Grasshopper > writes:

> [Dogma] I almost never use measurement equipment of any kind in
> brewing.
>
> [Grasshopper] Overall, I concur with that approach. But measuring
> equipment is good if one intends to write about the experience so
> readers can replicate that experience and determine thereby if they
> agree or disagree with the writer's opinions. Within the brewing
> system, various dimensions can differ so wildly that two tea drinkers
> with the same tea would likely drink very different beverages. A
> scale especially is good when I write about compressed tea. I cannot
> say, for example, "Fill the gaiwan two-thirds full with this tuo
> cha." With loose leaf, of course, a scale is not so important.

Yes, but that doesn't mean it's useless. Loose leaves have a very
wide range of density/fluffiness, and it can be hard to estimate "how
much leaf" we have just by eyeballing. I think most of us, whether we
think in those terms or not, have a default ratio of weight or leaves
to volume of water that we like to start with when getting to know a
new tea. Doing this explicitly can help in finding our way with a new
tea before we're ready to dispense with measurements.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html