Tea Filters: An Opportunity to Grow in Tea Arts

User avatar
Baisao
Posts: 1397
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:17 pm
Location: ATX

Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:02 pm

I bought a couple of filters when I first got into tea: one for puerh and one for sencha. They were useful at the time and I enjoyed having another toy on my table. At the time, they were useful. I would inevitably wind up with more than a few bits of leaf in my chahai. I noticed a slight difference in flavor when using a filter, presumably from aeration, but it was almost a necessity for these teas. They were regularly used for several years as I refined my skills, though they had lost their novelty within the first month of using them.

Fast forward a decade and I find that I don’t need them at all. Leaf loading/flaking decreases leaf bits for puerh, and a good pouring technique decreases leaf bits for sencha. Further, I have noticed fewer leaf bits in my oolong as my loading and gall forming has improved.

I mention all of this to encourage others to play with their tea making skills. You can get great tasting tea without using a filter. Perhaps the best way to pour is not the orthodox way. I won’t go into details because it is up to you to explore and refine your gong fu. If you feel you need to use a filter, adapt your technique so that you no longer need one. When something else seems not quite right, pay attention and continue to refine and adapt your technique. There’s joy here.
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5782
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:10 pm

Great post and good advice! Personally I never saw the point in them. Although as you I bought one when I started my gong fu tea journey many moons ago...
User avatar
d.manuk
Posts: 655
Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2017 4:13 pm
Location: Dallas

Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:32 pm

I can agree, although I would always want to use a filter for shou. In my opinion it’s an inherently messy tea. I do not want to ingest anything but the finest of shou particles.
User avatar
Victoria
Admin
Posts: 3043
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2017 3:33 pm
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Contact:

Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:40 pm

Thank you for reminding me to practice greater attention when loading oolong into my pot. If I locate the smaller bits in the middle and circle those with bigger leaves or rolled balls fewer bits come out when I pour. With sencha I pour more slowly, know which kysus to use (ball filter, sasame filter, wall etc), plus I enjoy some of the finer needles coming through.

Oh, but feel free to share your techniques with us too :)
Atlas
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2017 7:09 pm
Location: SGV, Los Angeles CA
Contact:

Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:07 am

Personally I've never needed a filter - I don't/can't drink tea piping hot so I usually go pot >> spare gaiwan cup >> tiny pitcher >> cups.

Decanting this way cools the tea just enough and provides two opportunities to separate out leaf particles by giving the vessel a swirl (to collect the leaf at the centre/bottom) and pouring smoothly.
User avatar
Baisao
Posts: 1397
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:17 pm
Location: ATX

Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:07 am

Shine Magical wrote:
Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:32 pm
I can agree, although I would always want to use a filter for shou. In my opinion it’s an inherently messy tea. I do not want to ingest anything but the finest of shou particles.
It’s easy to get a lot of “scratch” when flaking shou. I tend to reserve those fines for a teabag, using neat flakes for the teapot. Most large particles come out in the rinse. I used to mix flakes with a little “scratch” so that the first steeping would be aligned with the second, but I got away from doing it that way. Additionally, there’s a lot of variance between different shous. I’ve been making an aged daye shou that has virtually no fines. By comparison, I have samples people have given me that turn to dust if I look at them wrong. Those are the trickiest.
User avatar
Baisao
Posts: 1397
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:17 pm
Location: ATX

Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:18 am

Victoria wrote:
Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:40 pm
Thank you for reminding me to practice greater attention when loading oolong into my pot. If I locate the smaller bits in the middle and circle those with bigger leaves or rolled balls fewer bits come out when I pour. With sencha I pour more slowly, know which kysus to use (ball filter, sasame filter, wall etc), plus I enjoy some of the finer needles coming through.

Oh, but feel free to share your techniques with us too :)
You’re certainly welcom, Victoria. In addition to how you load your oolong, you can assist the formation of a gall by moving the leaves with a tea pick or (as I do) a gentle jolt/shake to the teapot at the end of the first two steepings. Think of this motion as being like the jolt/shake Jacques Pepin does when forming an omelette. It isn’t violent but does cause the leaves to begin forming a spherical shape in the teapot.
User avatar
Victoria
Admin
Posts: 3043
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2017 3:33 pm
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Contact:

Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:34 am

Baisao wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:18 am
Victoria wrote:
Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:40 pm
Thank you for reminding me to practice greater attention when loading oolong into my pot. If I locate the smaller bits in the middle and circle those with bigger leaves or rolled balls fewer bits come out when I pour. With sencha I pour more slowly, know which kysus to use (ball filter, sasame filter, wall etc), plus I enjoy some of the finer needles coming through.

