Yixing ZhuNi pot recommendations for brewing OB

[cyberhoofer]

I'd love to own a genuine Yixing ZhuNi pot, but wouldn't want to waste my dough on a 'shoe polish' 5000friend fake!

Can anybody recommend a good vendor or a specific pot for brewing OB. I'd like a ZhuNi pot, 200ml to 300ml capacity (I drink A LOT of Bai Hao OB). Price shouldn't exceed 100 bucks.

I've been browsing here a lot as for geniune & fake ZhuNi pots. The problem is there's an abundance of opinions & guide lines.

The tea jungle is sooooo wild & wide, one doesn't know where to turn to.

I found some fairly priced at 'Yunnan Colourful', are theirs fake?

eBay is my 1st choice & I'd like recommendations. Non-eBay vendors O.K. as well, if S & H to Europe is reasonable.

TIA, -cyberhoofer-

[Maitre_Tea]

I suggest checking out Yunnan Sourcing: http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Yunnan-Sour ... QQ_armrsZ1

Hou De Asian Art and NadaCha have options, albeit way more expensive, for "authentic" Zhu Ni, if have the cash to spend.

They have a good selection of larger pots at very reasonable prices, though their stuff is going to be modern than antique. You say that you want a pot dedicated to OB, does it have to be Zhu Ni though? I have the sneaking suspicion that the aura around Zhu Ni is a bit hyped. Read the following series on Zhu Ni from MarshalN, which is an enlightening read:

http://marshaln.xanga.com/698257340/wha ... -anyway-v/
(this excerpt might be the most pertinent to you)

So does the pot have to be Zhu Ni or no, because I would suggest something with softer clay to round out the edges...but others have their opinions and tastes.

[cyberhoofer]

I suggest checking out Yunnan Sourcing: http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Yunnan-Sour ... QQ_armrsZ1

Hou De Asian Art and NadaCha have options, albeit way more expensive, for "authentic" Zhu Ni, if have the cash to spend.

They have a good selection of larger pots at very reasonable prices, though their stuff is going to be modern than antique. You say that you want a pot dedicated to OB, does it have to be Zhu Ni though? I have the sneaking suspicion that the aura around Zhu Ni is a bit hyped. Read the following series on Zhu Ni from MarshalN, which is an enlightening read:

http://marshaln.xanga.com/698257340/wha ... -anyway-v/
(this excerpt might be the most pertinent to you)

So does the pot have to be Zhu Ni or no, because I would suggest something with softer clay to round out the edges...but others have their opinions and tastes.

Not necessarily ZhuNi, but I swapped emails with 'Ritva' (also a Finn) & Stéphane had recommended to brew OB either in a Gaiwan or in a ZhuNi pot.

Any pot recommendation would be O.K.

My 'best' OBs are from Gordon & so far I've been brewing mainly English / Western style. I'm now increasingly into gong fu & would like a smaller non-glazed clay pot, preferably Chinese!

[Maitre_Tea]

To be honest, I'm not sure what kind of clay might be suited for OB, but recommendations from a respected vendor are always nice. I'm at a loss with what to think of OB...it's an oolong, but it's so heavily oxidized that it might be considered a red tea (black tea in the western world). Zhu Ni would do a good job a protecting the floral notes, but it might make the brew a little astringent....hmm, maybe try brewing in a gaiwan, and if you like that, maybe a Zhu Ni pot is for you?

[cyberhoofer]

To be honest, I'm not sure what kind of clay might be suited for OB, but recommendations from a respected vendor are always nice. I'm at a loss with what to think of OB...it's an oolong, but it's so heavily oxidized that it might be considered a red tea (black tea in the western world). Zhu Ni would do a good job a protecting the floral notes, but it might make the brew a little astringent....hmm, maybe try brewing in a gaiwan, and if you like that, maybe a Zhu Ni pot is for you?

I also have some heavily oxidized 2nd Flush Darj Oolongs & would also call those red tea. I'm O.K. with some astringency.

I ran into OB, since I wanted to experience something similar to 'bug bitten' Darj, so my pot needn't round out the edges of the OBs I'm drinking.

Also, I believe, Castleton Moonlight might brew well in a clay pot.

[Intuit]

Why do you need clay for these teas? The Darj brews up more like a delicate green than a robust black. The OB is highly oxidized, yet it too is delicate. These are well-crafted teas - thoroughly suited to brewing in a lovely porcelain pot.

[cyberhoofer]

I want to explore new things.

Doesn't anybody brew 2nd Fl Darjs or OB in clay?

[Maitre_Tea]

BTW, I just realized that you wanted a pot between 200 - 300 ml, so unless the Zhu Ni has been mixed with other clays (Zi Ni, Hong Ni, etc.), you probably won't find a "pure" Zhu Ni pot that large. This is because Zhu Ni has a a high shrinkage rate, and larger pots made in pure Zhu Ni are less likely to survive, and tack that on to the already low survivability chances of Zhu Ni...

[cupioneer]

Here are a couple hong ni pots from Rishi:

http://www.rishi-tea.com/store/yixing-c ... ongni.html
http://www.rishi-tea.com/store/yixing-d ... ongni.html

They are priced very well. Intuit, have you tried using a clay pot to brew Darjeeling or OB?

[Intuit]

Yes, for both teas (FTLs OB and middle tier 1st/2nd/Autumnal Flush Darjs). Tried both thinner and thicker walled yixing pots, without satisfactory result for either tea. OB tasted of fragrance suckout. Darjs lost their fragrant topnotes and also 'crisp' finish. Water source was spring water.

I vastly prefer using my elegant 'high-end' Staffordshire porcelain for brewing these teas.

I also tried brewing both teas in a silver teapot, with excellent results, as long as I was careful in watching temperature and steep duration.

[oldmanteapot]

Can anybody recommend a good vendor or a specific pot for brewing OB. I'd like a ZhuNi pot, 200ml to 300ml capacity (I drink A LOT of Bai Hao OB). Price shouldn't exceed 100 bucks.

It's quiet rare to find Zhuni Teapots sized above 200ml. As the shrinkage rate of Zhuni is high, most Zhuni teapots are made small so that it doesn't break easily. Larger ones can be found, but often above USD100.

When you said OB, are you referring to Oriental Beauty from Taiwan? I use a thin walled zisha to brew my OB. I've tried Zhuni before, it does preserve the high floral notes, but suppresses the yun and also body of the tea.

Again, it's good to test it out witha gaiwan first before jumping the line to get a Zhuni.

Cheers!

[Maitre_Tea]

BTW, it's going to be extremely hard to find an "authentic" Zhu Ni for under $100, modern or vintage, unless it's been mixed with other clays. I was going to suggest a pot from NadaCha, but it's sold out...
This might work, and the price is right...but the size is a bit small, especially for something like OB:
http://www.nadacha.co.uk/index.php?page ... t&Itemid=1

[wyardley]

I say stick with porcelain.

[oldmanteapot]

I say stick with porcelain.

+1

Stick with porcelain until you're familiar with the tea. Then you'll able appreciate the differences and improvements a Zhuni pot brings.

Cheers!

[Maitre_Tea]

I say stick with porcelain.

+1

Stick with porcelain until you're familiar with the tea. Then you'll able appreciate the differences and improvements a Zhuni pot brings.

Cheers!

+2

I know that you may have the notion (as I once did) that all Chinese/Taiwanese teas will do better in a yixing, and although there are those that do believe that, I think some teas do better in a porcelain vessel.