GongFu Tea Set Help

[mcrdotcom]

Hey guys!

Apologies if this has been asked before, and it probably has!

I'm new to tea drinking, especially gongfu methods, and so I do not have a gongfu tea set up. Currently I use a 300mL tea pot with a normal 200-230mL tea cup, pyrex measuring jug and a plastic strainer! I was wondering if anybody had any good links to online tea vendors who do good quality, but respectably priced gongfu sets with a tea board?

I'd be looking for a tea board that is appropriately sized for comfortable tea brewing, and at least 3 cups. I have a gaiwan on the way, along with a small cup and aroma cup, but this won't be useful if a friend (rarely) is around for tea! Plus I want to start a teaware collection and so, the more cups and gaiwans the better aye? Also I'm planning on purchasing a yixang pot soon so I really hope to have a complete set soon too

Thanks in advance for any help

[AllanK]

Hey guys!

Apologies if this has been asked before, and it probably has!

I'm new to tea drinking, especially gongfu methods, and so I do not have a gongfu tea set up. Currently I use a 300mL tea pot with a normal 200-230mL tea cup, pyrex measuring jug and a plastic strainer! I was wondering if anybody had any good links to online tea vendors who do good quality, but respectably priced gongfu sets with a tea board?

I'd be looking for a tea board that is appropriately sized for comfortable tea brewing, and at least 3 cups. I have a gaiwan on the way, along with a small cup and aroma cup, but this won't be useful if a friend (rarely) is around for tea! Plus I want to start a teaware collection and so, the more cups and gaiwans the better aye? Also I'm planning on purchasing a yixang pot soon so I really hope to have a complete set soon too

Thanks in advance for any help

I have been thinking about getting a gongfu setup myself and have decided on Ebay for this one. Do a few searches and you will come up with either complete sets or tea tables. There seem to be excellent prices there and good selection. I have seen complete sets go for $120 on auction. I will go with a individual tea table myself as I already have the Gaiwans and Yixing Teapots.

You will also find that both Puerhshop and Yunnansourcing.com have a fair selection. There is also Yunnansourcing.us but I think they are only tea and light on teaware.This Ebay seller seems to have a lot of stuff.
http://stores.ebay.com/ShanghaiStory?_t ... 7675.l2563

[yalokinh]

starting for me was very slow, I didn't have much money, and I didn't really know what to get.
To start, I would suggest a gaiwan, a teacup and anything else is optional.
I'm a bit of a minimalist, I only use a vessel and a cup, no strainer but that is completely up to you. 300 ml is very large, especially if you buy higher quality tea, you want it to last so that is why having a smaller vessel is usefull. Its different for everybody, but my magical number
is set around 70ml, thats when I can get the most out of my tea (depending on the tea).
I love teapots, but researching yixing teapots is a nightmare, thats why I stay with the artisans and ceramics instead of yixing.
Anyways, have fun!

[GuyWan]

To start, I would suggest a gaiwan, a teacup and anything else is optional.
I'm a bit of a minimalist, I only use a vessel and a cup, no strainer but that is completely up to you. 300 ml is very large, especially if you buy higher quality tea, you want it to last so that is why having a smaller vessel is usefull. Its different for everybody, but my magical number
is set around 70ml, thats when I can get the most out of my tea (depending on the tea).

I agree. Most days I only use a gaiwan and a cup. I prefer smaller brewing vessels for wuyis, Phoenix, and pu-erhs, and larger vessels for rolled oolong like TGY and formosas. I think that a 100-150ml gaiwan offers good flexibility.

[Evan Draper]

By tea board do you mean the tea trays with a reservoir/drain? A simpler way to go is a small plate or shallow bowl for your gaiwan/tea pot, which you can empty into a larger bowl from time to time. Throw a scrap of rough cloth in the dish if your gaiwan is sliding around. You can also use another small dish or tray for cups if you like. Just search on here for "tea boat" or "chuan." The cheaper tea trays will crack and leak if you don't take good care of them, and sometimes even if you do. I mean, I still have one, but one less thing to worry about as a beginner, right?

[mcrdotcom]

Thanks guys!

My Gaiwan is on the way, with a small cup I definitely want a smaller brewing vessel as I currently brew 100-200 mL in the 300mL teapot, but it's hard to measure correctly by eye! I love Chinese tea ceremony too, and I just think it makes the tea drinking more pleasurable alone or in company if you can master the traditional way, with small portions!

So would you suggest holding off on a yixing pot? I thought it was good for brewing dark teas, or is that just about image rather than good tea?

By tea board do you mean the tea trays with a reservoir/drain?

Yes sorry, that's what I mean! I guess it is probably not that necessary, just makes the brewing more portable I guess!

[GuyWan]

Thanks guys!

My Gaiwan is on the way, with a small cup I definitely want a smaller brewing vessel as I currently brew 100-200 mL in the 300mL teapot, but it's hard to measure correctly by eye! I love Chinese tea ceremony too, and I just think it makes the tea drinking more pleasurable alone or in company if you can master the traditional way, with small portions!

So would you suggest holding off on a yixing pot? I thought it was good for brewing dark teas, or is that just about image rather than good tea?

By tea board do you mean the tea trays with a reservoir/drain?

Yes sorry, that's what I mean! I guess it is probably not that necessary, just makes the brewing more portable I guess!

Since a yixing teapot has to be dedicated to one kind of tea and only one, I would hold off until you found what tea you like to prepare gong fu-style before making the investment.

As for the tea tray, the cheaper ones seem to develop leaks in short order. So I would buy a cheap ceramic teabot (I actually use a cereal bowl, see picture below) and save my money to buy a high quality tea tray later.

[Evan Draper]

So would you suggest holding off on a yixing pot? I thought it was good for brewing dark teas, or is that just about image rather than good tea?

Yixing can help some, and it can hurt some. Meanwhile, you can get good results for pretty much all teas from a gaiwan. I held off buying any yixing until I got a sense of what to look for, from seeing and touching others' pots. I'm glad I did, but I wouldn't try to dissuade someone from buying a pot they really wanted, just because the pot didn't meet MY standards.

[mcrdotcom]

I know nothing about them! I think I'm going to give some books a read on the subject of tea! Make use of teaclass.com too! Try find some friends who share a passion for tea whom I can learn from in person

Thanks for the help guys

[yalokinh]

In my experience, yixing is just too full of traps, tricks and a truck full of money. I'd rather spend my tuition on school ha ha