TeaChat

Welcome Teamyster to the forum.

I have brewed Bai Mudan (one of many names for White Peony) in almost everything except a Yixing. I don't think I would either. It is easy to brew, lots of leaf, 170-180 water. Brew til it smells just right.

There is no "proper method" per se. If you like your results, great, but be willing to experiment with variables such as time and temp.

This white is oft discussed under this category. If you do an advanced search for this forum only, you will get MANY results.

Yixing probably has too much heat retention for whites, gaiwans work fine but I would favour glass. Maybe a glass gaiwan is the way forward.

xpost, what Chip said.

xpost, what Chip and Proinsias said

I like infuser baskets as usually I brew for just myself and the white go many rounds. There's a Wikicha article about infuser baskets HERE.

I take out the strainer basket from my testubin then put 5 grams in the pot then steep and serve. It is very hard to over steep white teas.

I agree with the above posters - "proper" is what works for you. I brew in glass, mostly because I love glass and I enjoy seeing the leaves as they brew.

But ... if you are looking for something to add as another choice how about this Tokoname from Rishi:

http://www.rishi-tea.com/store/product. ... =25&page=1

I normally use a stainless mesh infuser and ceramic mug at work. I only use a pot at home and normally use a glass pot, though I do have a glass "tea" mug with glass infuser that works well, too.

I really like my mug/infuser combo at work. I often change teas during the day and the quick cleanup is greatly apreciated.

chad wrote: I really like my mug/infuser combo at work. I often change teas during the day and the quick cleanup is greatly appreciated.

I am a big fan of infuser baskets also ... especially when you want a full cup but just a cup and you don't want to fuss and play with cool teaware ... just get a job done.

Why does the kind of tea pot make that much difference? Why gaiwan and not yixing for whites? Is it really that critical to take into account heat loss/retention during a two minute infusion? I know that yixing holds heat and that a thin pot like a gaiwan would dissipate heat faster, but is the rate of heat loss/retention really result in that much of a noticeable difference in the end product? I am drinking white peony right now brewed in yixing and it's great.

Considering the possibility that thick/thin pot makes a big difference I have a question. I posted this in puerh section and, judging from lack of response and the only response, that it doesn't make any difference. But what about greens or whites that are supposedly 'fussy' and intolerant of brewing methods and vessels?


How much does it affect tea leaves to sit idle in the pot for varying periods of time between infusions? If heat loss/retention is a big consideration during brewing with whites and greens, then wouldn't the repeated heating and cooling of the leaves be an issue also? Should you hurry up and brew-drink-brew-drink gong fu style, or is the result the same if you brew and go do something else letting the leaves and pot get cold while you drink , then return later to brew again, or doesn't it matter?

I think a more nuetral vessel such as a gaiwan or glass or similar non porous pot is just better for whites in general. The heat issue is of less importance to me. But a clay yixing pot will require a very long period of use before it would offer any benefit to white tea brewing, and might never.

I hate to use the word "deaden," however intitially a clay pot may take more away from a white tea than help it. This is partly because the clay will absorb some of the already subtle flavor of the white tea each time. It might take hundreds or thousands of sessions to begin to derive any benefit from yixing with such a soft tea as white.

I tried to use a yixing for Long Jing only. Many 100's of sessions later, I brewed in a gaiwan, it was simply better. I felt I was cheated for all those sessions.

The downside to an infuser is that the leaves do not spread out.

Chip wrote:I think a more nuetral vessel such as a gaiwan or glass or similar non porous pot is just better for whites in general. The heat issue is of less importance to me. But a clay yixing pot will require a very long period of use before it would offer any benefit to white tea brewing, and might never.

I hate to use the word "deaden," however intitially a clay pot may take more away from a white tea than help it. This is partly because the clay will absorb some of the already subtle flavor of the white tea each time. It might take hundreds or thousands of sessions to begin to derive any benefit from yixing with such a soft tea as white.

I tried to use a yixing for Long Jing only. Many 100's of sessions later, I brewed in a gaiwan, it was simply better. I felt I was cheated for all those sessions.

Interesting answer. I really like silver needle and white peony, not so thrilled with snow bud, but I finally ordered a gaiwan a few days ago and now I'm going to be pacing around the carpet until it gets here. If you're right this gaiwan is going to see a lot of use.

Of course I am right. Another advantage of a gaiwan for whites, they tend to float even above the water, the lid can push the leaves under. Hard to do that with a yixing or most pots.

Chip wrote:Of course I am right.

Oops...sorry Ajahn Chip

I'm just wondering if I'm going to notice that much of a difference. Guess I'll find out soon enough.