New to looseleaf, choosing the right tools.

[Jumpmonkey]

Hello All,

I'm new to loose-leaf tea and trying to get the right tools. I want to enjoy a couple hot cups of good tea without constantly boiling water between cups. I tried resolving this with a cast-iron pot. That just didn't solve the problem (did look nice while it wasn't helping though.)

I'm hoping to get a pot/kyusu/gaiwan for steeping Whites, Greens, and Chais. I figure one cup at a time is the way to go, so between 100 and 150ml.

The other half of the equation is the kettle. Is there a type of kettle (non-electric) that holds its temperature well enough that I could steep a few cups at a sitting without reheating? Would a ceramic or cast-iron kettle work?

As may have been guessed, my search for loose-leaf tea ran me into Teavana. After my first experience I have no desire to go back. (They seemed more interested in my wallet than helping me get the right tools/teas. The lady nearly died when I returned the cast-iron pot.) Are there more recommendable sources of loose-leaf?


Thanks for your time,
Adam

[jaderabbit]

this should do the trick
http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-CD-WBC4 ... 726&sr=8-2

[Chip]

Welcome to TEA and to TeaChat.

I vote for varieTEA kettle from Adagio. I heat it once and it will hold its temp for 5 green tea steeps.

However, it also has a keep warm feature for when I need to keep it hotter.

Sounds like you have a pretty good game plan for sizes of teapots. Most newbs want to go too big, even though in their mind they are scaling back.

[Jumpmonkey]

Jaderabbit and Chip

I appreciate the suggestions. I'm not keen on electric kettles (or doodads.) There are already so many. I would like to keep my tea simple if possible. Speaking of possible, am I seeking the impossible?

Chip,

Thank you for the greetings. I did start with a 30oz Cast Iron. I had it for one day. It was immediately obvious that I had gone about it all wrong. Now to find one that fits my style and price.


Thanks guys,
Adam

[msurads06]

One low-tech option to keep water hot is to get a thermos or caraffe, preferably glass lined and vaccum sealed. Boil/heat the water, pour in caraffe and close. I got one for work at walmart for about $10-15. It keeps me from making as many trips to the hot water dispenser. This works better for teas that dont need boiling water. My cheap one will keep water hot enough for green/white/oolong for several hours, if you splurge on a higher quality one, it may keep it hot even longer. Just make sure that the inner liner is glass since metal may adversely affect the flavor of you tea, especially for whites/greens. For black tea, you are probably looking at having to re-boil every time.

[Chip]

Wellllll, electric kettles are the fastest method. It is the one doodad I use constantly.

Cast iron or clay/ceramic kettles are another option, but can take a long time to reach proper temp.

Of course there is also the old fashioned kettle on the stove, but again slower ... but likely faster than cast iron or ceramic.

[hopeofdawn]

I started out with a stainless-steel kettle on the stovetop, and stuck with it for a long time for much the same reason--I didn't want to clutter up my counters with another single-purpose device. But it was loud, it took quite a while to heat to boiling, and it lost heat relatively quickly--so I finally caved and bought a simple electric kettle.

I wasn't sure if it was worth it at first, but now I find it invaluable--especially when all I have to do in the morning is wander into the kitchen and click a button! (Plus it's a lot quieter--no more rattling/pinging/whistling)

[JRS22]

+1 on the Varietea

My Varietea, and my Utilitea before that, earned their place on my limited counter real estate since I use them many times a day. A big plus is that they don't add any heat to my non-air conditioned kitchen. And, since there's an outlet right next to my kitchen table, I usually keep the Varietea on my table ready to provide water at the correct temperature for each steep.

[tkellyd]

Hi Adam:

Sounds like you had a cast-iron teapot, not a cast-iron kettle. You might try buying a cheap kettle on ebay and see how you like it. Try to keep the buying local to avoid shipping charges.

