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Jul 4th, '08, 01:59
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Re: question about one tea type per one Yixing teapot

by betta » Jul 4th, '08, 01:59

Solodays wrote:It is said that one type of tea should only be brew in a Yixing teapot. What exactly does it mean by only one type?
I think, generally it's understood as for one particular tea. Some people cultivate their pots and dedicate each pot for one particular tea, therefore they buy a lot of pots for different teas, while few others dedicate their pots based on the classification you wrote above. I myself use my pots for different teas without bounded to the classification.
It depends on how you raise your pot and how the brewed tea tastes after you steep it in your pot. Some pots improve the brewed tea taste while others don't improve your brew at all (compare to chawan). It's what fantastic about the yixing pot. If you find one of your tea brewed best in one of your pot, would you change to other pot? and if you find out that your 'best match' pot taste funny if you brew other tea in it, would you contaminate it?
I use only old zhuni (due to my preference) which is relatively not very porous compare to other yixing clay pots thus to my tongue and nose, they don't get contaminated even I brew puerh and oolong in the same pot.

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Jul 4th, '08, 02:49
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by tenuki » Jul 4th, '08, 02:49

each pot delivers an unique palette of taste and smell tweaks

each tea has a special flavor and aroma profile

Combining the two is an art who's full form cannot be explained on the internet. The process of discovering it can however, be directly experienced, which is the preferred method.
Do something different, something different will happen. ( Gong Fu Garden )

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Re: question about one tea type per one Yixing teapot

by chrl42 » Jul 4th, '08, 06:34

betta wrote:
Solodays wrote:It is said that one type of tea should only be brew in a Yixing teapot. What exactly does it mean by only one type?
I think, generally it's understood as for one particular tea. Some people cultivate their pots and dedicate each pot for one particular tea, therefore they buy a lot of pots for different teas, while few others dedicate their pots based on the classification you wrote above. I myself use my pots for different teas without bounded to the classification.
It depends on how you raise your pot and how the brewed tea tastes after you steep it in your pot. Some pots improve the brewed tea taste while others don't improve your brew at all (compare to chawan). It's what fantastic about the yixing pot. If you find one of your tea brewed best in one of your pot, would you change to other pot? and if you find out that your 'best match' pot taste funny if you brew other tea in it, would you contaminate it?
I use only old zhuni (due to my preference) which is relatively not very porous compare to other yixing clay pots thus to my tongue and nose, they don't get contaminated even I brew puerh and oolong in the same pot.
Me too, I use a Zhuni pot as tea try-out device. I could just use gaiwans but Lao Zhuni's timely changing redness makes me not want to use another teapot.. :wink:

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Jul 4th, '08, 14:08
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by britt » Jul 4th, '08, 14:08

When I find a decent tea/pot match, I then season the pot for that particular tea but in the future I will also use it for different versions of that type of tea.

I use one Yixing for all Wuyi's, another for all Dan Cong's, another for all Taiwanese high mountain oolongs (lightly oxidized, almost green), and yet another for all Taiwanese lighter, greener oolongs that are not classified as high mountain varieties.

This is all I feel is necessary, although others do dedicate one pot to each particular tea. Do they then look for a new pot after the following year's harvest, as the same tea tends to vary year to year? It's up to each individual where he wants to draw the line, and that line may be moved in the future, but we have to start somewhere.

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Jul 5th, '08, 17:22
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by scruffmcgruff » Jul 5th, '08, 17:22

random person, it should be just fine. Matching clays to teas isn't a science-- there are some generally agreed-upon guidelines, but they aren't rules. Do what you want!
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Jul 5th, '08, 17:29
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by hop_goblin » Jul 5th, '08, 17:29

random person wrote:I think this is on point -- I don't mean to hijack the thread -- but I've just purchased two Yixing pots from Jing's Tea Shop -- one of them is zi ni, which I will use for Wu Yi tea exclusively, but the other one -- they claim -- is actually Zhu Ni! They also said that the "Huang Zhu Ni" pot would be best for low-oxidized teas, by which I assume they mean high mountain oolongs.

My problem is that so far I haven't met a high mountain oolong that I like. To me, they are too bland and vegetal and lack the sweetness that I look for in a classic oolong. So I may end up dedicating the Zhu Ni to something more classically oxidized, like Formosa Fancy Silvertips at 50% oxidation.

I was intrigued to read that those of you who have Zhu Ni pots use them as "testers" since their relative lack of porosity makes them less likely to retain or in turn impart flavors. Can this be true? Can I find happiness with a ZhuNi if used for more traditionally roasted oolongs? Maybe even for Oriental Beauty?

