Yixing teapot for Bai Hao (oriental beauty)

[catechin_cataclysm]

Greetings Tea Chat,

I'm new to the forum, but have found it very helpful in wading through the high waters of tea and tea ware vendors. Recently I've acquired an oolong called Dong Ding Ming Xiang (teafromtaiwan vendor) which is my first foray into the Bai Hao type of teas with the cicada secretions (the white fuzz).

After giving it time to rest in a canister and finding optimal steep times with a gaiwan, I'm blown away by the black tea characteristics this tea presents. This has left me wondering how to incorporate it into dedicated yixing teapots. It seems it would be way out of place if brewed in my high mountain oolong teapot; so I've wondered if anyone out there brews it in a teapot dedicated to black teas. In a way I think it would impart some of the innate sweetness that is more subtle in good black teas.

So my question is for those of you that drink a fair amount of Bai Hao style teas do you dedicate a yixing solely to that? If not, would it be a heresy to incorporate it into my black tea yixing vessel?

[Poohblah]

So my question is for those of you that drink a fair amount of Bai Hao style teas do you dedicate a yixing solely to that? If not, would it be a heresy to incorporate it into my black tea yixing vessel?

I might be mistaken, but I don't think this tea is Bai Hao. It looks like a dark oxidized Dong Ding to me. And to answer your questions, no and probably no. I don't have any yixing teapots anyway, so I won't have a dedicated bai hao pot anytime soon But I have read some things about yixing pots which suggest that a good way to test a pot is to brew some tea, then pour half of it into the pot in question and the other half straight into a cup. Let it sit for a minute or two, then pour the tea from the pot into a second cup and compare the two cups. I think that would be a better test than any advice regarding using multiple teas in one pot that we might be able to share.

[tingjunkie]

Welcome to the forum! Tea can be a confusing world, so don't feel bad, but dong ding and bai hao are two very different types of Taiwanese oolongs. Bai hao is bitten by small leaf hopper insects (not cicadas) and the plant produces certain chemicals to "repair" damage from the bites which add particular flavor notes to the tea. This shows up as small holes or little brown dots on the unfurled leaf after they have opened up in the brew. Secretions from the leaf hoppers and white fuzz are not involved in any way.

As per your original question though, I almost always brew bai hao in a gaiwan. If you want to use a Yixing pot, using the same pot as black (red) tea would be an extremely strange combination. But, it's your world, and if you like it, go for it!

[catechin_cataclysm]

Thank you poohblah and tingjunkie for the insight/clarification. I realized this dong ding isn't a true bai hao, but the vendor's description led me to believe there is a common thread that may impart a similar flavor.

To quote their description, "Investigation showed that the oolong tea gets its honey flavour from secretions left on it by cicadas. In order to encourage this special flavour, Dong Ding Ming Xiang wu long tea must be grown without the use of pesticides."

I will have to get my hands on a true bai hao. One of the things that made me draw the comparison to black tea is what seemed like a higher rate of oxidation in this dong ding that pushed it further from the high mountain oolong realm that I'm more familiar with. For now I will stick to the gaiwan for brewing.

[chrl42]

Bai Hao is brewed at low temp like green tea, I think glass vessel or porcelain will do good. If must, try to use thin-walled Yixing as possible or Zhuni..since Bai Hao is a very delicate tea. My two cent.

[Tead Off]

Thank you poohblah and tingjunkie for the insight/clarification. I realized this dong ding isn't a true bai hao, but the vendor's description led me to believe there is a common thread that may impart a similar flavor.

To quote their description, "Investigation showed that the oolong tea gets its honey flavour from secretions left on it by cicadas. In order to encourage this special flavour, Dong Ding Ming Xiang wu long tea must be grown without the use of pesticides."

I will have to get my hands on a true bai hao. One of the things that made me draw the comparison to black tea is what seemed like a higher rate of oxidation in this dong ding that pushed it further from the high mountain oolong realm that I'm more familiar with. For now I will stick to the gaiwan for brewing.

I'm very familiar with the tea you have, the Dong Ding. It is definitely not Bai Hao but it certainly is an unusual Dong Ding. As you point out, the link between it and Bai Hao is the insects. I usually brew this tea in a thin-walled Chao Zhou zhuni teapot, about 6g/100ml capacity. I find the clay brings out elements I can't get in porcelain gaiwans. You can ask teafromtaiwan how much oxidation the Dong Ding has so you can compare it with other Dong Ding teas you might try in the future. There are both 'green' and 'roasted' varieties.

*note; I didn't mean green and roasted varieties of this specific dong ding, but dong ding in general

[sriracha]

This was interesting, I think I'm going to add this tea to my next TfT order.
Unless someone knows of another good vendor?

