On Apr 19, 8:36 pm, "Mal from Oz" > wrote:
> 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
>
> "Mydnight" > wrote in message
>
> oups.com...
>
> >> 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)
>
> > 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?

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!