I sent this question to Jings too but they haven't replied. Go figure!

Many thanks!
You know, I still am not totally convinced that Yixing will absorb the tea essence as efficiently as some day. I have been using my Yixing pots now for some time and I still don't really notice a lot of differnce in the pot other than the occasional tea stain. My use for different pots has to do more with the type of tea that I am brewing than worrying about cross contamination. For instance, I use thicker, heavier pots for my pu-erh as it will retain heat more effeciently and use thinner wall teas for my light oolongs. I have also taken into account the shapes. For instance, I have a flat lamp shape pot that I will use for "striped" teas as the pot's shape allows me to put flat long leaves into it without breaking them which of course will make them bitter. I have a small xishi pot that I use for yancha. The smaller size lets me use less tea and when we are talking about DaHongPao, this can get expensive. IMHPO, I think one has to worry more about the shape than cross contamination.

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Jul 5th, '08, 17:48
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by Geekgirl » Jul 5th, '08, 17:48

random person wrote: Honestly, I've read such crazy stuff on this subject -- Imperial Tea, for example, says that if you even use a lower GRADE of the SAME tea in a given Yixing then you might ruin it for higher grade teas -- FOREVER!
Hehe, sounds like they just want to sell lots of pots! I have two yixing. One for pu and one for oolong. Everything else I brew in glass, porcelain, or tetsubin. Oh yeah, and a small shudei tokoname pot for green. And I crossbrew: chinese teas in japanese pots ALL the time. ;) I'm a confirmed neophyte, I know. But it's easier (not to mention cheaper!) that way.

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by hop_goblin » Jul 5th, '08, 17:58

GeekgirlUnveiled wrote:
random person wrote: Honestly, I've read such crazy stuff on this subject -- Imperial Tea, for example, says that if you even use a lower GRADE of the SAME tea in a given Yixing then you might ruin it for higher grade teas -- FOREVER!
Hehe, sounds like they just want to sell lots of pots! I have two yixing. One for pu and one for oolong. Everything else I brew in glass, porcelain, or tetsubin. Oh yeah, and a small shudei tokoname pot for green. And I crossbrew: chinese teas in japanese pots ALL the time. ;) I'm a confirmed neophyte, I know. But it's easier (not to mention cheaper!) that way.
Honestly, You are right. I think it is a conspiracy to sell more pots!

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by scruffmcgruff » Jul 5th, '08, 18:01

Yes, you will often find that vendors selling low-mid range pots push the many-pots-required dogma, while vendors selling high-quality pots say there is no cross-contamination of flavor, so just one nice pot is needed. Funny how that works, innit?
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by Salsero » Jul 5th, '08, 20:40

random person wrote:Honestly, I've read such crazy stuff on this subject --
Of crazy stuff there is an abundance, that's for sure.

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by chrl42 » Jul 5th, '08, 21:32

random person wrote:I think this is on point -- I don't mean to hijack the thread -- but I've just purchased two Yixing pots from Jing's Tea Shop -- one of them is zi ni, which I will use for Wu Yi tea exclusively, but the other one -- they claim -- is actually Zhu Ni! They also said that the "Huang Zhu Ni" pot would be best for low-oxidized teas, by which I assume they mean high mountain oolongs.

My problem is that so far I haven't met a high mountain oolong that I like. To me, they are too bland and vegetal and lack the sweetness that I look for in a classic oolong. So I may end up dedicating the Zhu Ni to something more classically oxidized, like Formosa Fancy Silvertips at 50% oxidation.

I was intrigued to read that those of you who have Zhu Ni pots use them as "testers" since their relative lack of porosity makes them less likely to retain or in turn impart flavors. Can this be true? Can I find happiness with a ZhuNi if used for more traditionally roasted oolongs? Maybe even for Oriental Beauty?

I sent this question to Jings too but they haven't replied. Go figure!

Many thanks!
Umm..to me, answer was yes.

But I think it has to do with 'clay' rather than ruling out only yixing clay. For example, kyusu users will say the same thing about it if they keep using same tea over and over..no? oh well..all of Japanese teas are green :)
Clay's porous and unfiltered texture will leave tea stain and absorb tea juices no matter how hard washing it.

On the other hand, glaze - silmilar to functioning as glass, its micro small air hole is too dense to absorb anything and stains can be erased clear after boiling and wiping.

Peace.

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