Recommended Brewing Equipment

Recommended Brewing Equipment For Tea & Tisanes

To brew tea consistently well you will require brewing equipment that accurately controls the variables. 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.

We also highly recommend having scales to weigh the tea and a timer to control the exact infusion times.

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.

Our Chamellia 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).

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

Recommended Brewing EquipmentUpdated a month ago