Tea At Work
 

Guys/Gals,

Those of you who have nine-to-fives (or seven-to-eights, as it were),
what is your tea setup at work, if you have one? I'd like to get one
going and am shopping around online, and as usual, it is difficult to
ascertain the usability of some of the things I am finding. I find that
I only have time to enjoy tea on days when I can dedicate time to it,
since for many teas I enjoy, temperature is vital and difficult to
achieve accurately (some delta off the boil). I would like to brew a
wide variety of teas and other products in the cleanest and best way
possible. At work, I have limited space, so I am looking for an
efficient setup. At home I similarly would like something that achieves
correct water temperature without the hassle.

So far, at work, I have one the following, which works pretty well for
any tea that matches well with the hot water that comes out of our water
cooler (I should probably measure that temperature someday):
One of those chinese tea thermoses (thermii? (: ) found on Ebay and
discussed in this ng a while back (http://tinyurl.com/a9ju2).
An adequately-sized college coffee mug.
Bags of various tea.

So far, I've found I get decent results with oolongs (烏龍) using the
hot water spigot and am willing to steep cheaper Pu-Erh (普洱茶) Tuo Cha
(沱茶) with it as well. Still, It would be nice to have something more
accurate.

The best thing I've found in my online search is an Adagio product
called "UtiliTEA" (http://tinyurl.com/e226e), which is tad pricey. Most
other electric kettles seem to only do boiling--especially the cheap ones.

So, what do you guys use if anything, and how has it worked out for you?

Steve

BTW, if the unicode chinese above worked, I'd like to thank Mike for
making some of the source material available. I love your site and
appreciate the donation of valuable information to the tea community.

On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 11:13:01 GMT, Steve Hay
> wrote:

>Guys/Gals,
>
>Those of you who have nine-to-fives (or seven-to-eights, as it were),
>what is your tea setup at work, if you have one?

I use a cheap Bodum travel kettle because its compact
http://tinyurl.com/8u37m and just let it cool down if need be. You can
use a pocket thermometer if you want to get anal about but after a few
times you judge the temp by feeling the kettle.

I use the same cup you have for teas that can handle staying in the
water, like oolongs and black puerhs, I start with cooler water in the
morning and then go a little hotter with each refill. For other teas
like greens or blacks I use http://tinyurl.com/9zwcv because it is
compact and easy.

Mike Petro
http://www.pu-erh.net
"In this work, when it shall be found that much is omitted, let it not be forgotten that much likewise is performed."
Samuel Johnson, 1775, upon finishing his dictionary.

On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 11:13:01 GMT, Steve Hay wrote:

> Those of you who have nine-to-fives (or seven-to-eights, as it were),
> what is your tea setup at work, if you have one?

I have an IngenuiTEA from Adagio, a mug, the hot water spigot on the
filter in the kitchenette and the microwave.

The hot water spigot is just about the right temperature for oolongs
and some greens. But for my blacks, I nuke the IngenuiTEA for 50
seconds to bring it to boiling.

I used to use a TeaOne, but I find that he single-unit construction of
the IngenuiTEA is less messy than the removable infusion basket on the
TeaOne. However, the TeaOne drains faster after infusion - only a
second or so, whereas the full IngenuiTEA takes 10 seconds, which can
adversely affect some teas if you don't shorten the steeping time.

IngenuiTEA: http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y247349CB
TeaOne: http://makeashorterlink.com/?X157259CB

--
Derek

"Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute
rejection of authority.+ -- Thomas H. Huxley

i use my jenaer tea cup or cups with filters purchased from
www.shanshuiteas.com

Steve Hay > writes:

> [...]
>
> So, what do you guys use if anything, and how has it worked out for you?

I use an electric kettle (Cuisinart, but there are lots of
alternatives) and, usually, a six-ounce glass gaiwan, decanting into a
big porcelain cup.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

I have a 12-oz thermal flask that I carry a cup of good tea, brewed at
home, in. I used to drink from paper cups but now I keep a 12-oz
glazed ceramic mug here.



Once I drink the contents of the flask, I usually suffer with teabags.
The hot water dispenser puts out at almost exactly 170F, I measured it.
For black teas, I preheat my mug and then finish boiling the water in
the microwave. For green tea, I dispense straight onto the teabag in
the cup.

Yesterday I brewed some Se Chung oolong. I put the leaves in the mug,
dispensed water over them, let it steep for a minute and then fished
out the leaves with a plastic fork (saving them in a paper cup for two
more infusions.) It came out pretty good. Today I'm saving some
trouble by brewing in a paper cup, then pouring into the mug through
the screen infuser basket that came with my tetsubin (hell, it's not
good for anything else.)

stePH
--
GoogleGroups licks balls.

I use the empty tea bags: http://tinyurl.com/75hmj My co-workers
s****** while I spoon tea into the bags, but hey, it works.

