Having trouble with a clogged spout in a small Yixing pot - it's about 80ml.
Doesn't have the internal clay strainer.

Have been drinking various tuo cha lately at work and they all seem to be
very 'bitty'; seem to have thick bits of stalk that regularly clog the
spout. Haven't had this much bother with any other loose or compressed
pu'ers using the same pot. My Wu Yi and other oolongs are fine.

Is it just the bitty nature of tuo cha that doesn't like this particular
pot or am I getting ripped off with poor tuo cha?. Tea tastes/looks fine
otherwise.

I'm thinking about getting a slightly larger pot, say 100ml with a bigger
(diameter) spout and orifices.

Cheers
Mal
Oz
(Drinking: 2000 Phoenix cooked tuo cha; 1988 Xiaguan raw tuo cha)

On Apr 18, 11:34 pm, "Mal from Oz" > wrote:
> Having trouble with a clogged spout in a small Yixing pot - it's about 80ml.
> Doesn't have the internal clay strainer.
>
> Have been drinking various tuo cha lately at work and they all seem to be
> very 'bitty'; seem to have thick bits of stalk that regularly clog the
> spout. Haven't had this much bother with any other loose or compressed
> pu'ers using the same pot. My Wu Yi and other oolongs are fine.
>
> Is it just the bitty nature of tuo cha that doesn't like this particular
> pot or am I getting ripped off with poor tuo cha?. Tea tastes/looks fine
> otherwise.
>
> I'm thinking about getting a slightly larger pot, say 100ml with a bigger
> (diameter) spout and orifices.
>
> Cheers
> Mal
> Oz
> (Drinking: 2000 Phoenix cooked tuo cha; 1988 Xiaguan raw tuo cha)

There is a gong fu tool with a flexible tip for this purpose. These
tools are rather inexpensive and are available through the good,
reliable China vendors on eBay.
Shen

Thankyou Shen, - I have one of these and works well to unclog ...BTW...I
also find that a small cable tie does the same job ;-))

I was more curious as to the bitty nature of the tuo cha - is this typical
of that form of compressed tea ? or have I got some really bad tuo cha ?
Other forms of pu'er don't seem to clog the spout as much in this small pot.

Cheers
Mal
Oz

"Shen" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> On Apr 18, 11:34 pm, "Mal from Oz" > wrote:
>> Having trouble with a clogged spout in a small Yixing pot - it's about
>> 80ml.
>> Doesn't have the internal clay strainer.
>>
>> Have been drinking various tuo cha lately at work and they all seem to be
>> very 'bitty'; seem to have thick bits of stalk that regularly clog the
>> spout. Haven't had this much bother with any other loose or compressed
>> pu'ers using the same pot. My Wu Yi and other oolongs are fine.
>>
>> Is it just the bitty nature of tuo cha that doesn't like this particular
>> pot or am I getting ripped off with poor tuo cha?. Tea tastes/looks
>> fine
>> otherwise.
>>
>> I'm thinking about getting a slightly larger pot, say 100ml with a bigger
>> (diameter) spout and orifices.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Mal
>> Oz
>> (Drinking: 2000 Phoenix cooked tuo cha; 1988 Xiaguan raw tuo cha)
>
> There is a gong fu tool with a flexible tip for this purpose. These
> tools are rather inexpensive and are available through the good,
> reliable China vendors on eBay.
> Shen
>

> I'm thinking about getting a slightly larger pot, say 100ml with a bigger
> (diameter) spout and orifices.
>
> Cheers
> Mal
> Oz
> (Drinking: 2000 Phoenix cooked tuo cha; 1988 Xiaguan raw tuo cha)

Maybe it is that you are putting too much tea in the pot. For the
clog, you can use a toothpick or your cable tie method. When you say
"bitty", do you mean bits of tea leaf that have been broken or do you
mean the tea had been reduced to dust perhaps because of mistreatment
while in tuo form?

By 'bitty' I don't mean dusty - rather stiff bits of stalk and broken leaf
etc. I also found 2 grains of barley (yes, barley) in this particular tuo
cha while I was breaking it apart.

If I suspect too much dust due to handling, or what ever, I usually shake
the broken tea over a fine sieve to get rid of this.

Stalk is probably the main cause.

