Clogged Spout

Having trouble with a clogged spout in a small Yixing pot - it's about 80ml. Doesn't have the internal clay strainer.

Have been drinking various tuo cha lately at work and they all seem to be very 'bitty'; seem to have thick bits of stalk that regularly clog the spout. Haven't had this much bother with any other loose or compressed pu'ers using the same pot. My Wu Yi and other oolongs are fine.

Is it just the bitty nature of tuo cha that doesn't like this particular pot or am I getting ripped off with poor tuo cha?. Tea tastes/looks fine otherwise.

I'm thinking about getting a slightly larger pot, say 100ml with a bigger (diameter) spout and orifices.

Cheers Mal Oz (Drinking: 2000 Phoenix cooked tuo cha; 1988 Xiaguan raw tuo cha)

Reply to
Mal from Oz
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There is a gong fu tool with a flexible tip for this purpose. These tools are rather inexpensive and are available through the good, reliable China vendors on eBay. Shen

Reply to
Shen

Thankyou Shen, - I have one of these and works well to unclog ...BTW...I also find that a small cable tie does the same job ;-))

I was more curious as to the bitty nature of the tuo cha - is this typical of that form of compressed tea ? or have I got some really bad tuo cha ? Other forms of pu'er don't seem to clog the spout as much in this small pot.

Cheers Mal Oz

Reply to
Mal from Oz

Maybe it is that you are putting too much tea in the pot. For the clog, you can use a toothpick or your cable tie method. When you say "bitty", do you mean bits of tea leaf that have been broken or do you mean the tea had been reduced to dust perhaps because of mistreatment while in tuo form?

Reply to
Mydnight

By 'bitty' I don't mean dusty - rather stiff bits of stalk and broken leaf etc. I also found 2 grains of barley (yes, barley) in this particular tuo cha while I was breaking it apart.

If I suspect too much dust due to handling, or what ever, I usually shake the broken tea over a fine sieve to get rid of this.

Stalk is probably the main cause.

Cheers Mal Oz

Reply to
Mal from Oz

Cooked or shu tuocha tend to be pretty gritty with lots of broken leaf and stiff stems. That's why I prefer to use a gaiwan which never clogs of a Yixing pot with a ball strainer behind the spout with shu tuocha. Even sheng (green) tuocha will have lots of broken leaf, but the stems seem more flexible. I don't think you are putting too much tea in the pot. You need a lot of leaf (2 g./oz.) , hot water, and very short infusions for the best flavour.

A toothpick works pretty well to unclog the spout, but I suggest a gaiwan for shu tuocha. It takes a little skill to grab the whole thing (lid, cup, saucer) and tilt the lid just enough to get only liquid and no solids (and not take a bath as well), but once you get the hang of it, it can't be beat for shu. I save my pots for sheng and wulong.

This pot would be great for big whole leaf sheng or wulong, I would guess you would get a nice fast pour without the obstruction of the little filter holes.

Gumbywan I'm drinking Xiaguan cooked tuocha now!

Reply to
kk5eo

Yes, thanks, good suggestion. I am quite adept with the gaiwan - it never occured to me to use it for this tea (it's been a long week !)

The little pot does have a good pour when using large leaf teas.

Problem solved, thanks folks.

Reply to
Mal from Oz

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