Jennifer

I got some of those too, bought them at Sur la Table some months ago.
I never use them now, ever since I got a tea strainer.

Today at work I had five cups of Se Chung oolong brewed from the same
wad of leaves. I'm glad I found a use for the basket strainer from the
tetsubin.


stePH
--
GoogleGroups licks balls

IngenuiTea (from Adagio)

Green Tea kettle (from Adagio) - There's no hot water spigot around at work.
I'm a green drinker and I like that you can adjust the water temp with this
kettle)

Lots of 12 oz paper cups purchased in bulk from Costco (the same ones that
coffee shops use)

Mug - but I always forget to take it home to wash it once in awhile and it
gets stained and then I don't want to use it so I use the paper cups.

I have several tin sample canisters that I got from Adagio when ordering
their sampler sets. I use them to store different loose teas from home so I
have a variety at work.

Several Nalgene bottles to bring in water from home. (I hate the "city"
water at work--I have (mountain) spring water at home)

JE formerly LB


"stePH" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I got some of those too, bought them at Sur la Table some months ago.
> I never use them now, ever since I got a tea strainer.
>
> Today at work I had five cups of Se Chung oolong brewed from the same
> wad of leaves. I'm glad I found a use for the basket strainer from the
> tetsubin.
>
>
> stePH
> --
> GoogleGroups licks balls
>

I drink mostly uncooked Puerh at work. I have a small zisha gaiwan and a
2-3oz Japanese tea cup/bowl. I bring a thermos of spring water at about 160
F. Put some tea in the gaiwan and keep refilling the until the water is
gone. Then it's usually time to go home.

Blues

Blues 9/14/05


> I drink mostly uncooked Puerh at work. I have a small zisha gaiwan and a
> 2-3oz Japanese tea cup/bowl. I bring a thermos of spring water at about 160
> F. Put some tea in the gaiwan and keep refilling the until the water is
> gone. Then it's usually time to go home.
>
> Blues
>

I've got a small collection of Yi-Xing Gung-Fu pots which I press into
service at my desk now and again. I also have a small set of tasting and
smelling cups, Japanese 5 oz cups, a couple mason jars, and a Randwick glass
cup with a glass filter thingie to place into it, and a base to place the
thing on. Usually these days I opt for the Randwick.

Question: Where on earth do you get these Randwick things nowadays? They
are made in Holland. Capital Tea in Canada was my source, but they don't
sell them anymore. What I really like about them is that you can pull the
filter glass cylinder up and out quickly and easily, providing an excellent
Gung-fu style control, or you can brew conventionally.

Use an $8.00 electric kettle that has no controls of any kind whatsoever and
never burns out ever.

I maintain a collection of teas across the spectrum at my workplace, but I
maintain such a collection in all my habitations.

Michael

A novel approach to drinking tea at work is the Health Tea Wand.
www.wisdomwands.com. A glass straw that was inspired by the bombilla.

Nancy

9/14/05


> A novel approach to drinking tea at work is the Health Tea Wand.
> www.wisdomwands.com. A glass straw that was inspired by the bombilla.
>
> Nancy
>


Well said, Nancy. Now you only need to add that you own the company -- or
your brother, or whoever owns the company -- and we're on our way to an
honest exchange. Your post here does not even do us the honor of admitting
your business relationship to the said product. That makes you a liar, you
know.

To all others: Nancy shilled her (or her brother's, as she stated) product
on another group for which she was called to task. I resent her popping up
here without even a mention that she has a vested interest in the product
beyond a desire to share.

Enough of you Nancy.

Michael

I'll add another vote for the IngenuiTEA. I especially like that it
allows me to brew a cup for myself and a cup for a friend at the same
time.

Since I only drink black teas, I use the Sunbeam HotShot to heat water.
It's a nice match to the InenuiTEA - one cup capacity each. One minor
"problem" - the Ingenuitea is taller than the open space under the
water tank in the HotShot. I drain the hot water from the HotShot into
a Pryex measuring cup and pour from it into the Ingenuitea.

Not elegant, but it works well for me.

I hope this helps,
Tom
(with no relation to either product except as a satified user)

> I'll add another vote for the IngenuiTEA. I especially like that it
> allows me to brew a cup for myself and a cup for a friend at the same
> time.

I've got to get me one of those. It will only brew one cup at a time
for me, as I tend to have my tea in 12- or 16-oz mugs -- but that's no
problem; I don't know any other tea drinkers, and if I do ever need to
brew for two, I can use a teapot.


stePH
--
GoogleGroups licks balls.

On 14 Sep 2005 13:16:03 -0700, stePH wrote:

>> I'll add another vote for the IngenuiTEA. I especially like that it
>> allows me to brew a cup for myself and a cup for a friend at the same
>> time.
>
> I've got to get me one of those. It will only brew one cup at a time
> for me, as I tend to have my tea in 12- or 16-oz mugs -- but that's no
> problem; I don't know any other tea drinkers, and if I do ever need to
> brew for two, I can use a teapot.

