Success with Shui Xian in a Gaiwan

[Herb_Master]

Minutes? You're sure it's not "seconds"?

That is what she says, and that is what I read in a Chinese culture site - not liked by visitors from Fujian, but the way the locals like it!

[Herb_Master]

I drink Shui Xian very differently.

boiling water, packed gaiwan, I mean packed, very short infusions at first, then lengthen according to how the taste is developing, flash, flash, flash, variable onward.

You can see what I mean about packed if you follow my website www link at the bottom of this post or in my profile. That tea i'm gardening to is actually a Shui Xian btw. I once weighed the amount of Shui Xian I put in my 90ml gaiwan : it was almost 8 grams... I have been led to believe by people in the industry who regularly visit the region this tea is produced that this is how the natives drink it. regardless, after some experimentation, for me it produces the best results and I would encourage you to try it and see what it does for you.

Been to watch your video garden, it seems very similar to the way that I have started using [so that is reassuring], except for the packed gaiwan (which you did not capture a good shot of). I visited some of your friends videos, which appeared to be more in real time than yours, and showed good colour after a short time, so presumably they are using well packed Gaiwans too.

Some of your friends are reminiscent of some of the people on this forum

I had trouble locating your video / profile. In the end I went to the memberlist, did sort [name, descending] and crawled through to page 8. Is there a betterway of finding member's profiles (clicking on name or photo in the post did nothing)

Must experiment with the packed gaiwan (and short steeps) before I try Lydia's long steeps. Still trying my first Gaiwan method with different Dan Congs at the moment!

thank you

[Herb_Master]

Minutes? You're sure it's not "seconds"?

Minutes sounds lethal! ...but who knows. I would exhibit some temerity also!

Yes, I don't know how much bitterness will come out!

I have read on a number of occasions that the "real" Gong Fu sessions involve tiny cups which are downed in one go!

With Lydia's ChaoZhou style strong, longer steeps I wonder if this is still the case, or whether it is sipped slowly!

I shall in any case hunt out my very smallest tasting bowls for my trial session, though I have also read [ChinaTravel Guangzhou dining] that the bowls are only half filled

[Herb_Master]

Thanks to all the DanCong Gaiwan fans out there, my experiments are going well!
By and Large, one or two hiccups. Ba Xian, Huang Jing and Yu Lan.

I was not going to put my Yixing pots in a dusty cupboard anyway!
BUT
I have just read Britt's response to 'Best Clay for Dancong on the Teaware forum.

After the last post on this subject I tried some of Hou De's 25% oxidized, medium-light roasted Dan Cong in a very thin gaiwan. Immediately prior to this I brewed some in the thick, relatively heavy Pin Zi Ni Yixing I usually use. This was the lightest Dan Cong I have, yet the results from the Yixing were superior in every way, including the aroma. There was no comparison whatsoever. Of course, this conclusion is based on my own personal taste. This Yixing was recommended for use with Dan Cong by Jing Tea Shop and I have found that following their tea-Yixing pairing suggestions is very worthwhile.

What a great product decent tea is! Different drinks if you brew the sames leaves in a different way.

I have been encouraged to take notes of Climate - temperature, humidity, barometric pressure etc; but I fear that is way down the line.

For now I have 3 different Gaiwan brewing techniques to play with, 2 or 3 different Yixing pot techniques s to play with. Varying weights and sizes of gaiwan, and Yixings made from different clay and thickness!

Wow A feast of fun ahead with delightful teas.

I think I will bring in the New Year with Da Wu Ye side by side in Gaiwan and Yixing.