I also find Dan Chong to be one of the most difficult teas to brew correctly as well as its affinity for not getting along with many different varieties of teapots and clays. A gaiwan is always one way to do it but I find that using a thin walled Tiao Sha Zhu Ni pot is probably the very best for any tea like this (one that you want to retain aroma, but if possible, at the same time thicken mouthfeel and accentuate flavor. I.E.- Dan Chong, Green Anxi teas, green Gao Shan, and any other light and aromatic teas). Pure Zhu Ni works good too and even modern Zhu Ni to an extent. Here is one that I have a slightly smaller version of from the same vendor and it brews some of the best aromatic teas of all of my pots:brunogm wrote:I am just learning the ropes and I feel I will have trouble finding a good teapot for Dan Cong. This kind of tea looks tricky to brew.David R. wrote:Based on my personnal experience, I wouldn't go for a teapot for most Phoenix dan cong.
Yesterday I tried some Dan Cong (Mi Lan a.k.a Honey Orchid) in a gaiwan. I started by following the brewing instructions from Teahabitat, who seem to know their way around Dan Cong.
It is to start with almost brewing water for the first steep, then progressively decrease water temperature as the leaves open and become more fragile. It was good, or rather, great, until the 4th steep. At which point I said to myself, "I have established I love this tea, now let's try something different". I turned water temperature back up to 95°C for the 5th steep.
This ruined the tea by making it overly bitter.
http://1001plateaus.com/shop/pots/yixin ... ear-san-mu