What type of clay for sheng?

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Nov 7th, '10, 22:35
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What type of clay for sheng?

by TokyoB » Nov 7th, '10, 22:35

Hello all puerh drinkers -
What type of clay would you recommend for an yixing teapot for
1) young sheng puerh?
2) aged sheng puerh?

Thanks!

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Nov 8th, '10, 00:09
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Re: What type of clay for sheng?

by bagua7 » Nov 8th, '10, 00:09

A pu-erh expert I know of would go further by saying: specific aged yixings for specific vintage pu-erhs. It's a good idea matching the age of the tea with similar or older pots or the brew won't be as good.

Alternatively you can use a gaiwan...

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Nov 8th, '10, 07:45
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Re: What type of clay for sheng?

by chrl42 » Nov 8th, '10, 07:45

It's merely my opinion...

Loose-leaf or Gushu (tea that is not too bitter) - Zhuni or Hongni, these teas are often very delicate, that you want to differentiate by their regions, bitter/sweet or dry/wet etc

Young Sheng - Benshan Luni (or Duanni)

Old Sheng - Di Cao Qing (or Lao Zini), that is, to pair with color..also porous clays will reduce young Sheng's bitter/astringent or old one's wet-taste (Chang Wei)..

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Re: What type of clay for sheng?

by TokyoB » Nov 8th, '10, 21:54

chrl42 wrote:It's merely my opinion...

Loose-leaf or Gushu (tea that is not too bitter) - Zhuni or Hongni, these teas are often very delicate, that you want to differentiate by their regions, bitter/sweet or dry/wet etc

Young Sheng - Benshan Luni (or Duanni)

Old Sheng - Di Cao Qing (or Lao Zini), that is, to pair with color..also porous clays will reduce young Sheng's bitter/astringent or old one's wet-taste (Chang Wei)..
chrl42 - when you say, "Young sheng" I guess you don't mean non-bitter tea like gushu but rather you mean more bitter plantation/factory sheng?
Thanks!!

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Nov 9th, '10, 00:45
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Re: What type of clay for sheng?

by tingjunkie » Nov 9th, '10, 00:45

Here is my aged sheng pot which I am completely in love with. The pin zi ni clay is high fired enough to preserve all the complexity of a good aged sheng, while still breathing enough to round out any wet stored flavors.

I usually don't drink young sheng for fun, but more often to evaluate it for aging potential. Because of that, I prefer the green stuff in a gaiwan. I do have a 60's shui ping which I use to take the sharp edges off from any aggressive sheng. With this pot, the aged purple clay is porous enough tame the bitter ones a bit, and it also really improves the mouthfeel, adding weight and roundness to thin teas.

A decent shu pot is easiest to come by I think. Mine is mid-low fired modern pin zi ni which hides a good portion of any musty/fishy notes. It also is developing a very nice patina as well.

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Re: What type of clay for sheng?

by hop_goblin » Nov 9th, '10, 07:52

I always treat young Sheng just as I would a green tea, and therefore I prefer to use a Gaiwan for all of my young Shengs. Wet stored pu-erhs, I like my low fired zhuni or Hongni. And, for dry stored moderately aged sheng, High fired Zhuni or Hongni.

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Nov 9th, '10, 10:03
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Re: What type of clay for sheng?

by chrl42 » Nov 9th, '10, 10:03

TokyoB wrote:
chrl42 wrote:It's merely my opinion...

Loose-leaf or Gushu (tea that is not too bitter) - Zhuni or Hongni, these teas are often very delicate, that you want to differentiate by their regions, bitter/sweet or dry/wet etc

Young Sheng - Benshan Luni (or Duanni)

Old Sheng - Di Cao Qing (or Lao Zini), that is, to pair with color..also porous clays will reduce young Sheng's bitter/astringent or old one's wet-taste (Chang Wei)..
chrl42 - when you say, "Young sheng" I guess you don't mean non-bitter tea like gushu but rather you mean more bitter plantation/factory sheng?
Thanks!!
yeah..that's what I mean hehe..

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