Cheers
Mal
Oz

"Mydnight" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>> I'm thinking about getting a slightly larger pot, say 100ml with a bigger
>> (diameter) spout and orifices.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Mal
>> Oz
>> (Drinking: 2000 Phoenix cooked tuo cha; 1988 Xiaguan raw tuo cha)
>
> Maybe it is that you are putting too much tea in the pot. For the
> clog, you can use a toothpick or your cable tie method. When you say
> "bitty", do you mean bits of tea leaf that have been broken or do you
> mean the tea had been reduced to dust perhaps because of mistreatment
> while in tuo form?
>

On Apr 19, 8:36 pm, "Mal from Oz" > wrote:
> By 'bitty' I don't mean dusty - rather stiff bits of stalk and broken leaf
> etc. I also found 2 grains of barley (yes, barley) in this particular tuo
> cha while I was breaking it apart.
>
> If I suspect too much dust due to handling, or what ever, I usually shake
> the broken tea over a fine sieve to get rid of this.
>
> Stalk is probably the main cause.
>
> Cheers
> Mal
> Oz
>
> "Mydnight" > wrote in message
>
> oups.com...
>
> >> I'm thinking about getting a slightly larger pot, say 100ml with a bigger
> >> (diameter) spout and orifices.
>
> >> Cheers
> >> Mal
> >> Oz
> >> (Drinking: 2000 Phoenix cooked tuo cha; 1988 Xiaguan raw tuo cha)
>
> > Maybe it is that you are putting too much tea in the pot. For the
> > clog, you can use a toothpick or your cable tie method. When you say
> > "bitty", do you mean bits of tea leaf that have been broken or do you
> > mean the tea had been reduced to dust perhaps because of mistreatment
> > while in tuo form?

Cooked or shu tuocha tend to be pretty gritty with lots of broken leaf
and stiff stems. That's why I prefer to use a gaiwan which never
clogs of a Yixing pot with a ball strainer behind the spout with shu
tuocha. Even sheng (green) tuocha will have lots of broken leaf, but
the stems seem more flexible. I don't think you are putting too much
tea in the pot. You need a lot of leaf (2 g./oz.) , hot water, and
very short infusions for the best flavour.

A toothpick works pretty well to unclog the spout, but I suggest a
gaiwan for shu tuocha. It takes a little skill to grab the whole
thing (lid, cup, saucer) and tilt the lid just enough to get only
liquid and no solids (and not take a bath as well), but once you get
the hang of it, it can't be beat for shu. I save my pots for sheng
and wulong.

This pot would be great for big whole leaf sheng or wulong, I would
guess you would get a nice fast pour without the obstruction of the
little filter holes.

Gumbywan
I'm drinking Xiaguan cooked tuocha now!

Yes, thanks, good suggestion. I am quite adept with the gaiwan - it never
occured to me to use it for this tea (it's been a long week !)

The little pot does have a good pour when using large leaf teas.

Problem solved, thanks folks.

Cheers
Mal
Oz
> wrote in message
oups.com...
> On Apr 19, 8:36 pm, "Mal from Oz" > wrote:
>> By 'bitty' I don't mean dusty - rather stiff bits of stalk and broken
>> leaf
>> etc. I also found 2 grains of barley (yes, barley) in this particular
>> tuo
>> cha while I was breaking it apart.
>>
>> If I suspect too much dust due to handling, or what ever, I usually shake
>> the broken tea over a fine sieve to get rid of this.
>>
>> Stalk is probably the main cause.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Mal
>> Oz
>>
>> "Mydnight" > wrote in message
>>
>> oups.com...
>>
>> >> I'm thinking about getting a slightly larger pot, say 100ml with a
>> >> bigger
>> >> (diameter) spout and orifices.
>>
>> >> Cheers
>> >> Mal
>> >> Oz
>> >> (Drinking: 2000 Phoenix cooked tuo cha; 1988 Xiaguan raw tuo cha)
>>
>> > Maybe it is that you are putting too much tea in the pot. For the
>> > clog, you can use a toothpick or your cable tie method. When you say
>> > "bitty", do you mean bits of tea leaf that have been broken or do you
>> > mean the tea had been reduced to dust perhaps because of mistreatment
>> > while in tuo form?
>
> Cooked or shu tuocha tend to be pretty gritty with lots of broken leaf
> and stiff stems. That's why I prefer to use a gaiwan which never
> clogs of a Yixing pot with a ball strainer behind the spout with shu
> tuocha. Even sheng (green) tuocha will have lots of broken leaf, but
> the stems seem more flexible. I don't think you are putting too much
> tea in the pot. You need a lot of leaf (2 g./oz.) , hot water, and
> very short infusions for the best flavour.
>
> A toothpick works pretty well to unclog the spout, but I suggest a
> gaiwan for shu tuocha. It takes a little skill to grab the whole
> thing (lid, cup, saucer) and tilt the lid just enough to get only
> liquid and no solids (and not take a bath as well), but once you get
> the hang of it, it can't be beat for shu. I save my pots for sheng
> and wulong.
>
> This pot would be great for big whole leaf sheng or wulong, I would
> guess you would get a nice fast pour without the obstruction of the
> little filter holes.
>
> Gumbywan
> I'm drinking Xiaguan cooked tuocha now!
>