Mar 29th, '14, 16:34
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Ceoltoir » Mar 29th, '14, 16:34

Thank you, I will go for Tachi Masaki then. However, I ponder waiting and looking for Shigaraki one as I`ve read it is also a great clay indeed. To many choices to make.. I think that in the end I will end up both with banko and shigaraki.. My wallet hurts :D. The problem is that I would love to have teapots for sencha (banko/shigaraki), black japanese tea (kobiwako?.. I`ve seen a group of people on steepster using kobiwako to black tea) and japanese oolong (???), but I think that one teapot is more than enough for a beginner like me.

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Mar 30th, '14, 11:49
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Alex » Mar 30th, '14, 11:49

For just sencha one is fine but I would definitely not brew other teas in there. I once brewed Hojicha (sp?) in an old Kyusu and it took many many brews of nice sencha for the roasted flavour to go. :?

Mar 30th, '14, 13:33
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Ceoltoir » Mar 30th, '14, 13:33

I know, I`ve meant that taking a proper care and seasoning one teapot is enough for a while. Should I stick to one particular sencha? For instance, would it be significant change in taste if I would brew sencha from Shizu 7132 and then Saemidori Cultivar from Kagoshima?

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Mar 30th, '14, 18:04
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by yalokinh » Mar 30th, '14, 18:04

Since you just got it, maybe you'll have to break it in.
Perhaps after a month or so of continuous use will you see the result you want? maybe? possible? can't hurt to check it out

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Mar 30th, '14, 18:35
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by bagua7 » Mar 30th, '14, 18:35

yalokinh wrote:Addictive hobby... you can say that again!
I don't have too many teapots but it's a struggle just passing up really nice pots. I made a rule for myself: Only use one pot to suit each tea, it has helped my wallet tremendously.
Following this line of thought:

Better have 3 excellent pots than 20 mediocre ones.

I am going to stick to this rule.

Btw, $7 pots suck, no matter what. I ended up ditching that cheap pot, it ruined a couple of sheng (can't imagine what would have happened with an top notch wuji rock or dancong tea) sessions. No more cheap pots (except the little shui pings from zen8tea which are excellent) for me.

About the Japanese version of the zhuni clay, no idea never tried any of them. Are they that good?

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Mar 31st, '14, 04:40
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Alex » Mar 31st, '14, 04:40

Ceoltoir wrote:I know, I`ve meant that taking a proper care and seasoning one teapot is enough for a while. Should I stick to one particular sencha? For instance, would it be significant change in taste if I would brew sencha from Shizu 7132 and then Saemidori Cultivar from Kagoshima?

No I don't do that.....although I mostly drink tea from kagoshima. Any sencha will go in my pots though

Mar 31st, '14, 16:49
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Ceoltoir » Mar 31st, '14, 16:49

Testing number X.
I got an impression that the rule with this clay is: The higher oxidation --> The better it gets.
I`ve tested lighly oxidized Japanese oolong, then one stronger oxidized and then Japanese black tea (after throughout cleaning of course).

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Apr 7th, '14, 03:23
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Alex » Apr 7th, '14, 03:23

Hojo just posted this info about clays and sencha. Have a little read.

http://hojotea.com/en/posts-81/

Apr 8th, '14, 13:36
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Ceoltoir » Apr 8th, '14, 13:36

I`ve read it, and it was quite interesting.
I think that I will wait for Shigaraki for Sencha. As for Red Mumyoi.. I like what it does with oolongs (oxidation over 35%). Taste is less "strident" and more full and maybe a bit more mellow. Very interesting.

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Apr 8th, '14, 14:20
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Alex » Apr 8th, '14, 14:20

The Shigaraki is amazing for sencha, but I rate the Nosaka red quite similar a little different but in the right range. Also I don't know if Hojo are ever getting anymore Shigaraki, unless you've heard otherwise?.....its been a long time since the last batch, but its still listed so maybe there's hope!. If I didnt have my siggy i would have gone for Kobiwako with a ball filter. And although its artificially blended I still rate Hokujo clay for a nice even brew of sencha.

