Gaiwan or Yixing

Owes its flavors to oxidation levels between green & black tea.


What should I buy for prepairing oolong?

Gaiwan
29
74%
Yixing pot
10
26%
 
Total votes: 39

Feb 17th, '07, 12:24
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by OT » Feb 17th, '07, 12:24

chip wrote:...unless you have money to burn...and want to buy a yixing for every oolong that comes down the pike...a gaiwan or for that matter any glazed brewing vessel will be much more useful.

Once you settle into a few favorite oolongs, then invest in some yixing that you can dedicate to individual oolong.

Discover with gaiwan...dedicate with yixing.
well.you don't really need to "invest" in anything if you can get from the right source.

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Feb 17th, '07, 16:34
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Re: Gaiwan or Yixing

by expatCanuck » Feb 17th, '07, 16:34

Oolongaddict wrote: ...You don't need a Yixing pot manufactured by blind Buddhist monks in order to enjoy oolongs. ...
Of course you do. :wink:

I do like my Yixing pots (which I use pretty much indiscriminately for most any kind of tea), primarily because they're the right size for my habits (350-400 ml mug o' tea).

But (having made the mistake once), I wouldn't t use Yixing for Lapsang Souchong, Jasmine or Earl Grey (the latter two of which I only make for company, and only if they ask). The aroma will indeed linger, and those puppies are not subtle.

- Richard

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Feb 18th, '07, 15:19
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by TeaFanatic » Feb 18th, '07, 15:19

I didn't read the post before I responded to the questions, my vote would actually be for gaiwan rather than yixing. Since you are just entering the world of oolongs, you should taste many different varieties. With a yixing though, you should only use 1 variety.

Also, you can get a good gaiwan for 10-15 dollars, while a good yixing will cost 60 plus dollars.
"Make tea not war"

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Mar 8th, '07, 01:55
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by tenuki » Mar 8th, '07, 01:55

Gaiwan.


On the price of yixing pot.... my current favorite for green oolongs cost me 12 bucks on yunnan sourcing's ebay store. I have more expensive ones but that one tastes the best hands down. btw, I also don't listen to 'experts' or do things 'the right way'. I find I have more fun and brew tastier tea that way.. ;)
Do something different, something different will happen. ( Gong Fu Garden )

Mar 9th, '07, 00:18
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by tiekwanyin » Mar 9th, '07, 00:18

I would vote for Gaiwan. In China, tea houses usually use Yixing tea pot to brew specific kind of tea, most of time it is Ti Kwan Yin. They even soak the tea pot in tea leaves/liquid when the pots are not used. But because Yixing tea pot keep the taste very well, it is best used for one kind of oolong.

Gaiwan, on the other hand, doesn't have lingering taste and it is easy to clean. It is also best for comparing different grades of oolongs. Don't forget to smell the lid when you are brewing the tea. You will find the lid somehow has the best aroma from the tea. It is through the Gaiwan lid that people compare the smell of Ti Kwan Yin.

I like the white Gaiwan most, because it presents the most orignal color of tea liquid.

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Apr 14th, '07, 10:04
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by jogrebe » Apr 14th, '07, 10:04

I agree get a gaiwan for now and if there is a tea that you find that you really like over the long term then consider buying a yixing pot or a yixing gaiwan for it. Also keep in mind that tea tastes evolve with time so what you might like this year might not be that high on your list within a year, especially during your first few years of serious tea drinking.
John Grebe

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."
~C. S. Lewis

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Apr 14th, '07, 18:03
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by Space Samurai » Apr 14th, '07, 18:03

Thanks again everyone for the input.

I did buy a gaiwan, and I bought a real cheap one in case I dropped it or something. I love it, love it. I respect and admire the simplicity of it. Now I am going to buy another, better gaiwan, and I will probably buy a yixing this summer for dong ding, as it has become by far my favorite oolong.

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