IKEA finally got these back in stock in Tempe, and I happened to be
killing time and looking for a tray/box-like thing when I spotted them:

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/store...roductId=50368

Four bucks!

I was using a titanium 1-qt vacuum flask that I got at Circle-K for 8
bucks. It's a version of a style that is currently very popular in the
thermal carafe industry, with a nifty pushbutton top that does a great
job of preventing drips. In fact, IKEA sells a 1-pint version that
differs only in that it's steel and has an enamel exterior:

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/store...roductId=43743

(comes in sky blue, primary red or yellow, and black)

The drawback with these designs is that the inner metal sleeve radiates
heat to the outer metal casing, right through the vacuum between. So
it only provides about half the R-factor it should. After 3 hours or
so, with occasional pourings, the remaining tea was tepid at best, and
cold after 4.

I knew that a mirrored interior would be an improvement, and I was
stoked when I found the ultra-cheap thermal carafe in the IKEA catalog
online, but bummed when the website said the local store was out of
them. So today was serendipitious.

And it's working great. An hour and a half into the first potful, and
the tea is still steaming when I pour.

If someone could make a glass-lined thermos with the button-top pouring
system, maybe in a nice color, I'd pay a premium.

--Blair
"4 bucks!"

Man, this thing TOTALLY rocks.

I made that tea 5 hours ago, finished it an hour ago, and the last
dribble was still just plain hot. And now, an hour later, the empty
pot emanates hot air when it's opened.

Best 4 bucks I've spent in a LONG time.

--Blair

Tonight's observation:

The last shot of tea I got out of it tonight, 6 hours after I made the
tea, was at least as hot as the tea I was getting out of the all-metal
version an hour after filling it, and still "hot", not merely warm.

I'm going to leave the steam inside and see if it's still warm in the
morning. I don't doubt it a bit.

--Blair

>
> And it's working great. An hour and a half into the first potful, and the
> tea is still steaming when I pour.
>
Isn't tea losing some of its flavour after some time? I found some good
Oolongs stay clean for about 6 hours whereas other teas (mainly greens),
don't last that long before they go cloudy and bitter.

JB

>I found some good Oolongs stay clean for about 6 hours
>whereas other teas (mainly greens), don't last that long
>before they go cloudy and bitter.

I haven't tried any green in it (don't have any green in the house,
actually...thought i'd ordered one in this last batch, but "emperor's
red" is actually a chinese black). Blacks seem to get a little bit
better over that time, though. I think it has to do with the very
slight decline in temperature, and the change in the way I taste them
as my palate habituates. They end up very sweet.

When I get more into greens and whites I'll probably go looking for a
gaiwan, and keep plain, hot water in the thermal carafe.

--Blair

Final determination:

24 hours after a quart of tea was placed in the decanter (and most of
it drunk during that evening), the remaining 3 ounces of tea were
drinkably warm. Not hot, but not lukewarm.

Amazing.

--Blair

haven't tried any green in it (don't have any green in the house,
actually...thought i'd ordered one in this last batch, but "emperor's
red" is actually a chinese black). Blacks seem to get a little bit
better over that time, though. I think it has to do with the very
slight decline in temperature, and the change in the way I taste them
as my palate habituates. They end up very sweet.

When I get more into greens and whites I'll probably go looking for a
gaiwan, and keep plain, hot water in the thermal carafe.


--Blair


Is that Emperor's Red from specialteas.com?
Love that stuff.
Keeps a very rich flavor a long time.