Clay Kettles

[Victoria]

Clay Kettles, please share your wares and questions.

[Bok]

Going to get this thread started with my trusty clay kettle:
Special Japanese clay for use on stoves, thrown by my Taiwanese pottery teacher. The steam hole is strategically place on the rear side to avoid getting burned by the steam when handling.

Before first use I cooked some rice congee in it to seal the pores for future use. This kettle sweetens the water.

[Ethan Kurland]

That kettle fulfills a major feat for teaware which is giving pleasure to its owner. When we feel or know that a kettle gives us better water and like having it in our hands and view, our routines make us happy. Cheers

[Victoria]

Going to get this thread started with my trusty clay kettle:
Special Japanese clay for use on stoves, thrown by my Taiwanese pottery teacher. The steam hole is strategically place on the rear side to avoid getting burned by the steam when handling.

Before first use I cooked some rice congee in it to seal the pores for future use. This kettle sweetens the water.

A gorgeous kettle Bok, wow. How big is yours, and I’m wondering why it is necessary to seal up the pores before use? I’m still getting familiar with my vintage clay kettles, they sweeten the water but sometimes also bring out tannic notes in certain teas. I need to spend more time experimenting with and testing them.

[lac63]

Going to get this thread started with my trusty clay kettle:
Special Japanese clay for use on stoves, thrown by my Taiwanese pottery teacher. The steam hole is strategically place on the rear side to avoid getting burned by the steam when handling.

Before first use I cooked some rice congee in it to seal the pores for future use. This kettle sweetens the water.

It conveys the origin of the first craftsmen
with special clay handling their hands and
knowledge.

Thanks for sharing and Congratulations.

[Bok]

A gorgeous kettle Bok, wow. How big is yours, and I’m wondering why it is necessary to seal up the pores before use? I’m still getting familiar with my vintage clay kettles, they sweeten the water but sometimes also bring out tannic notes in certain teas. I need to spend more time experimenting with and testing them.

Size I will need to confirm, it lasts me for up to 5 infusions with the pots I use so around 750ml? Including the water to preheat the pot.

You need to seal it as unglazed clay of this kind is porous, so it will leak and evaporate a lot of water otherwise. Most of Chinese unglazed clay kettles need this treatment. At least that is what is recommended in these parts. In the end it will depend on the individual clay.

Never had an issue with tannic notes, but then I might not drink those kind of teas. Most tannic teas are the Taiwanese blacks I have, but those have that no matter which kettle I use.

[Bok]

Forgot to mention, it probably holds more water, but if filled up the water bursts out when close to boil. Every time I start the fire it has water condensing on the upper surface, that is where it has naturally been less sealed with the rice. So I can see the difference in action.

[tealifehk]

I' keep the lid slightly off my clay kettle to stop it from boiling over and so I can keep an eye on what's happening. If I leave the lid down I always end up with water going everywhere because I forget about the kettle! lol

[Victoria]

Here are my clay kettles that don't leak. The two chinese red clay pots (right- ca 1930s, 750ml, center-unknown period, 600ml ) smooth out and sweetens the water nicely, although I'm still fooling around pairing with different oolong. The Japanese post-1940s Kiyomizu-ware 480ml white unglazed boffura is a new acquisition, so I'll try to see how it does with sencha. It may need the rice congee method to seal it up, will see if it sweats too much. I need new handles on the red clay pots, if anyone has any good leads for those. Not looking for bamboo handle, either vine (like on white clay pot), bronze, steel or sim. would be nice.

I only fill pots up half way, and stay nearby, as water can evaporate quickly. Sometimes I also leave lid slightly ajar to see what's going on inside. For scale those are medium-large kumquats.

L1000584_sm.jpg (484.54 KiB) Viewed 41503 times

[Chadrinkincat]

I recently bought a typical 70-80 zini teapot w/ filter basket that I'm planning to use as a kettle. Anyone else use these as kettles? I'm wondering if any extra precautions needed. I'd hate to crack it first time I use it.

[Chadrinkincat]

Here are my clay kettles that don't leak. The two chinese red clay pots (right- ca 1930s, 750ml, center-unknown period, 600ml ) smooth out and sweetens the water nicely, although I'm still fooling around pairing with different oolong. The Japanese post-1940s Kiyomizu-ware 480ml white unglazed boffura is a new acquisition, so I'll try to see how it does with sencha. It may need the rice congee method to seal it up, will see if it sweats too much. I need new handles on the red clay pots, if anyone has any good leads for those. Not looking for bamboo handle, either vine (like on white clay pot), bronze, steel or sim. would be nice.

I only fill pots up half way, and stay nearby, as water can evaporate quickly. Sometimes I also leave lid slightly ajar to see what's going on inside. For scale those are medium-large kumquats.
L1000584_sm.jpg

Love that white one!

I've seen a number of replacement bamboo handles online but they might look a bit odd paired with vintage pot.

[Victoria]

I recently bought a typical 70-80 zini teapot w/ filter basket that I'm planning to use as a kettle. Anyone else use these as kettles? I'm wondering if any extra precautions needed. I'd hate to crack it first time I use it.

If you have not used it yet I recommend soaking in water a day or two, let it dry and then place already hot water inside pot over infrared or sim. hot plate to slowly increase heat level.

[Victoria]

Love that white one!

I've seen a number of replacement bamboo handles online but they might look a bit odd paired with vintage pot.

Yes right I agree. I’d like either forged metal handel or vine handel with metal touching the red clay pot. Either I could make or take from old broken kettle

[FloatingLeaves]

It may need the rice congee method to seal it up, will see if it sweats too much.

I just bought my first clay kettle. It is earthenware, made by a local potter here in Seattle. Wondering about this congee method. What do you mean by sweating here?

[Bok]

I just bought my first clay kettle. It is earthenware, made by a local potter here in Seattle. Wondering about this congee method. What do you mean by sweating here?

Basically it means leaking. The clay is porous and unglazed, so the water will slowly seep through. When you heat such a kettle water will evaporate on the surface > literally sweating. Really depends on the clay though. But with Western-made pottery this is often the case, so the congee method might be a good idea, it won’t do any harm.

Such a clay pot, can mellow out the water and make it sweeter. In the past similar made jar were often used to sort of pre-clean water, before drinking. As they also dripped, they often have a point on the bottom where the leaking water slowly drips away without making a mess (just learned about this from a potter friend).