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Recommended Brewing EquipmentUpdated 2 years ago

Tea and Tisanes 

To brew tea consistently well you will require brewing equipment that accurately controls the variables. Our kettle of choice is the Brewista Kettle listed in table 1. However it's important to make a choice based on your own personal preferences therefore see table 2 for the advantages and disadvantages for each brand. Your choice of teapot also has significant effects on the flavour of your tea, as the minerals in the clay will impact the taste, see table 3 for further information on this. We do stock many more products in our teaware/equipment range, from milk jugs, fairness jugs, traysPu erh Knife, Pu erh Cake Box. Click on the link to view the full range. 

Please note- For wholesale customers only, you will also require a system that enables fast service therefore having 1 or 2 digital kettles in your venue is ideal to keep up with the supply and demand. 


Table 1

Brewista Artisan Gooseneck Variable Kettle 

Timer

Scales



Table 2

Brand

Advantages / Disadvantages

Brewista – Digital

Pros: Fast boiling, holds temperature well, 5 degree temperature increments from 80 -100 degrees. 

Cons: difficult to control temperatures below 80 degrees. Difficult to pour accurately.

Cuisinart – Digital

Pros: Moderately fast boiling, holds temperature well, 5 degree temperature increments from 80 -100 degrees. 

Cons: difficult to control temperatures below 80 degrees. Difficult to pour accurately. 

Bonavita – Digital

Pros: Accurate temperature control (to within 1 degree), option for kettle with an easy pour spout. Economical purchase.

Cons: Slow to boil. Kettle loses temperature quite quickly (not well insulated).

Sunbeam 9L Urn

Pros: Acts as back up water source. Fast water delivery. No delay heating water once the desired temperature is reached. 

Cons: Slow to boil. Moderately accurate temperature control. Economical purchase.

Marco Ecoboiler, FETCO, BUNN Water Boilers

Pros: Accurate temperature control (to within 1 degree), fast volumetrically controlled water delivery.

Cons: Big investment, slow temperature change and so multiple boilers are required. 

Marco Uber Boiler

Pros: Accurate temperature control (to within 1 degree)

Cons: Big investment, slow temperature change and so multiple boilers are required, significant water temperature loss with font, limited in ability to deliver higher temperatures (due to temperature loss through font).



CHOOSING THE RIGHT TEAPOT

Ideally the pot will have a large removable infuser basket that sits low in the pot. This to allow adequate coverage of water over the top of the leaves, as the tea leaves will expand up to 3 times their dry volume once infused. Poorly made tea pots typically have narrow infusers that sit high up in the teapot, such that the leaves are not fully submerged in water as the leaves begin to expand. The removable infuser basket allows the leaves to be easily removed at the optimum steep. The size of the pot is also important – it should be suited to the number of cups being made – typically for cafes a 2-cup pot (no larger than 350ml) is required.


Somage Teapots are specially designed with a large removable infuser basket that sits low in the pot to allow sufficient room for the leaves to expand during infusion.

The make of the tea pots is also very important. A poor quality teapot makes it very difficult, if not impossible to release the full flavour potential of the tea leaves during infusion. This is because poor quality pots lose temperature quickly and as the cells of the tea leaves that contain the tea liquor will contract and not release the tea liquor (resulting in under infused tea).


Table 3

TYPE

Advantages / Disadvantages

CERAMIC – HAND MADE CLAY 

Pros: Typically temperature stable.

Cons: Can be broken, can be expensive to replace, typically the whole pot needs to be replaced if the lid is broken as each lid is unique to the pot (as they are fired together).

CERAMIC - MOULDED STONEWARE

Pros: Typically temperature stable, typically less expensive to replace.

Cons: Can be broken, typically not as temperature stable as crafted hand made pots, with lids not fitting as well etc. 

PORCELAIN

Pros: Non porous, holds the temperature very well and is easy to clean.

Cons: Can be scratched, often quite thin.

GLASS

Pros: Present nicely with the tea leaves and liquor visible

Cons: Easy to break and unless double walled typically have poor temperature stability

STEEL

Pros: Durable and can be visually appealing.

Cons: As a good conductor, steel pots typically have poor temperature stability. They are prone to bending out of shape (lids not fitting properly) and scratching.

CAST IRON

Pros: Durable

Cons: Significant heat /time required to pre heat water. If pot not preheated, there will be significant temperature loss.

PLASTIC

Pros: Durable

Cons: Often unsightly, also risk of hot water releasing chemicals from the plastic over time.

PURION

Pros: Holds heat inside the pot while the tea is brewing. It allows for deep, mellow flavours to be pulled from the leaves of the tea.

Cons: Can be broken, can be expensive to replace, typically the whole pot needs to be replaced if the lid is broken as each lid is unique to the pot (as they are fired together).


Recommended brewing equipment for chai -

All customers need: Scales and Strainer 

Hospitality/Office: You will need a Stainless Steel Milk Jug and coffee machine- in order to steam milk 

Home: Stove - heat milk and 9 Spice Chai in a pan to heat up or alternatively you can use a separate milk frother or the steam wand on your home coffee machine 


Recommended brewing equipment for Chocolate 

All customers need: Scales or Chocolate Barista Spoon 

Hospitality/Office: you will need a Stainless Steel Milk Jug and coffee machine- in order to steam milk

Home: Stove - heat milk in pan and add to the chocolate powder in your mug, you can use a separate milk frother or the steam wand on your home coffee machine



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