Best,

- tkellyd

[Jumpmonkey]

While I debate over water heating options, I'll dare to ask a question or two concerning my pot and cup. I don't want clay. I can only afford a single pot right now and wish to steep more than one tea in it. I have found some "Purion" pots that look nice and are about the right size, but they say they are made to enhance Pu erh, aged tea, and Oolong flavors. Would such a pot or cup spoil the taste of my greens and whites

Thanks,
Adam

PS: Tkellyd,

Yes my previous cast-iron pot was... a cast-iron pot. I appreciate you checking to make sure I don't accidentally shatter a pot trying to use it as a kettle! You mention local purchases. The only local-esque tea place I know of that caters to loose leaf is Teavana unfortunately.

[blairswhitaker]

I bring my tetsubin to a full boil, I then pour my water into a yuzamashi and let it cool to the proper temperature. I can get anywhere from four to five steeps using this method. I do not care for zojurushi myself but see how they are very useful for "busy" people. if I am in a hurry I pre-heat my water in a stainless steel kettle then bring it to a boil in my testubin, but even with this method their is no "rushing" things. I also use a portable electric burner to heat my testusbin and this sits next to my tea area so I can quickly reheat if needed. I would recommend a glazed kyusu for all the variety of tea you want to encompass.

[Leo_Blue]

While I debate over water heating options, I'll dare to ask a question or two concerning my pot and cup. I don't want clay. I can only afford a single pot right now and wish to steep more than one tea in it. I have found some "Purion" pots that look nice and are about the right size, but they say they are made to enhance Pu erh, aged tea, and Oolong flavors. Would such a pot or cup spoil the taste of my greens and whites

Thanks,
Adam

PS: Tkellyd,

Yes my previous cast-iron pot was... a cast-iron pot. I appreciate you checking to make sure I don't accidentally shatter a pot trying to use it as a kettle! You mention local purchases. The only local-esque tea place I know of that caters to loose leaf is Teavana unfortunately.

I am in about the same boat as you Jumpmonkey. There are multiple Teavana's within driving distance of me, and only one "true" teahouse. Unfortunately they don't carry very much teaware so finding what I need from them isn't always an option.

If you are willing to go the route of gaiwan then Yunnansourcing's US site has some really cheap ones made from porcelain. They also have some glass cups on there (the Chinese site has a much larger selection of both, but more shipping and wait time) so they won't affect the tea in them. Those cups are smaller, but you could always go with a coffee mug instead if you want something big enough to hold all of the gaiwan/pot's contents. All the other suggestions the Teachatters here have been giving are also very good.

Good luck and welcome to the world of tea!

[msurads06]

Are there any asian grocery stores near you? It can be hit or miss but you may be able to find an inexpensive teapot/gaiwan to get you started. The nearest to me is about 2 hours, but i check in whenever i go to Dallas and somtimes i find good deals. It probably wont be fancy, but will be a good start for someone on a budget.

[Jumpmonkey]

Everyone,
Thank you for your continued input. I finally settled on a teapot to start with, I hope it will do me well.
https://camellia-sinensis.com/teapot/fi ... mic+teapot
Found a spiffy cup (right size even) on Etsy for cheap as well.
https://www.etsy.com/transaction/81864482

msurads,
I don't have any Asian grocery stores that I know of, but good thought!

Leo Blue,
I'm going to use the pot I ordered for a while. A gaiwan may be in the future. Who knows? I'll keep the site you mentioned in mind. Randomly, are you Law Enforcement? (I ask because of your name.) If so, thanks for your service!

Blairs Whitaker,
So, proper use of a kettle involves a second vessel for cooling? Mayhaps you can explain to me. Sorry, but it turns out I'm greener than the tea I've been drinking today!


Thanks again everyone!
Adam

[blairswhitaker]

Blairs Whitaker,
So, proper use of a kettle involves a second vessel for cooling? Mayhaps you can explain to me. Sorry, but it turns out I'm greener than the tea I've been drinking today!


Thanks again everyone!
Adam

It's by no means a "rule" but it is very traditional when drinking japanese greens to bring the water to a full boil then cool it down to temperature using a secondary vessel. here it is in use

nothing fancy, it's one from rishi, matches a lot of my tea ware and holds about 16oz ( go big or go home). pulled it out for senchado this morning thought I would snap a few pics of these often forgotten pieces.



here it is in action. No problems with the pour it's fantastic for what it does.



and of course the artist's mark