Salsero, nice kyuusu and picture as always!
Darjeeling Risheehat SFTGFOP1 this afternoon.
I own two yixing pots and use them regularly. The first I bought (purple clay) I use only for Dan Cong brewing and the second (smaller, red clay) I use for light oolongs. At the beginning I conditioned them properly (according to my friend and tea shop owner advice). I think that Yixing properly treated and regularly used is able to extol the inner quality of a good tea or at least this is my psychological attitude 
Genmaicha right now
Genmaicha right now
Apr 24th, '09, 11:21
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I have a couple of yixing-style pots, but they are not particularly nice specimens of the breed so I seldom use them. Until I get around to buying a couple of "proper" pots, it's the gaiwan for me.
______________________
"Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cosy, doesn't try it on."
- Billy Connolly
"Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cosy, doesn't try it on."
- Billy Connolly
What she said.
I bought my yixing teaware before I knew enough to purchase proper shapes. However, I don't need a yixing teapot for most of my teas - they brew up just fine in traditional porcelain teapot, gaiwan or a little kyusu.
In one sense, Tom Verlain's comments about 'with the right technique, you can brew tea in an old boot' is true - for many teas. If the tea doesn't need absorbent clay surface to pull out its best (or absorb its worst), then you can get on just fine without yixing by using glazed redware.
TC has been an enormous help in understanding brewing mechanics, with respect to technique and teaware contributions to the infusion character and quality of various teas.
Irish Breakfast again.
In one sense, Tom Verlain's comments about 'with the right technique, you can brew tea in an old boot' is true - for many teas. If the tea doesn't need absorbent clay surface to pull out its best (or absorb its worst), then you can get on just fine without yixing by using glazed redware.
TC has been an enormous help in understanding brewing mechanics, with respect to technique and teaware contributions to the infusion character and quality of various teas.
Irish Breakfast again.
Apr 24th, '09, 11:32
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After 3 days of cleaning.... including boiling, boiling w/tea and boiling again... My new Shuiping finally is ready for a big day
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65257125@N00/3470420419/
The purple clay ore from HuangLong Mounton, like you see is in the clips is super hungry for tea
Sucking up anything (tea oil) in this case and feeling bright and oily. Of good clay I concluded. 
I drink mainly Pu-er and Oolongs, so I have 2 Yixing teapots which I use regularly. Since I brew Gong-fu style, I prefer using Yixing Teapots.
I dont touch Gaiwans as I prefer a proper teapot.
I just started my collection of teapots, I only have 2 Yixing teapots with a third on the way. But I believe thereafter, I will slow down as I dont want to end up having more than I can use.
To me, good Yixing teapots made by artists are pieces of functional art. But I dont have enough money to buy teapots made by top artists, so I settle for mid range artists. Maybe also for the better as I will be devasted if I should break one by accident.
I dont touch Gaiwans as I prefer a proper teapot.
I just started my collection of teapots, I only have 2 Yixing teapots with a third on the way. But I believe thereafter, I will slow down as I dont want to end up having more than I can use.
To me, good Yixing teapots made by artists are pieces of functional art. But I dont have enough money to buy teapots made by top artists, so I settle for mid range artists. Maybe also for the better as I will be devasted if I should break one by accident.
Last edited by swozt on Apr 24th, '09, 11:56, edited 1 time in total.
Apr 24th, '09, 12:24
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I have 1/2 dozen yixing pots. One I don't use at all - it was the first I purchased, and was a less than ideal choice, but it's very ornamental so I display it. 
One is lower quality (one of the inexpensive pots from YSLCC,) but smells "right" and brews oolongs nicely, so I use that at work when I need to use a pot. At work, however, I mostly use either a gaiwan, or a small tetsubin.
I have 4 here at home that I use often. One for long leaf teas like wuyi or dan cong, one for light oolongs, one for shu puerh, one for sheng. In a touch of irony, I do not believe that one must have a different pot for different styles of tea, it just worked out that way. Ha!
One is lower quality (one of the inexpensive pots from YSLCC,) but smells "right" and brews oolongs nicely, so I use that at work when I need to use a pot. At work, however, I mostly use either a gaiwan, or a small tetsubin. I have 4 here at home that I use often. One for long leaf teas like wuyi or dan cong, one for light oolongs, one for shu puerh, one for sheng. In a touch of irony, I do not believe that one must have a different pot for different styles of tea, it just worked out that way. Ha!
Apr 24th, '09, 12:38
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Apr 24th, '09, 12:53
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gingko wrote: Sal, from your photos I can tell you love this kyusu. I love it very much too!! It's such a little handsome!
I do seem really drawn to this little kyuusu. I'm sure part of it is that I know that a number of friends also have it.olivierco wrote:Salsero, nice kyuusu and picture as always!
Apr 24th, '09, 13:22
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Salsero wrote:gingko wrote: Sal, from your photos I can tell you love this kyusu. I love it very much too!! It's such a little handsome!I do seem really drawn to this little kyuusu. I'm sure part of it is that I know that a number of friends also have it.olivierco wrote:Salsero, nice kyuusu and picture as always!
I have admired this little guy (the kyusu, not Salgingko wrote:Sal, from your photos I can tell you love this kyusu. I love it very much too!! It's such a little handsome!Salsero wrote:I go through stages. For a month or so I have been using only gaiwans, no pots. Other times it's the opposite. For sencha, I use almost exclusively kyuusu.
) for some time! I might inquire about getting one with a sasame screen, not that I am aversed to the stainless kind, but it would be my preference for this kyusu.If anyone is interested, it is made by Gyokko.
I don't own an Yixing pot. I've started looking for one to use just for dancong so I might get one this year. Still, I'm trying to keep my collection of brewing vessels as simple as possible.
I'm having a strange TeaDay; Imperial Yunnan this morning, followed byAdagio Ali Shan (I'm really not a fan of this tea -- I'm just trying to use it up), with Jing's Se Zhong, Mao Xie TGY. NO JAPANESE TEA! Hmmm...
I'm having a strange TeaDay; Imperial Yunnan this morning, followed byAdagio Ali Shan (I'm really not a fan of this tea -- I'm just trying to use it up), with Jing's Se Zhong, Mao Xie TGY. NO JAPANESE TEA! Hmmm...