Brewing Vessels

There are so many brewing methods and vessels available.  We wanted to share with you just a few of the ones we’ve tried….what we’ve liked, what we haven’t, etc. Below is a video we’ve uploaded to our new Youtube channel.  Check it out.  Subscribe to our channel (yes it’s new, so there aren’t a lot of videos posted yet and very few subscribers…help us build our audience by subscribing).

The video discusses various brewing vessels such as:

• Tea Bags – paper tea bags with and without drawstrings – while we don’t generally recommend using teabags, if you do prefer to go that route be sure the tea bags are large enough that the leaves have room to open up to produce the best infusion possible.
• Tea-Ball – We don’t usually recommend a tea-ball as they do not provide ample space for the tea leaves to open up which will produce a weaker infusion.
• Silicone Steeper – While these are great in that they provide a larger belly area giving the leaves ample room to open and they are very portable…..the holes do sometimes allow for small pieces of the loose leaf tea to slip out into the infusion.  But other than that we do like the portability and the fact that they allow room for the leaves to open.
• Stainless Steel Mesh Infuser – This is a very good option for steeping your loose leaf tea.  The mesh is usually a fine mesh that doesn’t allow the loose leaf tea to slip through (unless there are powdered herbs included in the blend).  It also provides plenty of room for the leaves to open completely providing you with a wonderfully complex infusion.
• Teapot without built-in infuser – We use this method often but it does require the use of a separate strainer/infuser.  When we do we will use TWO teapots.  One for steeping the tea leaves and one for decanting the infusion into.  You would pour the infusion off through a strainer into the second teapot. And if you aren’t drinking the entire amount all at one time you can use a tea warmer with a tealight candle underneath to keep it hot.
• Teapot WITH built-in infuser – This is one of the easiest methods available.  Since the infuser is built in you just place your tea leaves into the infuser that sits inside the teapot, pour over your water, and allow it to steep for the appropriate amount of time.  Once steeping is complete just remove the infuser containing the leaves and enjoy.
• Tea For One Set – This is a great option for a single cup of tea. And it looks nice on the counter.  :-). The top part is the teapot with the infuser built-in and the bottom is the teacup.  Infuse the tea as you would with the previous method and then pour it off into the bottom teacup and enjoy.
• Gass Teapitcher with Infuser – This one is a bit new to me as I just got it in.  It’s similar to a teapot but for one serving.  You just add your leaves to the built-in infuser and pour water over them.  When it is finished steeping you just press the button on the top and the tea decants into the lower portion of the vessel.  Pour into your favorite teacup and enjoy.
• French Press – While most people think of coffee when they see a French Press, it is also very useful for infusing tea.  Add your tea leaves, pour your hot water over them, place the “plunger/lid” on top, allow it to steep, press the plunger all the way to the bottom and your tea will not continue to brew.  Pour into your favorite teacup and enjoy.  French Press is available in multiple sizes from a single cup and up.  This is one of my favorite methods as it allows for the tea to open completely giving a wonderful brew and it is easy to clean up.
• Gaiwan – Traditional Chinese brewing method that consists of a bowl, lid, and saucer. The set that I’ve shown in the video is a travel set that also includes 4 small cups.  The travel carrier acts as a washbasin for pouring off the rinse water.  The lid acts as the saucer for the bowl.  The bowl is the brew vessel.  The lid to the bowl acts as the strainer when decanting off the infusion.  This is my favorite way to enjoy Oolong, Dark, and Black teas.  With this method, you can get many more infusions from your tea leaves as you are only steeping for 10-30 seconds with each steep.  There will be a video specifically covering the use of a Gaiwan.
• Matcha Whisk Set – This set includes a whisk, spoon, and measuring scoop. Matcha has its own methods entirely and we will be doing a video on making the perfect cup of Matcha.