Question Regarding Infusers & Loose Leaf Tea

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No, leaves are not expected to float around in the cup. Yes, not only the Brits but others have a means of containing it.

If you infuse your tea one cup/mug at a time, you can buy a mug infuser from lots of places (for openers, try Upton or Special Teas on the web) that has an extremely fine mesh - much finer than any wire mesh clamshell. Even extremely fine leaf pieces will not escape them. And, they have the addition benefit of allowing leaves to expand to their heart's content.

Many good teapots also have infusers made from the same ultra-fine mesh.

Randy

On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 16:10:41 GMT, Derek Mark Edding tripped the light fantastic, then quipped:

I use the very fine mesh infusers to which Jim (SpaceCowboy) referred. Depending on the tea, I sometimes still have a fine dust that settles to the bottom of the cup. I drink all but the last sip that has the dregs in it, although sometimes, I forget and swallow those, too. They haven't killed me yet, and I've been drinking tea for a very, very long time. The clamshell infuser you use is okay, but, referring to Jim again, the larger the infuser, the more flavorful the tea; the leaves should be allowed to unfurl fully. Bodum makes a single cup/infuser set called the Yoyo...I use it or an infuser called a "People's Brew Basket" when I'm not making a pot of tea. Also available is a tea sock, which is a filter made of a finely-woven fabric. You can also use a T-sac or Minit Filter to make your own teabags, but, like with your infuser, the tea leaves are crowded together, and you just don't get the complete experience of flavors.

If you're lucky enough to have a shop nearby that carries loose teas and accessories, you may be able to find one of the above infusers. If not, like me, you can shop online.

Welcome to the wonderful world of tea. Please don't restrict your tea consumption to those available only in tins...there's a vast world of loose teas not mass marketed that are extraordinary.

Tee

On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 14:47:03 -0500, Tee King tripped the light fantastic, then quipped:

I should have been referring to Randy's (RJP) advice, not Jim's (SpaceCowboy). I apologize!

Tee

Hi Derek,

I don't know what the British do. Personnally, I wouldn't care if a few leaves are in my cup, but I know some guests don't like it. The easier way in your case is to buy a finer mesh or vinyl cloth strainer and use it to filter the tea as you pour it into the cups. If you prepare for only one person, get one cup for infusion (put the leaves without strainer, the water, use the saucer as a lid), and one to drink. That way, if there is a little dust (that no strainer can retain without also retaining flavor), it stays in the bottom of the infusing cup and you get a very clear drink.

Kuri

No.

I don't know about the British, but I use a (German import) Teeli brand "Tea Brewing Basket". It's made of a very fine, "double twilled" stainless-steel mesh with a "heat-tolerant" plastic frame. It was about US$7 from Special Teas.

My conclusion: It's great for a mug or small pot of tea.

Mine did. And, once upon a time, I overfilled one and it broke; I've also broken spoons.

It must depend on the fineness of the mesh.

The mesh infuser is pushed opened by the infused fines therfore leaking into the cup. Only load the infuser 50%. Upgrade tea size from fines to broken leaf or minimum CTC. The British brew loose tea in a teapot then strain into a cup.

Jim

As many will have pointed out by now, there are multiple solutions to the precipitate problem. The Yorkshire side of my family was not bothered by a few leaves in the cup. When I lived in the UK, posh types poured through a sieve. But most British folk use bags now - or drink c*****.

I like those dusty teas, too, for a fast infusion of great strength. But they go stale very rapidly, and the sediment isn't pretty (or readable, if you're the Gypsy type). You might try moving up to a broken leaf - same general taste and brewing characteristics, without the mess.

-DM