Oh, but feel free to share your techniques with us too :)
You’re certainly welcom, Victoria. In addition to how you load your oolong, you can assist the formation of a gall by moving the leaves with a tea pick or (as I do) a gentle jolt/shake to the teapot at the end of the first two steepings. Think of this motion as being like the jolt/shake Jacques Pepin does when forming an omelette. It isn’t violent but does cause the leaves to begin forming a spherical shape in the teapot.
Yes, good insight, I sort of do this already between steeps. One thing I do that messes up my pile at the beginning, is I preheat my pot, add the leaves, and then carefully swirl the pot around to warm the leaves, all so I can smell the aroma of the warmed up leaves before steeping. So to get them back in some order, I do need to shake the pot and prod the leaves a little bit more to get them back in formation, before adding hot water.
Teachronicles
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2017 1:13 am
Location: SF Bay Area, CA

Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:42 am

How do you guys pour in the water so that it doesn't disturb the shape of the gall in the teapot?
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5782
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Fri Mar 09, 2018 1:11 am

Teachronicles wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:42 am
How do you guys pour in the water so that it doesn't disturb the shape of the gall in the teapot?
S l o w l y , and from the inner outside of the pot.
User avatar
Baisao
Posts: 1397
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:17 pm
Location: ATX

Fri Mar 09, 2018 1:20 am

Teachronicles wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:42 am
How do you guys pour in the water so that it doesn't disturb the shape of the gall in the teapot?
It depends on the age/type of tea and whether the leaves have opened. Think of this as intention driving the process. Whether that intention is realistic or not doesn’t matter, it is just a guide that drives the process.

For example, aged or heavily roasted teas get a vigorous pour until the leaves open, then a thin stream poured slowly afterwards. My intention is to use more forceful water at first to awaken these teas. The gall will form within the first two steeps and I will then begin using a slow, thin pour. Because the pour is vigorous at first I will form the gall with the motions I mentioned above.

Other teas— most teas— will get a slow, thin stream poured onto the leaves in a circular motion. The intention is to not scald a leaf by applying too much heat in one spot.

Once the gall is formed it will remain a stable mass.

Please note that this is one way of doing it and it is perfectly ok for someone else to do it differently. For example, some people do not pour in a circular motion or pour vigorously every time but they get the same results because they have adapted in other ways. Every tea master will have their variation.
User avatar
tealifehk
Vendor
Posts: 485
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 9:58 am
Location: Hong Kong
Contact:

Fri Mar 09, 2018 5:01 am

I do the circular pour from the outside with all teas. Also, with dust in the pot (I try to spread it between infusions), I shake the pot so the dust settles under the larger leaves, and flash infuse until the dust is exhausted. This keeps the astringency/bitterness down, if any.

I tried crushing leaf directly in the center with my index finger with a shuixian session recently. With crushed leaf, I otherwise always put it under whole leaf. The index finger method worked very well!

As for filters: I didn't use them for years, but got porcelain filters in last year (with no metal: all porcelain) and use them occasionally. I seem to have reverted to filterless brewing though, after the initial novelty factor of a stainless steel-free filter wore off!
Teachronicles
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2017 1:13 am
Location: SF Bay Area, CA

Fri Mar 09, 2018 1:49 pm

Thank you all for the suggestions, Im pretty early in my gongfu journey and haven't explored most of the methods discussed but I'll be experimenting more from now on.
User avatar
Baisao
Posts: 1397
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:17 pm
Location: ATX

Sat Mar 10, 2018 12:44 am

Teachronicles wrote:
Fri Mar 09, 2018 1:49 pm
Thank you all for the suggestions, Im pretty early in my gongfu journey and haven't explored most of the methods discussed but I'll be experimenting more from now on.
I think that experimentation with keen observation is the key to becoming better at making tea. There are ways of doing things that have become dogmatic as GongFu Cha has emerged outside of the Chinese diaspora. You will hear people say “only this way is correct”, “that way is completely wrong”, “master 张三 says to do it this way so it must be the only way”. These kinds of things are topical and worth trying out, but should not be treated with such strict dogmatic adherence. GongFu Cha is a historically recent phenomenon and must be flexible if it is to be a living tradition. This gets lost in many conversations about tea.

Additionally, with experimentation and observation you will come to understand why you do something a certain way or choose a certain water, temp, vessel, or material. Otherwise you are blindly following rules.

Once you have settled upon techniques for your teas you may find that letting go of your thoughts and getting into a flow will produce the most flavorful, truly memorable teas. Become lost in the moment yet remain in tune with the tea making. It like dancing: even if you are a good dancer, the moment you think about what you are doing is the same moment when your movements become less natural, awkward. The same could be said of walking or cooking or archery. However, don’t let go too early. Settle on your way of making teas first, when you know why you do what you do, and at some point you may find yourself letting go naturally and that your teas are consistently better than before. Though the movements and parameters appear identical, your intention in these moments will have caused small changes in the process. This is the path to mastery.
User avatar
tealifehk
Vendor
Posts: 485
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 9:58 am
Location: Hong Kong
Contact:

Sun Mar 11, 2018 12:19 pm

So about the circular pour...I realized today I do that early on, and then when I want to get everything possible out of leaves, I pour water directly on the leaves and more forcefully, so as to maximize extraction. It's not something that occurred to me earlier, but it's something I do instinctively when I feel a tea starting to taper out!
Post Reply