I've noticed that vendors rarely sell yixings smaller than ~110ml. Most seem to be quite large at around 150ml.
Is there any correlation between size and taste, aroma etc... of tea? Is the restricted expansion in sub 100ml pots a problem?
Dec 19th, '08, 21:16
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trent
I'm a fan of smaller pots as well but I also have a hard time finding a decent selection. In my experience if you ask a vendor they may have a few smaller pots they tend not to list due to lack of popularity. Lately I've been using a 70ml pot that I purchased in Taiwan while visiting. I've used it for both Wuyi teas and Taiwan oolongs. I don't think there are any issues with expansion, etc. in a smaller pot as long as the ratio of tea/pot size is the same. Of course it is easier to make a mistake and overfill a smaller pot.
Another option is a small gaiwan. Of course those are somewhat hard to find as well. I recently purchased a 60ml one from The Tea Gallery in NYC. Here's the link http://www.theteagallery.com/small_gaiwan_p/ta-gwns.htm
Good luck!
Another option is a small gaiwan. Of course those are somewhat hard to find as well. I recently purchased a 60ml one from The Tea Gallery in NYC. Here's the link http://www.theteagallery.com/small_gaiwan_p/ta-gwns.htm
Good luck!
Dec 20th, '08, 00:23
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ABx
zen8tea on eBay has a 50ml and a 30ml yixing pot; I have the 50ml one and it's nice enough (I haven't used it yet). After getting the 50ml one I went to look at the other but didn't see it. I emailed her and she commented that she hadn't listed them originally because she didn't think anyone would want one. In Taiwan (and I'm sure China) they prefer bigger pots to share with friends, and she hadn't considered that we would be drinking alone. So even despite westerners' penchants for large quantities of everything, I think that they probably still don't think much about brewing gongfu style alone.
I also managed to find a 30~50ml gaiwan at a local Chinese grocer. I think it was actually made for alter offerings rather than to actually brew tea intended to be drunk, but it still works well enough and it looks nice
Lastly I found a gaiwan set (including cups, pitcher, and tea boat) that's 2.5oz. It's pretty cheaply made, but it works. It's also thicker than most gaiwans, which is nice.
I often prefer to brew roughly 100ml at a time, but I have more expensive teas that I also like to be able to fill the pot with dry leaf and drink alone. For that, these small vessels are very very nice; it's hard to want to use up $10 of dry leaf (or more!) for one pot when drinking alone.
I also managed to find a 30~50ml gaiwan at a local Chinese grocer. I think it was actually made for alter offerings rather than to actually brew tea intended to be drunk, but it still works well enough and it looks nice
Lastly I found a gaiwan set (including cups, pitcher, and tea boat) that's 2.5oz. It's pretty cheaply made, but it works. It's also thicker than most gaiwans, which is nice.
I often prefer to brew roughly 100ml at a time, but I have more expensive teas that I also like to be able to fill the pot with dry leaf and drink alone. For that, these small vessels are very very nice; it's hard to want to use up $10 of dry leaf (or more!) for one pot when drinking alone.
Here's a 2.5 oz pot:
http://www.theteahouse.com/Yixing%20Tea ... etails.htm
And Fun Alliance has a bunch of smaller ones (well, 2-3 oz; mixed in w/ 4-5 oz):
http://funalliance.com/tea/yixing_5oz.htm
Doesn't look like they get cheaper as they get smaller, though. . .!
I know I saw another place that did have really cheap small pots. I'll keep looking.
http://www.theteahouse.com/Yixing%20Tea ... etails.htm
And Fun Alliance has a bunch of smaller ones (well, 2-3 oz; mixed in w/ 4-5 oz):
http://funalliance.com/tea/yixing_5oz.htm
Doesn't look like they get cheaper as they get smaller, though. . .!
I know I saw another place that did have really cheap small pots. I'll keep looking.
I currently have a 65cc Yixing I purchased from Hou De. I have used it several times and had no problems with the tea leaves opening. As long as the pot shape suits the shape of the tea leaves, I don't think you'll have any problems.
I have 70cc and 90cc Yixings on order from Jing Tea Shop but have not yet received them. They are of different shapes, so I will use each for a tea whose leaves are suitable to that pot.
The sub-100cc Yixings can be hard to find and the listings often disappear very soon after they're posted. It is sometimes a matter of luck whether you see them first.
I have 70cc and 90cc Yixings on order from Jing Tea Shop but have not yet received them. They are of different shapes, so I will use each for a tea whose leaves are suitable to that pot.
The sub-100cc Yixings can be hard to find and the listings often disappear very soon after they're posted. It is sometimes a matter of luck whether you see them first.
Dec 20th, '08, 11:30
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smallish pots are just perfect for drinking tea by your sorry self. 
perfect also for drinking strong/concentrated tea imo.
recently i have been using the very versatile lidded bowl.
someone was mentioning small gaiwans? haha, ten ren here, has a set of 6 tiny ones all in different colours, porcelain, super cute.....they are black, yellow, green, blue, a light caledon green and red. never seen the gaiwans so small. hmmmmm....20% off too. yea or nae?
perfect also for drinking strong/concentrated tea imo.
recently i have been using the very versatile lidded bowl.
someone was mentioning small gaiwans? haha, ten ren here, has a set of 6 tiny ones all in different colours, porcelain, super cute.....they are black, yellow, green, blue, a light caledon green and red. never seen the gaiwans so small. hmmmmm....20% off too. yea or nae?
Dec 20th, '08, 11:53
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Joined: Sep 24th, '08, 18:38
Location: Boston, MA
That's very creative purchase!ABx wrote: I also managed to find a 30~50ml gaiwan at a local Chinese grocer. I think it was actually made for alter offerings rather than to actually brew tea intended to be drunk, but it still works well enough and it looks nice
I think I saw this kind of gaiwan in some Chinatown store but never paid attention to them. Next time I will take a look and maybe grab a few home. The small gaiwan you said, I think, it's actually for him (or sometimes for ancestors), a very handsome guy!
