Need Pouring Tips for Flat Pots

[hopeofdawn]

One of my new pots is proving to be a difficult one to master. It's a round pot, but much more flat/wide than I normally use. In addition, the spout holes are fairly high up in the wall. It has a very nice even stream of water from the spout, as is usual with Hong Seong-Il's work, but I'm finding it almost impossible to pour without having tea dribble out from underneath the lid and spill everywhere. Here is the pot I'm referring to:



Even if I fill it only half way, I still seem to have this problem. The only solution I've found is to pour with the lid off, so that I can keep an eye on the water level in relation to the rim. However, it's a bit frustrating that I cannot seem to pour cleanly with the lid on. I know we have some collectors of flatter pots on the board--does anyone have any tips?

[Chip]

What are you brewing in it?

Sometimes a pot will just not work out, sad to say ... however ...

With troublesome pots (mostly Kyusu ... often with direct wall screen) I usually begin the pour with the belly of the pot sort of between the handle and the spout down versus the spout, so it is cocked a bit oddly. The tea begins adhering to the belly versus the screen. As most of the tea has been poured, I begin tilting it more "normally" with the spout downward.

If it is really bad, then I shift to the far side belly on the other side of the spout.

Takes some practice, but it does work.

[Tead Off]

I also have a couple of pots with a similar 'difficulty' in pouring as you describe. Mine are Japanese. The only solution I have found is to use teas that don't clog the water passage and to remember to pour with more care. In other words, no fukamushi senchas and similar teas that get very soggy and block the passage.

What kind of teas do you use this pot for?

[hopeofdawn]

After a bit of experimentation, this pot really seems to work best with Japanese greens and more astringent Chinese greens. It doesn't work nearly as well with my oolongs--for some reason it seems to give them a weird salty-ish aftertaste--so I've mostly been devoting it to sencha and the occasional Chinese green from Tea Trekker (Zhu ye qing, Yunnan sweet green threads).

Near as I can tell, the tea isn't clogging the spout--I do still get a nice fast stream of tea when I pour, even as tea dribbles out the top. I think the problem may be mostly due to the spout filter being so close to the rim. That said, I'll definitely try Chip's trick of tilting it to the side--maybe that will help!

[Chip]

This works best for Japanese greens in my experience.

[Tead Off]

I agree, certain pots seem to have the holes too high for a fast pour, and hence the overflow. Since you don't experience difficulty with the teas clogging the water passage, the only way to pour without spilling is slowly and carefully, getting used to the way that pot behaves. I have the same difficulty with a Japanese hohin that I have. I used it this morning with some fukamushi. This tea tended to clog the passage so I had to use Chip's way of pouring that he described above, also pouring slower than usual. I'll also mention this to Song Il.

[kyarazen]

if the pot is flat the spout hole must at least be in the middle.

in design if the pot is flat, the mouth is big, the spout hole is high, it is a recipe for dripping unless the lid seal is ultimately perfect (usually hard to come by). this is because you have to tilt significantly to pour and the edge of the mouth/lid will easily go below the level of the water and cause leakage

[wyardley]

Pour more slowly, check to make sure the hole in the lid isn't obstructed (if it is, you can gently try to unclog), but may just not be a great pot.

[theredbaron]

I am sorry to say this - but to me that sounds like bad engineering. While some pots have their little quirks, they should be manageable soon. A pot that won't pour properly no matter what is not well crafted.

[Tead Off]

One of my new pots is proving to be a difficult one to master. It's a round pot, but much more flat/wide than I normally use. In addition, the spout holes are fairly high up in the wall. It has a very nice even stream of water from the spout, as is usual with Hong Seong-Il's work, but I'm finding it almost impossible to pour without having tea dribble out from underneath the lid and spill everywhere. Here is the pot I'm referring to:



Even if I fill it only half way, I still seem to have this problem. The only solution I've found is to pour with the lid off, so that I can keep an eye on the water level in relation to the rim. However, it's a bit frustrating that I cannot seem to pour cleanly with the lid on. I know we have some collectors of flatter pots on the board--does anyone have any tips?

Hi,

I agree with Red Baron as it sounds like the holes were not properly aligned. I talked with Song Il and told him of your difficulty. He took one of his, tested it, and told me there was no problem pouring and he would happily exchange it for yours. If you want to do that, please email me and I will get it going. It's no fun using a pot that won't cooperate.

[hopeofdawn]

Thank you for the offer, Tead. I think I'm going to try Chip's pouring technique, and see if it helps--it is a really nice pot, and I love the look and feel of it, if not the pour. I'd hate to put you and Song Il to all the trouble of dealing with a replacement without exploring all the options, you know?

[Tead Off]

Thank you for the offer, Tead. I think I'm going to try Chip's pouring technique, and see if it helps--it is a really nice pot, and I love the look and feel of it, if not the pour. I'd hate to put you and Song Il to all the trouble of dealing with a replacement without exploring all the options, you know?

OK, let me know. You need a careful, steady pour. This is exactly the same mechanics as a famous maker Banko hohin I have. If I am mindful, there is no problem.

[Tead Off]

I am sorry to say this - but to me that sounds like bad engineering. While some pots have their little quirks, they should be manageable soon. A pot that won't pour properly no matter what is not well crafted.

After careful analysis of a Banko hohin I have with the same issue, it is not bad engineering, but a need to pour carefully as the design of some extra wide pots need a more careful pour. The said pot pours very well out of the spout, but if poured too fast, or using teas like fukamushi sencha which can clog the water passage quite easily, spillage can occur. The solution is mindful pouring.

[theredbaron]

I am sorry to say this - but to me that sounds like bad engineering. While some pots have their little quirks, they should be manageable soon. A pot that won't pour properly no matter what is not well crafted.

After careful analysis of a Banko hohin I have with the same issue, it is not bad engineering, but a need to pour carefully as the design of some extra wide pots need a more careful pour. The said pot pours very well out of the spout, but if poured too fast, or using teas like fukamushi sencha which can clog the water passage quite easily, spillage can occur. The solution is mindful pouring.

Several of my Japanese pots require slow and steady pouring, mindful pouring is a suitable expression indeed. For Fukamashi, which i rarely drink, i usually use the technique of stop and go, sort of, to avoid clogging the filter holes with leaves.
However, if even with slow and mindful pouring the wild splashing problem persists, then it is an engineering issue. Difficult to ascertain from the distance if it is user fault or a problem with the pot.

[Tead Off]

I am sorry to say this - but to me that sounds like bad engineering. While some pots have their little quirks, they should be manageable soon. A pot that won't pour properly no matter what is not well crafted.

After careful analysis of a Banko hohin I have with the same issue, it is not bad engineering, but a need to pour carefully as the design of some extra wide pots need a more careful pour. The said pot pours very well out of the spout, but if poured too fast, or using teas like fukamushi sencha which can clog the water passage quite easily, spillage can occur. The solution is mindful pouring.

Several of my Japanese pots require slow and steady pouring, mindful pouring is a suitable expression indeed. For Fukamashi, which i rarely drink, i usually use the technique of stop and go, sort of, to avoid clogging the filter holes with leaves.
However, if even with slow and mindful pouring the wild splashing problem persists, then it is an engineering issue. Difficult to ascertain from the distance if it is user fault or a problem with the pot.

Yes, this is why we offered an exchange. We want to keep our customers happy.