until you have experience with different teas and know where your tastes settle: which teas you want to drink most often.

If you're at all amenable to the idea of using a gaiwan, then that's also a good choice. A good gaiwan can be found for cheap, and (assuming that you don't break it) will be with you across any number of teapot purchases. You can use it to brew western style, as above, or gongfu style (search the board if you need more info about that).

In the beginning you want a neutral vessel that you can use with lots of different teas. Pick from: gaiwan, or glass/porcelain teapot.

[tingjunkie]

In the beginning you want a neutral vessel that you can use with lots of different teas. Pick from: gaiwan, or glass/porcelain teapot.

I completely agree, but the old addage holds true- different horses for different courses. Both gaiwan and glass/porcelain pots can be pretty inexpensive, so just get both and it will cover you for almost any situation.

Welcome to the exciting new world!

[Proinsias]

I would think that a glass pot, a traditional English style teapot or something like the Adagio IngenuiTEA would be a better alternative to a lined tetsubin for brewing larger volumes of tea than a gaiwan can accommodate.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to Alton Brown on tea, Teachat will probably serve you better. I think you will find it tough to find many people who drink Japanese and Chinese green tea and agree with Alton that the Japanese teas are more subtle as he says in Good Eats.

[iannon]

Japanese Tea's are more "subtle" HUH?

[Proinsias]

I feel like I'm spamming this thread now.

But

If you get a gaiwan listen to MarshalN instead of Alton

http://marshaln.xanga.com/701007573/using-a-gaiwan/

[Chip]

I would be remiss if I did not throw the best brewing vessel I have used into the fray, a Japanese Kyusu can brew anything on the planet.

[tingjunkie]

I would be remiss if I did not throw the best brewing vessel I have used into the fray, a Japanese Kyusu can brew anything on the planet.

Yeah, kyusu are excellent, but as a beginner looking to brew many different teas I would definitely get one that is glazed on the inside. The glaze should make the pots effect on the tea more "neutral" and it won't retain scents as much when you brew strongly flavored teas. Here's a nice one.

I hate to disagree with you Chip, but if you've been following my "gongfu kyusu" thread, my UNglazed kyusu is not holding its own with good oolongs so far. So, it's "almost anything on the planet."

[Cinnamon Kitty]

As much as I love Alton Brown, I would disregard his advice on tea. You definitely want something that can brew many types of teas, especially given that you want to try to them all and cast iron will retain way too much heat for the more temperature sensitive teas.

I'd get an inexpensive porcelain gaiwan and the kyusu that tingjunkie linked above. I have a similar kyusu, one of the others sold through Den's, and have successfully brewed everything in it with no issues. At a 10oz capacity, it is a good size for a starting pot since it brews a nice sized cup of tea for one, or two smaller cups for two people, and at $19, you can use the rest of your budget to get a gaiwan to experiment with as well. With those two pieces, you will be hard pressed to find a tea that won't brew well in either of them.

[paisan70]

Thank you thank you. I say again, I knew I found the right site and forum and I am quite grateful for the guidance from each of you. A few things:

1) here is a link to the Alton Brown episode I watched. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RA7aJqfnX4/

[so what did i do wrong to make a link?]

2) Thank you, tingjunkie, but I'm a bit confused. Are you saying that there is a different brewing method between a gaiwan and a glass teapot?

Similarly, Cinnamon, is there a different brewing method between a gaiwan and a kyusu? They are both BEAUTIFUL and I'd be happy to get both especially because they don't seem that expensive, but why get both?

[Rainy-Day]

Never get a tetsubin for brewing tea. Tetsubins ruin the taste of tea, ask anyone here. Don't get just the yixing, because it won't work well for greens, whites, darjeelings, and it will be sort of ok for blacks but not as good as the alternatives. The best choice is glass or porcelain, they will work passably for puerh and oolong and perfectly well for all other types. Thick glazed clay pots are ok but not as good as glass or porcelain because you will need the extra step of preheating them thoroughly. I know many people like gaiwans but I could never get greens and whites to taste good in them.

First get a glass or porcelain pot for $25-$35, I recommend Jenaer pots. Then get a yixing or two..

[Chip]

so what did i do wrong to make a link?

It is likely because you are a new member and forum spam prevention.

Yes, Tingjunkie, I had been reading that topic with some interest. Fact is, I am not likely to brew gong fu style in any of my kyusu, maybe semi gong fu ... and a kyusu would brew almost all teas pretty acceptably. There is likely no one teapot that will do it all and do it all best.