considering yixing pot - questions please

[tea.and.peace]

Hi,
I've been looking at various yixing info on the inter webs. I have some questions for my own personal situation. If you could please entertain me with your thoughts it would be helpful. I'll try to provide my relevant info for you.

I'm mostly drinking oolongs. I enjoy most high mountain Taiwan type teas. Though I do like to have options in my home stash. So I'm drinking Taiwan high mountain, roasted/charcoal Taiwan, wuyi, and some tin guan yin.

I'm finding that I really enjoy the charcoal roasted Li shan I have right now. Though I would expect every few months I want different variations of roasted, or charcoal choices. This is what I am considering a yixing for.

My concerns. First my space is limited. Currently I'm using glazed gaiwan for all my teas. If I get a yixing I really only would want to have one pot. Due to space limitations. So as months progress, and I want various different roasted/charcoal Taiwan teas. Can I use the same pot? Or is it critical to have different pots for every single variation of these teas? I understand the pots become seasoned after use. So what will happen when I get a different variation of a roasted tea? Will the pot adapt to a new flavor if I'm using the particular tea for a few months? Then switch to something else with it adapting to that new flavor variation. Basically I want to know if certain pots are more appropriate for cross brewing? If I need a different pot for every single roasted/charcoal I drink. Then I will probably just stick with the gaiwan.

My next concern is I would rather just buy a yixing that is fairly inexpensive. I don't want something super expensive. When I look at a site like yixing.com they don't really provide that much detailed info on each individual pot.

I guess my main concern is the cross brewing issue. So maybe it would be best to just get clarification on this first. Other then the roasted, and charcoal teas I would expect to use the gaiwan with all the other teas I have. I just don't want to drink one roasted tea in the pot. Then switch to a different variation, and only taste the previous tea seasoned in the pot.

Is their a way to clean out the seasoned pot to switch to a new variation with a different flavor, character?

[tingjunkie]

As long as it's all roasted Taiwanese oolongs in the pot, I don't see a problem at all. Just boiling the pot in clean water for an hour or so will "reset" it if you decide to go a different direction.

yixing.com is not a reputable vendor though. Check out this thread for some better recommendations.

[chrl42]

If you are so concerned, try to find Zhuni pot, they are crystallized it will less absorb the flavor than porous zisha. Zhuni pots match well with Oolong, small or narrow shape will be good for keeping aroma. My opinion.

[tea.and.peace]

As long as it's all roasted Taiwanese oolongs in the pot, I don't see a problem at all. Just boiling the pot in clean water for an hour or so will "reset" it if you decide to go a different direction.

yixing.com is not a reputable vendor though. Check out this thread for some better recommendations.

Thank you I will check out the thread you suggested as well.

[tea.and.peace]

If you are so concerned, try to find Zhuni pot, they are crystallized it will less absorb the flavor than porous zisha. Zhuni pots match well with Oolong, small or narrow shape will be good for keeping aroma. My opinion.

42- so zhuni pot would provide a better overall experience compared to a porcelain gaiwan? Will the flavor as well be more pronounced as compared to a porcelain gaiwan?

I really have not looked closely at this type of particular pot. So I will need to look a little more. Rather then ask questions being blind.

I will only be using variations of roasted Taiwan teas with this pot. So it sounds like I could use a yixing if I boil clean it when I switch roasted tea variations. I'll have to check the other thread I was directed to, and see if that offers ideas on zhuni pots.

My original thought in getting a pot rather then using a gaiwan. Was that for the roasted Taiwan teas the pot would pronounce the taste, and aroma more then the gaiwan.

After I have a chance to dig around a little more. I'll step back in with more questions when I have some.

Thank you !

[debunix]

My impression (from still only a few years' experience of seriously exploring tea) is that the material of the vessel is more important to the effect on aroma vs flavor than the design (gaiwan vs pot). Clay pots alter flavor by subtracting some elements (often muting bitterness and harsher elements, but also some of the aroma high notes) and sometimes adding others (a slight sweetness to the water is about all I've been able to detect in my own pots). The porcelain pots add nor subtract in the same way.

So far, the most dramatic differences I've encountered have been with Dan Cong oolongs--I make them in a porcelain gaiwan for maximum floral aromas, with extra care for the brewing times to control the sharper notes, or in a clay pot when I want a slightly mellower brew that might not sing out quite such a strong high note.

[Tead Off]

A gaiwan is great if your tastes veer to the high end of the taste spectrum and are into smelling florals on the lid after pouring off the liquid. TGY, green Taiwan oolongs, dancongs, can all be lovely in a gaiwan. What I like about these teas are the heavier notes that hit your palette in the back of the throat and the lingering flavor I get in good red clay, zhuni, both from yixing and Chao Zhou. They seem more balanced in thin red clay for my taste. The decision is ultimately the drinkers.