Tuesday TeaDay 4/27/10 TeaTechiness and gender bias?

[Chip]

Welcome all males and females to TeaDay. Please share what is in your cup with us.

Yesterday we discussed gender bias in brewing styles. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today on TeaDay, we will follow up with a discussion that was begun yesterday, again with a gender twist. It is something many of us roll our eyes about when listening to the opposing points of view. Technology in TeaPrep...those little things like digital scales, digital thermometers, digital timers...water measuring devices...

Remember, have fun with this!!!!!!!!!!! And share your tea techiness or lack thereof!

I am looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up.

[debunix]

I have surrounded myself gradually with the digital thermometer, digital scale, and yes, the digitally programmable tea kettle.

Still, I eyeball measure most of the teas most of the time. The scale is most useful for tasting notes, so I can be sure what I'm actually infusing, and is useful for calibrating the volume of pots, gaiwns & other vessels too.

But I cannot eyeball the water temperatures--I make teas in different places, different water sources, different brewing vessels, and I love my thermometers. They've made possible my adventures in green tea, japanese tea, and a new resurgent interest in white tea. That would not have happened without them.

But as a longtime lab rat, I have many years of comfort with this sort of tech.

Today I brewed up some Mixed Flower Puerh with very hot water (205-212 degrees), Grand Pouchong from Chado (195 degrees) and Oriental Beauty oolong (195 degrees). Yesterday included sencha at 160, Tie Guan Yin at 185-195, Hwang Cha at 180, 170, 205 (trying to find a sweet spot), and Silver Dragon at 165.

[Trey Winston]

I have been known to use scales, a timer and a thermometer, but I usually just guesstimate if I brew a tea that's familiar to me.

Having some sencha today. I read in the news that a new study indicates that green tea protects against glaucoma, so now I know I'll never get that!* Huzza!


* That is how studies work, right?

[tsusentei]

I am with LuYu and Chao Chou on this one. You can tell everything about your steep from the bubbles in the water and the tea to air ratio in the pot. You pour it out when it is done, not a moment sooner or later, unless you feel like it.

I will start the morning with a bowl of maccha (with a bamboo whisk, not a battery operated stirrer, yuck )

[debunix]

You can tell everything about your steep from the bubbles in the water and the tea to air ratio in the pot

After years of burning my tongue and bitter teas from oversteeping, I rejoice in the tool that help me avoid both fates at the same time. I sing the thermometer electric!

[CynTEAa]

When officially tea tasting, I use all the equipage. When brewing just for me, I tend to eyeball.

No Pink Shino yet. Maybe today!

[msmeghann82]

I'm female and use a timer and thermometer (most of the time). Enjoying TeaSource's Earl Grey white tips this cool morning. Happy Tuesday (Monday's over, Yay!).

[brad4419]

Im a male, who is very picky when it comes to my teas so I use all the techs available. digital scale, thermometer and stop watch. I get so frustrated when a tea I brew so often comes out bitter, too strong or too light so I prefer the techs. If I eyeballed it I could get good tea most days but why not have tea the way I want them everyday?

long jing in my cup today.

[JBaymore]

Eyeballer here.

best,

................john

PS: Again...... already interesting trend showing.

[Chip]

PS: Again...... already interesting trend showing.

Yeah, though not what I was expecting. More on this later.

I am male with all the tech tools, which I use consistantly for Japanese greens and for other greens if I feel so inclined. For Japanese greens especially, I want them to be the very best each time, if possible. Tech tools make this happen for me.

For most other teas, I am more basic and mostly eyeball it, unless I am testing new teas or am having a problem with a tea. Then the tools help me to quantify my parameters in order to improve the results.

"Shincha" in Seigan Tebineri, aka "Tebi" with most of the tools of the trade. Forgot to add the scale, and the cooling pitcher has iron dots that I use to measure the amount of water.

[artmom]

I have some tech tools. I have a thermometer which I use for everything except black teas. I have a digital scale, which I haven't learned how to use, yet! I use a timer on everything except black. So, I eyeball what I feel comfortable with, and go techie with what I'm not!

MF Marco Polo this a.m.

[Chip]

I sing the thermometer electric!

Ha, TZ reference!

Began the TD with the prototype ... protoplasmic ... Yutaka Midori from a still undisclosed source. Though I have just found out this will be offered. It is stellar! It might actually be better than my perenniel fave YM from O-Cha. "Say it isn't so!!!" SweeTea I believe concurs based on her enthusiasm for this green elixer. Other visitors to the TeaTable included "Shincha" aka "Tebi" (pronounced tebby) and Fuji.

[Mrs. Chip]

I sing the thermometer electric!

Ha, TZ reference!

"Say it isn't so!!!" SweeTea I believe concurs based on her enthusiasm for this green elixer. Other visitors to the TeaTable included "Shincha" aka "Tebi" (pronounced tebby) and Fuji.

Yummmmmmmmy, YM ... Great Stuff, what a way to start the TeaDay.

Currently in my cup, genmaicha. Yea, too busy to brew anything else, working on celebrity flowers for Friday night's big event in our small town!

[depravitea]

I tried measuring, and using thermometers, timing my steeps to the second, and just being super specific about every detail... and I realized I wasn't enjoying it as much.
So now I just know what works (for me) and I don't bother much with any tools other than my own brain.
Much happier this way, much more of a relaxing process.

[Chip]

I tried measuring, and using thermometers, timing my steeps to the second, and just being super specific about every detail... and I realized I wasn't enjoying it as much.
So now I just know what works (for me) and I don't bother much with any tools other than my own brain.
Much happier this way, much more of a relaxing process.

I find it interesting how each person finds enjoyment and relaxation in their tea ... and how it differs.

I have thought for some time that it is tied to personality traits at least partially. For me it is at least partially, though I often feel there is a scientist deep inside me that has surfaced as a TeaScientist,