Full-bodied teas

You lost me! I did use gaiwans to just make the brew, too, though. But I don't understand why this isn't a fair comparison otherwise. Do you mean, like, tea is too hot to drink and then it's overbrewed if you don't pour it out to a second cup? Yes, that's true.. I did use gaiwans sometimes to just do the brewing part...

You said "I love gaiwans, I like drinking from them". This made me think you were speaking of drinking from the gaiwan you brewed the tea, with the leaves still in it.

Yes, overbrewing is the danger. I only use gaiwans for brewing, and I always pour off the liquor.

/Lew

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Is there not another tradition for walking around with your gaiwan full of tea, leaves at the bottom, refilling as needed? I occasionally do it with green tea, using less than usual, and cooler water than usual. This way the leaves release slowly and gently as you go. Just another approach to the multi-purpose gaiwan. Michael

tea, leaves at the bottom, refilling as needed? I occasionally do it with green tea, using less than usual, and cooler water than usual. This way the leaves release slowly and gently as you go. Just another approach to the multi-purpose gaiwan.

Well, I don't know about tradition but at least two of us agree. I do this daily at work. I have a selection of teas that are a bit more forgiving for work, and I enjoy them all day in just the manner you stated except for the walking about part.

- Dominic

The saucer tells the story. These days I'm drinking everything off the top in a double wall vacuum glass which requires no special handling due to heat. I don't mind eating a leaf or spitting out a stem. The brew doesn't have the consistency of pot tea but an ebb and flow of flavor which stands on its on.

Jim

Michael Plant wrote:

tea, leaves at the bottom, refilling as needed? I occasionally do it with green tea, using less than usual, and cooler water than usual. This way the leaves release slowly and gently as you go. Just another approach to the multi-purpose gaiwan.

I wouldn't think of telling you to do differently, but when I carry tea with me (using less leaf, as you do) I use a tea jar like the ones made by Piao-I (Tea Buddy.) Much less danger of spillage that way.

/Lew

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[Michael] [Lew] [Michael again] When I'm on the road, so to speak,I use a Chinese cylindrical double walled glass jar thing; when I'm walking around our office complex, I might employ the said gaiwan. It's cool. I don't use things called "Tea Buddy." I've got some bit of pride left. Michael

said gaiwan. It's cool. I don't use things called "Tea Buddy." I've got some bit of pride left.

Isn't there a story about Emperor Sui Ye, who saw small lidded cups for tea drinking that were invented near the end of his reign and remarked that the inventor should be congratulated because, as he said, (in rough translation), these cups are like little Tea Buddies (Gai Wan) and since that time they were known as Gaiwans? Just kidding. In fact I don't like it myself when tea mugs are called Tea Buddies, help systems in a word processors are called Clippy, etc. I blame America. -andrei

glass jar thing; when I'm walking around our office complex, I might employ the

Blame Taiwan. By the way, I just looked at the offending object, and I'm chagrined to admit that it's actually called "Travel Buddy".

/Lew

I'm sure your question was answered somewhere above, but I think your "full bodied" distinction is like "full roasted". Just means they cook the tea and let it oxidize longer. The strong flavor comes out in the roasting.

But white tea isn't oxidized, is it? Also the white tea in question is most certainly not strong flavored. The flavor is very mild. It's just no longer "watery". As far as the Yunnan is concerned, it's fairly strong but not as much as most keemuns and assams I tasted..

I do almost all of my brewing in a gaiwan these days, and that's how I do it. I heat the water a little above what I want, to allow for cooling as it is first poured into the vacuum thermos. I know there is some compromise, as the water temperature isn't increased for some of the later steeps. I assume it's actually somewhat cooler. But, it provides an afternoon of enjoyable tea without having to continually leave my desk for hot water. Usually do the same at home. There are times to get every minute detail right and savor the results, and there are times to get close enough and enjoy a cup of tea.

Blues

Yeah, you'd be talking about mostly Wulong and more heavily roasted green tea. Green tea also has light and heavy roasting.

I do a similar thing, except that I put the hottest water possible in the thermos, then cool it when I use it by pouring it into a cup. I use a large mesh strainer, so I pour the water into the cup and allow it to cool a little for the first infusion, then pour the water directly over the leaves for subsequent infusions. The tea is usually spent when the thermos (1 quart, I think) is empty, so it works well for me!

Alan