Apr 8th, '14, 15:21
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Ceoltoir » Apr 8th, '14, 15:21

I hope that it will be available one day. I`ve also thought about getting a "second-hand" Shigaraki, however I don`t know if anybody would be willing to sell it.
I`ve heard a lot of good about Kobiwako and it is another option for me, but right now I need to concentrate on chosing shincha pre-orders. The teapot without a proper tea to brew in it would be pointless..

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Apr 29th, '14, 09:33
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Sado Mumyoi Clay

by blairswhitaker » Apr 29th, '14, 09:33

I have not one but two shigy's. One is around 300ml for sharing and the other is around 150ml for solo brews. Man do I love those pots, tachi masaki knows his way around a teapot. I also have one of his
Banko pots. I feel I can lend some honest opinion as I also have a watanabe tozo rough clay and a shimizu ken mumoyi reduction.

I would rate them as follows

Tachi masaki pots handle all the sencha I can throw at it, from Asa to fuka,
I prefer the shigaraki to anything else,
The purple Banko is the next most useful clay. No sencha has ever tasted muted in any way with this pot. This clay is excellently suited for sencha.

Mumoyi reduction is great for kamairicha, guricha, and sencha that does not have the strong umami. I really think it highlights things in these teas that no other pots I have used can.

Watanabe tozo rough clay, this may be a little more finicky for someone less experienced with sencha, in my opinion. Mostly because of the thick walls The tea still tastes great however.

If it were me and I could never get another shigy, and I wanted to get something that could handle any sencha I would go for purple banko

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Apr 29th, '14, 10:59
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Teaism » Apr 29th, '14, 10:59

Alex wrote:The Shigaraki is amazing for sencha, but I rate the Nosaka red quite similar a little different but in the right range. Also I don't know if Hojo are ever getting anymore Shigaraki, unless you've heard otherwise?.....its been a long time since the last batch, but its still listed so maybe there's hope!. If I didnt have my siggy i would have gone for Kobiwako with a ball filter. And although its artificially blended I still rate Hokujo clay for a nice even brew of sencha.
Hi Alex,
I am in constant contact with Akira and he told me that the new batch of shigaraki is coming in one to two months' time. So watch that space.

Cheers! :D

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Apr 29th, '14, 11:09
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by William » Apr 29th, '14, 11:09

Teaism wrote:
Alex wrote:The Shigaraki is amazing for sencha, but I rate the Nosaka red quite similar a little different but in the right range. Also I don't know if Hojo are ever getting anymore Shigaraki, unless you've heard otherwise?.....its been a long time since the last batch, but its still listed so maybe there's hope!. If I didnt have my siggy i would have gone for Kobiwako with a ball filter. And although its artificially blended I still rate Hokujo clay for a nice even brew of sencha.
Hi Alex,
I am in constant contact with Akira and he told me that the new batch of shigaraki is coming in one to two months' time. So watch that space.

Cheers! :D
Great! Thanks for sharing. :D

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Apr 29th, '14, 12:53
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Re: Sado Mumyoi Clay

by Alex » Apr 29th, '14, 12:53

blairswhitaker wrote:I have not one but two shigy's. One is around 300ml for sharing and the other is around 150ml for solo brews. Man do I love those pots, tachi masaki knows his way around a teapot. I also have one of his
Banko pots. I feel I can lend some honest opinion as I also have a watanabe tozo rough clay and a shimizu ken mumoyi reduction.

I would rate them as follows

Tachi masaki pots handle all the sencha I can throw at it, from Asa to fuka,
I prefer the shigaraki to anything else,
The purple Banko is the next most useful clay. No sencha has ever tasted muted in any way with this pot. This clay is excellently suited for sencha.

Mumoyi reduction is great for kamairicha, guricha, and sencha that does not have the strong umami. I really think it highlights things in these teas that no other pots I have used can.

Watanabe tozo rough clay, this may be a little more finicky for someone less experienced with sencha, in my opinion. Mostly because of the thick walls The tea still tastes great however.

If it were me and I could never get another shigy, and I wanted to get something that could handle any sencha I would go for purple banko

Really like the purple bankos......such a bargain for what you get. Nosaka reduction is also amazing and the pot I have can brew Fuka well with a little care.

I love the shiggy's but think the Nosaka reduction might be my favorite clay for sencha although this changes a lot :D. its still porcelain that gets the most brews from me though.

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