In my adventures with gaoshan, I seem to get the most complexity with a pot or gaiwan that is half full of dry leaf before I even get started. This leads to a very stuffed pot! The infusions go on forever, but I get much more intense flavor and detect new subtleties with every brew. Does anyone else like brewing gaoshan this way?
I also feel gaoshan does fine in pots smaller than other people seem to think is ideal. My little 40ml F1 neen goh seems to work better than my 100ml modern zhuni mei ren. Go figure! I had some SLX in Taiwan that was brewed in a tall zini pot that was around 60ml and it was really lovely.
Apr 1st, '16, 12:38
Vendor Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: May 27th, '12, 12:47
Location: Boston, MA
Re: Gaoshan brewing
I am glad you started this thread, Jay. I hope others join in.
I have been using 2 tiny yixing pots. They hold about one once, about 25 ml.
These have made the dayuling I have more delicious & give me more infusions. This is true w/ very little leaf, a normal amount of leaf, or a lot. A lot of leaf does provide more infusions that provide additional interest & nuance.
The 2 tiny yixing pots have made the excellent oriental beauty a bit better. Gongfu is interesting & emphasizes some of its flavors more than western preparation.
I wish I had a good yixing that was bigger to compare. I do feel size matters here but…..
For the several years that I have tried gongfu: only the best oolong has benefitted from it.
I have been using 2 tiny yixing pots. They hold about one once, about 25 ml.
These have made the dayuling I have more delicious & give me more infusions. This is true w/ very little leaf, a normal amount of leaf, or a lot. A lot of leaf does provide more infusions that provide additional interest & nuance.
The 2 tiny yixing pots have made the excellent oriental beauty a bit better. Gongfu is interesting & emphasizes some of its flavors more than western preparation.
I wish I had a good yixing that was bigger to compare. I do feel size matters here but…..
For the several years that I have tried gongfu: only the best oolong has benefitted from it.
Re: Gaoshan brewing
Ethan, 25ml of liquid when empty or about one cup worth after brewing? 40ml is the smallest standard size of teapot and I can enclose one in the palm of my hand when I make a fist.
Do you remember the guy I bought gaoshan from in Yingge? He only sold gaoshan and had harvest dates on all of his teas. He used a 60ml zini pot. Conventional wisdom on here is to use a 100ml~ red clay pot, or go to porcelain. He was really getting a lot of aroma and flavor out of that little pot. Seemingly effortlessly too!
I had a session with the Dayuling last weekend. Stuffed 85 ml pot and I was using an old tetsubin teapot that has lost some of its enamel to hold hot water while I brewed. The tea went about 20 infusions and I was getting all kinds of complexity; when it finished up it tasted exactly like cheesecake, after giving me spearmint and berries and all kinds of other very specific flavors. About 10 infusions in, I unloaded the pot and put the leaves from the bottom on top so they'd get more heat (something Bok mentioned on here).
I've had the same experience with SLX Tony (Origin Tea) brought me and an overstuffed gaiwan. I was brewing the same leaves for three days and every brew was good! It went from savory to sweet, and I remember telling Tony I felt like I'd worked my way through a four course meal that started with grilled meat and finished with fruit for dessert!
Do you remember the guy I bought gaoshan from in Yingge? He only sold gaoshan and had harvest dates on all of his teas. He used a 60ml zini pot. Conventional wisdom on here is to use a 100ml~ red clay pot, or go to porcelain. He was really getting a lot of aroma and flavor out of that little pot. Seemingly effortlessly too!
I had a session with the Dayuling last weekend. Stuffed 85 ml pot and I was using an old tetsubin teapot that has lost some of its enamel to hold hot water while I brewed. The tea went about 20 infusions and I was getting all kinds of complexity; when it finished up it tasted exactly like cheesecake, after giving me spearmint and berries and all kinds of other very specific flavors. About 10 infusions in, I unloaded the pot and put the leaves from the bottom on top so they'd get more heat (something Bok mentioned on here).
I've had the same experience with SLX Tony (Origin Tea) brought me and an overstuffed gaiwan. I was brewing the same leaves for three days and every brew was good! It went from savory to sweet, and I remember telling Tony I felt like I'd worked my way through a four course meal that started with grilled meat and finished with fruit for dessert!
Apr 1st, '16, 22:00
Vendor Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: May 27th, '12, 12:47
Location: Boston, MA
Re: Gaoshan brewing
Jay, Each of the 2 small yixing hold 30ml w/o leaf in them.
I will have a gongfu session using as much leaf as you & see how I do. I think you have better clay working for you. Nonetheless, I am learning that really good tea worked well offers rewards. The dayuling keeps expanding w/ additional infusions; at least it seems that way. I might just get one tiny sip per infusion once well into the session.
I had started my sessions at 92C & increased to 96C. I plan to steep each round of tea in 95C & see how it goes. I may not be so" scientific" about time though.
Thanks for sharing. I'll remember to rotate the leaves.
I will have a gongfu session using as much leaf as you & see how I do. I think you have better clay working for you. Nonetheless, I am learning that really good tea worked well offers rewards. The dayuling keeps expanding w/ additional infusions; at least it seems that way. I might just get one tiny sip per infusion once well into the session.
I had started my sessions at 92C & increased to 96C. I plan to steep each round of tea in 95C & see how it goes. I may not be so" scientific" about time though.
Thanks for sharing. I'll remember to rotate the leaves.
Re: Gaoshan brewing
Ethan,ethan wrote:Jay, Each of the 2 small yixing hold 30ml w/o leaf in them.
I will have a gongfu session using as much leaf as you & see how I do. I think you have better clay working for you. Nonetheless, I am learning that really good tea worked well offers rewards. The dayuling keeps expanding w/ additional infusions; at least it seems that way. I might just get one tiny sip per infusion once well into the session.
I had started my sessions at 92C & increased to 96C. I plan to steep each round of tea in 95C & see how it goes. I may not be so" scientific" about time though.
Thanks for sharing. I'll remember to rotate the leaves.
Those sound like incredibly small pots. Let me know how it goes! With less than a cup per infusion I might be inclined to stick to straight leaved tea and go with a larger pot for gaoshan, but I guess it's worth a shot!
Apr 2nd, '16, 12:16
Vendor Member
Posts: 1301
Joined: May 27th, '12, 12:47
Location: Boston, MA
Re: Gaoshan brewing
Gongfu session was awful for me because it produced green-tea flavor---vegetal.
Am sure small amount of leaf & 92C is best. Do get > several infusions this way & changes as the session progresses.
Am sure small amount of leaf & 92C is best. Do get > several infusions this way & changes as the session progresses.