I'm curious about people's experience with less-than-perfect teapots.
The rule is balance of spout-mouth-handle and perfect occlusion of the
vent/ spout. If you block the vent-hole and the spout keeps pouring,
what kind of an effect does this have on the tea? What about an
imbalanced spout-mouth-handle? If you've got one of these imperfect
teapots, what do you do with it--do you keep it? Get rid of it? I'd
love to know other people's thoughts/ experiences.

Danica wrote:
I'm curious about people's experience with less-than-perfect teapots.
The rule is balance of spout-mouth-handle and perfect occlusion of the
vent/ spout. If you block the vent-hole and the spout keeps pouring,
what kind of an effect does this have on the tea? What about an
imbalanced spout-mouth-handle? If you've got one of these imperfect
teapots, what do you do with it--do you keep it? Get rid of it? I'd
love to know other people's thoughts/ experiences.

Well.... I tend not to buy such things in the first place. I suppose
this is not possible if you mail order pots (which is why I don't do
it). I think the less-than-perfect-fit is not a big problem. A bigger
problem is if it drips or pours poorly, or if the spout is easily and
often blocked, or some such.

If you have one of these.... are there teas that you don't normally
drink but wouldn't mind using a pot for that once-in-a-while brew?
Or.... give it away as gifts to people who can't care less (and will
most likely end up as a wall ornament)?

MarshalN
http://www.xanga.com/MarshalN

11/16/06


I'm curious about people's experience with less-than-perfect teapots.
The rule is balance of spout-mouth-handle and perfect occlusion of the
vent/ spout. If you block the vent-hole and the spout keeps pouring,
what kind of an effect does this have on the tea? What about an
imbalanced spout-mouth-handle? If you've got one of these imperfect
teapots, what do you do with it--do you keep it? Get rid of it? I'd
love to know other people's thoughts/ experiences.


It's a great question, and my answer is this: You
develop a relationship with a teapot, most of
which are imperfect in some way, as you would
develop a relationship with other bits of this
imperfect world. The specific answer to the
spout question: You need to decide if you
like the pot, and if you do, what tea this pot
would like to make. The flaw is not serious
with all teas. A painfully slow pour is a far
more serious flaw since it ruins the steep
time, but you can compensate even for that
by shortening the steep time. In other words,
the flaws and you work together to produce
the brew. Anyway, that's my personal
opinion on the matter. Cut the pot some
slack. That's the spirit. Most likely you can
learn more about brewing tea from a flawed
than from a perfect pot, if such a thing ever
should be.

Michael

Michael Plant wrote:
It's a great question, and my answer is this: You
develop a relationship with a teapot, most of
which are imperfect in some way, as you would
develop a relationship with other bits of this
imperfect world. The specific answer to the
spout question: You need to decide if you
like the pot, and if you do, what tea this pot
would like to make. The flaw is not serious
with all teas. A painfully slow pour is a far
more serious flaw since it ruins the steep
time, but you can compensate even for that
by shortening the steep time. In other words,
the flaws and you work together to produce
the brew. Anyway, that's my personal
opinion on the matter. Cut the pot some
slack. That's the spirit. Most likely you can
learn more about brewing tea from a flawed
than from a perfect pot, if such a thing ever
should be.

Michael

Couldn't possibly agree more. The reality is that the majority of
teapots are "imperfect" in some way, and that is the character of a
hand made product. To only use and buy "perfect" teapots is a bit
pretentious and against the true nature of tea in my opinion. Good tea
is not made from only the best equipment and the best leaf, good tea is
much more than that.

Sure some basic, time-tested, design standards make sense and help, but
beyond that it just doesn't matter.

- Dominic

The hole in the lid helps with smoother pours. You block it and you
get gushing. You want a teapot that 'disappears' in daily use. You
put up with the quirks in the beginning but that is the bottom line. I
think in general commercial pots have the ergonometrics worked out
versus the holiday one of a kind gift. I have a mexican lidded clay
pitcher I use as a pot once in a while. It's festive. When the tea
goes over that edge get out the mop. I've never thrown away a pot I
didn't like. When people complain of messy pours it is most like they
are overfilling the pot which should be 3/4 at max and I prefer 2/3
with English style pots.

Jim

Danica wrote:
I'm curious about people's experience with less-than-perfect teapots.
The rule is balance of spout-mouth-handle and perfect occlusion of the
vent/ spout. If you block the vent-hole and the spout keeps pouring,
what kind of an effect does this have on the tea? What about an
imbalanced spout-mouth-handle? If you've got one of these imperfect
teapots, what do you do with it--do you keep it? Get rid of it? I'd
love to know other people's thoughts/ experiences.

Well.... I tend not to buy such things in the first place. I suppose
this is not possible if you mail order pots (which is why I don't do
it).

It's really hard to find a good yixing pot in Los Angeles, outside of
Chinatown, but even there they don't have the really good stuff half
the time. Mostly cheap commercial-made pots, etc. So I am relegated
to vendors I trust on the Internet. I made a lot of mistakes before I
found good people.

I think the less-than-perfect-fit is not a big problem. A bigger
problem is if it drips or pours poorly, or if the spout is easily and
often blocked, or some such.

My first biggest pot problem is ones where you block the vent and the
spout continues to pour. I guess that means it's not air-tight. Then
drips, then bad clay. I don't buy bad clay anymore but I recently
bought a studio copy of a Jiang Rong peach and it pours continually
even when I block the vent. And the pot wasn't cheap!

If you have one of these.... are there teas that you don't normally
drink but wouldn't mind using a pot for that once-in-a-while brew?
Or.... give it away as gifts to people who can't care less (and will
most likely end up as a wall ornament)?