Or do what I typically do. Steep double strong and then dilute.

--
Derek

"In love, one and one are one." -- Jean-Paul Sartre

I have the UtiliTea (Adagio*) at work, and I like it a lot. I
calibrated it with a thermometer, so I know where to set it for greens.
If a friend is sharing tea with me, I brew it in a BeeHouse teapot (The
Tea Table*). If by myself, I use either a disposable paper filter
(Adagio*) or Teeli filter (Harney & Sons*) in a china mug (Upton*).

* = example vendor (no affiliation)


Steve Hay > wrote:
....
> The best thing I've found in my online search is an Adagio product
> called "UtiliTEA" (http://tinyurl.com/e226e), which is tad pricey. Most
> other electric kettles seem to only do boiling--especially the cheap ones.
>
> So, what do you guys use if anything, and how has it worked out for you?
....

>> I've got to get [an IngenuiTEA]. It will only brew one cup at a time
>> for me, as I tend to have my tea in 12- or 16-oz mugs -- but that's no
>> problem; I don't know any other tea drinkers, and if I do ever need to
>> brew for two, I can use a teapot.
>
>Or do what I typically do. Steep double strong and then dilute.

No need. If I'm ever brewing for two, I will almost certainly be at
home, not at work. And at home I always use a teapot.

BTW is there a "saturation point" after which adding more leaves to the
water is pointless? I make iced tea by brewing double-strong and
pouring it into a jug of ice water (jug is intended for cold liquids
only, so I don't want to pour too hot into it) and I wondered if I
could make it even stronger.

stePH
--
GoogleGroups licks balls.

> BTW is there a "saturation point" after which adding more leaves to the
> water is pointless? I make iced tea by brewing double-strong and
> pouring it into a jug of ice water (jug is intended for cold liquids
> only, so I don't want to pour too hot into it) and I wondered if I
> could make it even stronger.
>
> stePH


I do not believe there is a "saturation point". For example in Gongfu
style brewing you use a very high leaf to water ratio and shorter
steeps. It is all a function of leaf/water ratio, temperature, and
time. Manipulating one or more variables will result in a noticable
difference in the tea. However you can easily create a cup of bitter
paint remover by exceeding the proper balance.

Mike

What's the volume of the Tea-One? I can't find that information at the
link you provided.


stePH
--
GoogleGroups licks balls.

> I do not believe there is a "saturation point". For example in Gongfu
> style brewing you use a very high leaf to water ratio and shorter
> steeps. It is all a function of leaf/water ratio, temperature, and
> time.

I was thinking that more leaf in the same amout of water means less
room around the leaf for the water to circulate; sort of the same
principle as using a mesh teaball, or the basket infuser that comes
with some teapots.


stePH
--
GoogleGroups licks balls.

>> BTW is there a "saturation point" after which adding more leaves to the
>> water is pointless? I make iced tea by brewing double-strong and
>> pouring it into a jug of ice water (jug is intended for cold liquids
>> only, so I don't want to pour too hot into it) and I wondered if I
>> could make it even stronger.
>>
>> stePH


Mike Petro > wrote:

> I do not believe there is a "saturation point". For example in Gongfu
> style brewing you use a very high leaf to water ratio and shorter
> steeps. It is all a function of leaf/water ratio, temperature, and
> time. Manipulating one or more variables will result in a noticable
> difference in the tea. However you can easily create a cup of bitter
> paint remover by exceeding the proper balance.

Mike, I agree with your answer if you do multiple steeps. If I'm making
a lot of iced tea with a small pot I will do two steeps of a lot of black
leaves.

To me, the closest technology is the samovar. Savarka (the high-test
concentrate) dilutes to make good stuff if it is made with something
not too astringent. The supposed ideal is Caucasian, but any non-Darjeeling
Indian which isn't too sharp will work fine.

Best,

Rick.

Rick Chappell > wrote:

> To me, the closest technology is the samovar. Savarka (the high-test

Pardon my aspirations. It's "Zavarka". Rick.

On 15 Sep 2005 07:15:05 -0700, stePH wrote:

> What's the volume of the Tea-One? I can't find that information at the
> link you provided.

Honestly, I don't know. I'd say about 6 ounces. I always have to add
water to fill up an 8 ounce cup.


--
Derek

"I thought I heard opportunity knocking, but it was just the hand of
fate giving me a noogie." -- Glasbergen

On Thu, 15 Sep 2005 15:33:25 +0000 (UTC), Rick Chappell wrote:

> Rick Chappell > wrote:
>
>> To me, the closest technology is the samovar. Savarka (the high-test
>
> Pardon my aspirations. It's "Zavarka". Rick.

