A Tea Addict's Journal

Using a gaiwan

May 5, 2009 · 7 Comments

Well, here it is — a silly little video on how to use a gaiwan and a few ideas on what works and what doesn’t.  It’s pretty basic.  For most of you, it’s probably useless.  I just thought that given all the stuff out there on Youtube — mostly with extremely elaborate procedures and all that, it really isn’t that instructive for those who aren’t into the performative side of things.

Let’s see if this works….

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7 responses so far ↓

  • salserito // May 6, 2009 at 12:38 am | Reply

    Great video! Thanks.

  • MarshalN // May 6, 2009 at 1:01 pm | Reply

    I sound like an idiot

  • iamteop // May 6, 2009 at 8:09 pm | Reply

    Nice video! I’m glad that you took a minimal approach and focused on clearly describing how to brew tea, rather than delving into potentially confusing nuances and (dare I say?) ritual that can intimidate new gaiwan users.

    I chuckle thinking back to my first forays into brewing with a gaiwan a few years ago. If only this video had been round then…

  • Anonymous // May 7, 2009 at 8:05 am | Reply

    There are tea masters that use gaiwans right?

    I wonder if the “ritual”/elaboration is part of that. High/low pour, decanting speed, warming the cup, using gaiwans with deep saucers that can be filled with hot water, tumbling the leaves with the lid, filling to the rim and pushing off any foam with the lid, etc.

    I do believe some people can get better tea out of the same leaf and vessels than others. If gaiwan use is simply water in/out why isn’t the tea always the same?

    Also, is flash brewing of ball oolong on the first couple infusions too fast for closed leaves?

  • mulcahyfeldman // May 9, 2009 at 7:56 am | Reply

    Simple, informative. Well done and very nice. Thanks, eileen

  • bmw_repair_san_diego // May 11, 2009 at 1:30 am | Reply

    thanks for the video easier to learn

  • Anonymous // June 3, 2009 at 9:33 pm | Reply

    Great vid Marshal

    I do get the feeling a newbie might assume that the whole eight minutes were for that one little cup you served to the camera at the end. Might be worth mentioning there are far more cups where that came from.

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