Funny you say that, the other bad-vent pot is a lovely dense zisha clay
that makes really good puer tea. It holds the aromas well. The third
is made of a zhuni type clay (it has a high pitched ring) and makes
good oolongs and green tea.

But I wonder if they had better air-tight quality if the tea would be
better? Any thoughts?


MarshalN
http://www.xanga.com/MarshalN

It's a great question, and my answer is this: You
develop a relationship with a teapot, most of
which are imperfect in some way, as you would
develop a relationship with other bits of this
imperfect world. The specific answer to the
spout question: You need to decide if you
like the pot, and if you do, what tea this pot
would like to make.

I like your way of thinking. Thank you.

Danica wrote:
I'm curious about people's experience with less-than-perfect teapots.

Mostly I drink tea from them.

"Andy Dingley " writes:

Danica wrote:
I'm curious about people's experience with less-than-perfect teapots.

Mostly I drink tea from them.

Drinking straight from the spout, you probably prefer what most people
around here would consider an imperfect teapot: one that pours slowly.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html
recently updated: Ying Pan Shan

It's really hard to find a good yixing pot in Los Angeles, outside of
Chinatown, but even there they don't have the really good stuff half
the time.

Danica, you seem to imply that there are good Yixing pots to be found
in Los Angeles in the Chinatown. If so, please whisper the places to
me. Thanks.

Phyll


Danica wrote:
Well.... I tend not to buy such things in the first place. I suppose
this is not possible if you mail order pots (which is why I don't do
it).

It's really hard to find a good yixing pot in Los Angeles, outside of
Chinatown, but even there they don't have the really good stuff half
the time. Mostly cheap commercial-made pots, etc. So I am relegated
to vendors I trust on the Internet. I made a lot of mistakes before I
found good people.

I think the less-than-perfect-fit is not a big problem. A bigger
problem is if it drips or pours poorly, or if the spout is easily and
often blocked, or some such.

My first biggest pot problem is ones where you block the vent and the
spout continues to pour. I guess that means it's not air-tight. Then
drips, then bad clay. I don't buy bad clay anymore but I recently
bought a studio copy of a Jiang Rong peach and it pours continually
even when I block the vent. And the pot wasn't cheap!

If you have one of these.... are there teas that you don't normally
drink but wouldn't mind using a pot for that once-in-a-while brew?
Or.... give it away as gifts to people who can't care less (and will
most likely end up as a wall ornament)?

Funny you say that, the other bad-vent pot is a lovely dense zisha clay
that makes really good puer tea. It holds the aromas well. The third
is made of a zhuni type clay (it has a high pitched ring) and makes
good oolongs and green tea.

But I wonder if they had better air-tight quality if the tea would be
better? Any thoughts?


MarshalN
http://www.xanga.com/MarshalN

Just thinking of the function of the vessel for a moment (i.e., a
container for brewing tea!), what difference does it make if the pot
pours or not when one stops the air-hole?

I can understand that it would be a general indicator of quality, but,
in and of itself, it surely can't be seen as a major defect. At worst,
there is a small place between lid and pot where air can pass, in
addition to the air-hole. I cannot imagine that such a "defect" would
ever change the characteristic of the tea, nor can I imagine how a tiny
additional air-hole would alter the pour of the pot. Do please
enlighten!

It has never happened to me, but if I received a pot that "dribbled"
when I blocked up the air-hole, I can't imagine myself discarding it.
Just as a poster above mentioned, it is a little "character" for the
pot, more than anything else.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

HobbesOxon wrote:
Just thinking of the function of the vessel for a moment (i.e., a
container for brewing tea!), what difference does it make if the pot
pours or not when one stops the air-hole?

I can understand that it would be a general indicator of quality, but,
in and of itself, it surely can't be seen as a major defect. At worst,
there is a small place between lid and pot where air can pass, in
addition to the air-hole. I cannot imagine that such a "defect" would
ever change the characteristic of the tea, nor can I imagine how a tiny
additional air-hole would alter the pour of the pot. Do please
enlighten!

It has never happened to me, but if I received a pot that "dribbled"
when I blocked up the air-hole, I can't imagine myself discarding it.
Just as a poster above mentioned, it is a little "character" for the
pot, more than anything else.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

I agree, in so far as the original seller not making any promise as to
the worksmanship of the pot, and also the price paid for said pot.

In and of itself, the pot pouring while pressing on the hole is not a
huge issue, IMO. If the pot leaks from the lid while pouring, even
carefully, then we've got a problem. Or if the spout pours poorly and
water dribbles, or some such.

MarshalN
http://www.xanga.com/MarshalN

So why all the hoop-la then regarding the vent hole in the lids? Does
anyone know?

I can understand that it would be a general indicator of quality, but,
in and of itself, it surely can't be seen as a major defect. At worst,
there is a small place between lid and pot where air can pass, in
addition to the air-hole. I cannot imagine that such a "defect" would
ever change the characteristic of the tea, nor can I imagine how a tiny
additional air-hole would alter the pour of the pot. Do please
enlighten!

Lewis Perin wrote:
"Andy Dingley " writes:
Danica wrote:
I'm curious about people's experience with less-than-perfect teapots.

Mostly I drink tea from them.

Drinking straight from the spout, you probably prefer what most people
around here would consider an imperfect teapot: one that pours slowly.

No, no, you need it as fast as possible, so you can get the maximum health
benefits from your green tea. Just pour it down and don't try to taste it...

Hey... we could market this. The teabong.... I see a great need...
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Danica wrote:
So why all the hoop-la then regarding the vent hole in the lids? Does
anyone know?

In part because it's handy to be able to block the vent hole in order to
control the flow of tea.

And in part because folks do actually care about craftsmanship that goes
beyond the minimum required to produce a workable product.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."