Eh. Things always get lost in transliteration.

--
Derek

There comes a time when every team must learn to make individual
sacrifices.

The place where I work at is pretty tea friendly despite the coffee
addicts who surround me, and occassionally my employer partakes of the
tea that I make for myself in the office. And everything that I
normally buy for the office, he'll consume as well. So naturally I
bring receipts as proofs of purchase and I'm reimbursed in my paycheck
along with my salary. Our office has a small Mrs. Tea maker and kettle.
I mostly use it to heat up the water, and then I have a large
ball-n-stick metal strainer which I use to infuse the tea.

My boss was a Russian studies major in college, so I keep a can of
Prince Vladimir by Kousmichoff just for him. I normally will drink a
Mark T. Wendell Lapsang Souchong (either the China or Hu-Kwa), but we
go through a lot of RoT's Mango Ceylon and Taylor's Darjeeling as well.

Steve Hay > wrote:
>
>Those of you who have nine-to-fives (or seven-to-eights, as it were),
>what is your tea setup at work, if you have one? I'd like to get one
>going and am shopping around online, and as usual, it is difficult to
>ascertain the usability of some of the things I am finding. I find that
>I only have time to enjoy tea on days when I can dedicate time to it,
>since for many teas I enjoy, temperature is vital and difficult to
>achieve accurately (some delta off the boil). I would like to brew a
>wide variety of teas and other products in the cleanest and best way
>possible. At work, I have limited space, so I am looking for an
>efficient setup. At home I similarly would like something that achieves
>correct water temperature without the hassle.

I use an in-cup tea basket, either from the Republic of Tea or from
Upton's, and I make hot water using the public microwave in the coffee
mess at work.

With the microwave, it can be a pain to figure out how long you need to
run it to get up to a particular temperature, but once you do it stays
pretty stable. Use the same cup and the same amount of water, and it
takes the same time today that it will take two years from now. (Maybe
not ten years, as the magnetrons do weaken as they age.)

For boiling water, I really prefer an electric kettle, but if you want to
make green tea with one, it can be a pain and usually involves getting
the water to a boil and then waiting a calibrated time for it to cool
down.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Derek wrote:

> On 15 Sep 2005 07:15:05 -0700, stePH wrote:
>
>> What's the volume of the Tea-One? I can't find that information at the
>> link you provided.

> Honestly, I don't know. I'd say about 6 ounces. I always have to add
> water to fill up an 8 ounce cup.

Unfortunate. My minimum serving of tea is 12 ounces.

stePH
--
GoogleGroups licks balls.

On 18 Sep 2005 07:35:17 -0700, stePH wrote:

> Derek wrote:
>
>> On 15 Sep 2005 07:15:05 -0700, stePH wrote:
>>
>>> What's the volume of the Tea-One? I can't find that information at the
>>> link you provided.
>
>> Honestly, I don't know. I'd say about 6 ounces. I always have to add
>> water to fill up an 8 ounce cup.
>
> Unfortunate. My minimum serving of tea is 12 ounces.
>
> stePH

Not really unfortunate. I still recommend the IngenuiTEA over the
TeaOne for one-person office use.

However, there are a variety of "alterations" to the idea of the
TeaOne which are available - just not at my previously local shop.

See: http://www.piao-i.com/enweb/product/product.htm

--
Derek

"Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the
victims he intends to eat until he eats them." -- Samuel Butler

The piao personal size was on clearance at my local "high-end" food store
for all of $8 :) I love it! I use it regularly at my office.

Joshua
************************************************** ***********************
Joshua C. Sasmor - Pipe-smoker, teacher and mathematician
Home page: http://www.math.pitt.edu/~jcsst18/
************************************************** ***********************
Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth but supreme beauty.
- BERTRAND RUSSELL
************************************************** ***********************

> Those of you who have nine-to-fives (or seven-to-eights, as it were),
> what is your tea setup at work, if you have one?

I don't know if this is something you were looking for, but the only
two glass electric kettles that I know of are the Chef's Choice
Electric French Press, and the Capresso H2O Glass Classic. I have the
Chef's Choice at work and the other at home. I took out all the coffee
press gear from the Chef's Choice, and it works fast and the pouring
area has a little strainer built in, which helps me when I get
ambitious and try to make a chai mix with spice ingredients. The fact
that these are glass is helpful if I try to catch the water before it
boils, but has little bubbles.

If you want any kind of thermometer, the Taylor digital oven
thermometer can alert you when the water hits the right temperature. I
don't go that far, but it was nice to have around to find out the
temperature of the water from the hot spigot of the water cooler.

Everyone, thank you for your replies. I've been really busy lately so
I've only been lurking, not having time to fashion any useful
discussion. The thread has given me some ideas to go forward with and I
appreciate everyone's input on the matter.

Steve