Lava-clay teapots

[bagua7]

Has anyone got one of them?

They are Taiwanese and read online that "this type of clay “softens” the fluid texture of tea, provides fuller flavor and finer fragrance, and negates many of the negative side effects of the strong, fully fermented pu erh teas."

Cheers.

[Tead Off]

Has anyone got one of them?

They are Taiwanese and read online that "this type of clay “softens” the fluid texture of tea, provides fuller flavor and finer fragrance, and negates many of the negative side effects of the strong, fully fermented pu erh teas."

Cheers.

Some swear by them but I haven't heard of anyone swearing at them.

[TwoPynts]

Hahahahah!

I lived in Hawaii for a while and know there are some great properties to the lava. I am sure the lava rock clay is equally amazing.

[JBaymore]

From the technical side... I'd sure like to know what this "clay" actually is composed of. To me, it sounds like it is composed mainly of the marketing department's vapors.

The parent rock of clays is granite. It weathers mainly into a primary white clay (kolinite) and various feldspars and other minerals. Granite comes from magma (molten rocks). So all clays could, in the loosest way possible, be defined as "volcanic" in orign.

Caveat emptor.

best,

............john

[Tead Off]

From the technical side... I'd sure like to know what this "clay" actually is composed of. To me, it sounds like it is composed mainly of the marketing department's vapors.

The parent rock of clays is granite. It weathers mainly into a primary white clay (kolinite) and various feldspars and other minerals. Granite comes from magma (molten rocks). So all clays could, in the loosest way possible, be defined as "volcanic" in orign.

Caveat emptor.

best,

............john

A friend told me that someone in Taiwan learned how to combine a clay body with a type of lava rock to produce these vessels which purportedly change the water in contact with them. I've also heard that storing tea in these vessels is also highly recommended. I had the opportunity to drink tea from one but I was not the preparer of the tea, only a guest, and couldn't compare it to anything. They are nice looking and made well.

[wyardley]

I believe bears3x has a kettle made of the lava rock. I haven't personally encountered teapots made of the material, though.

[chinese.tea.fiend]

The below site sells a range of "lava clay" tea ware items. Some are quite expensive but very unique looking. Some of the tea cups are more reasonably priced such as the wide brim ones.

http://www.oolong-tea.org/lava-clay/

[teaisme]

similar in appearance and texture to Lins line of purion clay, slightly more grainy (mineral crystals?)

I wonder if these are just basically the same thing, marketed slightly differently

[gasninja]

Are you talking about similar clay to what is used by Chen Qi Nan? His work was featured in Art of Tea vol. 2. I would love to get a piece made by him.
Do you have pics of any of the pots?

[brandon]

Chen Qi Nan

http://www.flickr.com/photos/afelicificlife/page7/

Deng Ding Sou

http://the-leaf.org/issue%202/wp-conten ... ng-sou.pdf

There are a lot of people making these same styles, most of them are very expensive. I think by being so thick they can get a lot out of Puer if your style is to use less leaf.

I have a Lin's purion kettle and quite like the look and function. I can't say if it has any special properties beyond that.