TeaChat

Hello all,
Which capacity do you think a teapot should have for a puerh sheng ? I'm looking for a teapot to pair with my old sheng but I'm not sure which capacity to choose. I heard that bigger yixing teapots are required for sheng as the tea leaves expand, like about 25 cL (8.4 oz) but I'm not sure because I saw people here and there using smaller teapots for puerh.
I was offered a new 18 cL xishi teapot, a pretty clear color but thick wall, but I'm hesitating to pair it with my sheng because of the capacity..
What do you think about it ?

Thank you !

Depends on the quality of the aged sheng, how many people you are serving, what strength of tea you like to drink, and how much cash you have to purchase good tea.

When I drink really good aged sheng by myself or with one other person, the pot is about 60ml. I think with the exception of tightly rolled greener oolongs, people make far too big a deal about the leaves having room to expand.

Thank you tingjunkie !
Yes I had the same impression. Some people will say it's important to have room for puerh, whereas I read that some experts were using 15 cL teapots for puerh... and yet, yours is big, was it on purpose to fit with sheng nature that you picked up that size or just because of the quantity you're used to drink or to avoid too many brews ?
Maybe I'll post a picture of the teapot anyway ! I wouldn't like to make a mistake since it looks like it's of great value ! But due to its xishi shape, its thick walls and zisha clay, I thought immediately about sheng, so maybe after all, 18 cL is not really a problem.

I think we're getting our metric units confused here. The teapot I use for 1-2 people for very good aged sheng is about 50-60 ml (2 oz.), not 60 cl (20 oz). For an everyday quality loose aged sheng, I use pots between 90 ml - 110 ml (3-4 oz).

I like using very small pots for a few reasons: 1) I like my tea very strong, and I try to push teas to their limits. In other words I generally try to make teas as flavorful, potent, and complex as possible, without crossing the line into overly bitter or overbrewed. This means using a very high leaf to water ratio. 2) I try to drink only high quality tea when possible, and I can't afford to fill up larger pots, unless I have guests. 3) To me a pot of tea is like a good book- it should take you on a whole journey with a beginning, middle, and end. If I use a larger pot and less tea, then my "book" may only have about 5 chapters or plot twists. If I use a smaller pot and a large amount of leaf, then I have many more infusions (each one unique), and my book then can have 10-20+ chapters and plot twists. For me, drinking 5g of a 20+ year old well-aged puerh cake in a 180+ ml pot would be the same as reading the Cliff Notes of A Tale of Two Cities, rather than the novel itself. But that's just my opinion.

tingjunkie wrote:I think we're getting our metric units confused here. The teapot I use for 1-2 people for very good aged sheng is about 50-60 ml (2 oz.), not 60 cl (20 oz). For an everyday quality loose aged sheng, I use pots between 90 ml - 110 ml (3-4 oz).

I like using very small pots for a few reasons: 1) I like my tea very strong, and I try to push teas to their limits. In other words I generally try to make teas as flavorful, potent, and complex as possible, without crossing the line into overly bitter or overbrewed. This means using a very high leaf to water ratio. 2) I try to drink only high quality tea when possible, and I can't afford to fill up larger pots, unless I have guests. 3) To me a pot of tea is like a good book- it should take you on a whole journey with a beginning, middle, and end. If I use a larger pot and less tea, then my "book" may only have about 5 chapters or plot twists. If I use a smaller pot and a large amount of leaf, then I have many more infusions (each one unique), and my book then can have 10-20+ chapters and plot twists. For me, drinking 5g of a 20+ year old well-aged puerh cake in a 180+ ml pot would be the same as reading the Cliff Notes of A Tale of Two Cities, rather than the novel itself. But that's just my opinion.

That was an absolutely wonderful post. Bravo. I have always used a movie & scenes as my analogy for why to use smaller pots and get more infusions out of it but I never thought of using a book (which applies even more than a movie I would say). I continue to be impressed!

Thanks, I'm glad some people get my crazy analogies.

I like the book analogy too. With a very aggressive young sheng, the early chapters may be heavy going, and I often need dilution to get through them to the sweeter infusions beyond. The Cliff's notes version of one like this may be so grim up front as to discourage further 'reading'.

I like larger pots for shu. Drinking shu tends to be about warming up in the winter, so a bit more volume is nice!

I measured my shu teapot today. With 15g of shu it yields 100ml of tea. Still have to measure it empty. I bought it on Scott's (YS) recommendation. Will Yardley was selling one used at a great price. He may still have it.

The pot, after 1-2 years, is now showing some nice shine. Nothing budget breaking, but very effective!

anna wrote: I'm looking for a teapot to pair with my old sheng

65mL is the sweet spot. Less than that is good too, over that capacity you can call yourself a very rich lady.

A guy I know who owns cakes ranging from 40 to 120 years of age uses a lovely 70mL Duo Qiu from the Ming dynasty...and he has served 3 people using that little beast.

The only time I prefer a larger pot or gaiwan ( >60mL ) for sheng puerh is when I am separated from the brewing by distance or time, not easily able to satisfy my thirst with many small infusions. So for an afternoon in clinic or long automobile trip, or to have waiting at the end of a hike, I brew in a kamjove or larger teapot.

Thank you all for your answers. Tingjunkie, I loved your post with the book analogy, that is so true ! you begin with a tea in the morning and it changes along the day.
Sorry I totally got mixed up with mL/cL ! Ok now !
Well thanks to your advices, I decided to use my pot sheng even if I don't completely fill it up, and maybe using it for young sheng too, though I don't know yet if it's so different. You obviously use separate teapots for young and old shengs but that's another question !
Here are some pictures of my beast

in details..