[wyardley]

Bai Hao is brewed at low temp like green tea, I think glass vessel or porcelain will do good. If must, try to use thin-walled Yixing as possible or Zhuni..since Bai Hao is a very delicate tea. My two cent.

Charlie - are you talking about the green tea 'bai hao yin zhen', or about bai hao wulong? Oriental Beauty is, as best I know, typically brewed at boiling or near-boiling temperatures, like most teas with such a high degree of oxidation.

[chrl42]

Bai Hao is brewed at low temp like green tea, I think glass vessel or porcelain will do good. If must, try to use thin-walled Yixing as possible or Zhuni..since Bai Hao is a very delicate tea. My two cent.

Charlie - are you talking about the green tea 'bai hao yin zhen', or about bai hao wulong? Oriental Beauty is, as best I know, typically brewed at boiling or near-boiling temperatures, like most teas with such a high degree of oxidation.

That's not what I heard to brew high-quality Taiwanese OB (Taiwan-produced bug-eatten BOs are mostly high-quality). Peace.

[TIM]

Bai Hao is brewed at low temp like green tea, I think glass vessel or porcelain will do good. If must, try to use thin-walled Yixing as possible or Zhuni..since Bai Hao is a very delicate tea. My two cent.

Charlie - are you talking about the green tea 'bai hao yin zhen', or about bai hao wulong? Oriental Beauty is, as best I know, typically brewed at boiling or near-boiling temperatures, like most teas with such a high degree of oxidation.

That's not what I heard to brew high-quality Taiwanese OB (Taiwan-produced bug-eatten BOs are mostly high-quality). Peace.

Why do you need to be gentle on Quality OB Chris?

[chrl42]

Bai Hao is brewed at low temp like green tea, I think glass vessel or porcelain will do good. If must, try to use thin-walled Yixing as possible or Zhuni..since Bai Hao is a very delicate tea. My two cent.

Charlie - are you talking about the green tea 'bai hao yin zhen', or about bai hao wulong? Oriental Beauty is, as best I know, typically brewed at boiling or near-boiling temperatures, like most teas with such a high degree of oxidation.

That's not what I heard to brew high-quality Taiwanese OB (Taiwan-produced bug-eatten BOs are mostly high-quality). Peace.

Why do you need to be gentle on Quality OB Chris?

Baihao means white tip on young leaves, superior species from high altitude. Even if they are highly oxidated, it's the way I learned to brew differently to BO, Jin Jun Mei or other Small Variety Gushu.

[TIM]

Bai Hao is brewed at low temp like green tea, I think glass vessel or porcelain will do good. If must, try to use thin-walled Yixing as possible or Zhuni..since Bai Hao is a very delicate tea. My two cent.

Charlie - are you talking about the green tea 'bai hao yin zhen', or about bai hao wulong? Oriental Beauty is, as best I know, typically brewed at boiling or near-boiling temperatures, like most teas with such a high degree of oxidation.

That's not what I heard to brew high-quality Taiwanese OB (Taiwan-produced bug-eatten BOs are mostly high-quality). Peace.

Why do you need to be gentle on Quality OB Chris?

Baihao means white tip on young leaves, superior species from high altitude. Even if they are highly oxidated, it's the way I learned to brew differently to BO, Jin Jun Mei or other Small Variety Gushu.

Bai Hao is oolong and Jin Jun Mei is red. Traditionally, high quality BO uses a silver pot with boiling water. Just what I've learned.
http://themandarinstea.blogspot.com/200 ... a.html?m=0

[chrl42]

Bai Hao is brewed at low temp like green tea, I think glass vessel or porcelain will do good. If must, try to use thin-walled Yixing as possible or Zhuni..since Bai Hao is a very delicate tea. My two cent.

Charlie - are you talking about the green tea 'bai hao yin zhen', or about bai hao wulong? Oriental Beauty is, as best I know, typically brewed at boiling or near-boiling temperatures, like most teas with such a high degree of oxidation.

That's not what I heard to brew high-quality Taiwanese OB (Taiwan-produced bug-eatten BOs are mostly high-quality). Peace.

Why do you need to be gentle on Quality OB Chris?

Baihao means white tip on young leaves, superior species from high altitude. Even if they are highly oxidated, it's the way I learned to brew differently to BO, Jin Jun Mei or other Small Variety Gushu.

Bai Hao is oolong and Jin Jun Mei is red. Traditionally, high quality BO uses a silver pot with boiling water. Just what I've learned.
http://themandarinstea.blogspot.com/200 ... a.html?m=0

I learnt it from Taiwanese OB seller in Beijing, who mainly deals Tou Deng OB..I also heard that from other Taiwanese OB sellers at exhibitions. You have your words, I will keep mine, tea is for anyone who enjoys.

C