Brewing Chinese Black Teas GFC , Gaiwan or Yixing ?

[zencha]

Gaiwan or Yixing ?

[Victoria]

Although some do, I never do black teas in a gaiwan.
Just my preference.

[silverneedles]

all that plus more

[Rainy-Day]

I prefer two glass pots, brew in one and strain into the other. Sometimes blacks are pretty good in a yixing, though. I don't have a separate yixing for blacks - if I did, I think I would still use two glass pots method most of time, but not all the time.

[brad4419]

I would recommend a porcelain teapot from what I have read. I use a glass teapot because thats what I have and it works just fine for me. If I had to choose between a gaiwan or yixing I'd say gaiwan.

[Chip]

Gaiwan. If I had to choose.

I would never see myself brewing a black of any kind in a Yixing, thinking about dedicating one to particular blacks, etc just gave me a headache.

I have brewed blacks in just about anything but a Yixing, including gaiwan.

[Riene]

I only use glass or porcelain for my Chinese black teas.

[silverneedles]

lately i also been using foam cups, work v well, bc they hold temperature.

[Riene]

Foam cups seem to always give the liquid--whether iced water, hot tea, cocoa, or whatever--an "off" taste to me. I never use them.

[silverneedles]

weird... the foam cups i use dont impart taste or smell, maybe there's some electrostatic interactions that could attract or repel some particles, but it shouldnt give taste to food... otherwise i would stay away from them (like i do from cardboard cups).

[t4texas]

A Yixing can do well with Chinese red teas. I brew in one all the time. I am sure it was a post by Charles that suggested that to me.

[Ritva]

I have been using a zi ni shui ping pot for brewing Jiu Qu Hong Mei
http://www.jingteashop.com/pd-jiu-qu-hong-mei.cfm and it's deliciuos! Much deeper flavour than with western brewing. I think yixing is better than gaiwan because yixing softens the flavour. If you want to brew Keemun and other small leaved black teas, it's easier to pour the tea from yixing without getting too much leaves in your cup. I think Keemun + gaiwan wouldn't work very well - unless you enjoy lots of leaves in your cup...

According to this blog, yixing potters use their pots almost exclusively for hong cha (red tea aka black tea in Western tea terms)
http://chadao.blogspot.com/2007/03/cora ... -hong.html

Another post from the same blog:
http://chadao.blogspot.com/2006/12/gera ... nsing.html

[Zanaspus]

Gaiwan. If I had to choose.

I would never see myself brewing a black of any kind in a Yixing, thinking about dedicating one to particular blacks, etc just gave me a headache.

I have brewed blacks in just about anything but a Yixing, including gaiwan.

+1 I use a gaiwan all the time.

[gingkoseto]

When using a yixing, I don't go for gong fu style. My habit is having the pot go topless and always leave 1/3 tea water before refill the pot. It's more of a "northern" style



When using a gaiwan, I have the lid on only when the gaiwan is not hot and I don't drain the gaiwan entirely for each infusion. Northern style too

[Chip]

When using a yixing, I don't go for gong fu style. My habit is having the pot go topless and always leave 1/3 tea water before refill the pot. It's more of a "northern" style

When using a gaiwan, I have the lid on only when the gaiwan is not hot and I don't drain the gaiwan entirely for each infusion. Northern style too

Very interesting approach, and I like the "northern" nomenclature.