What Tea for Yixing

[Noonie]

Was wondering what type of tea you usually use in your yixing(s)? Also, your experience in what teas work well, and do not work well in a yixing.

In terms of detail, probably don't need the vendor, but the rest is up to you (i.e., is saying yancha/wuyi enough information, or would you add Rou Gui). May be better to clarify when the tea was lightly vs more heavily oxidized.

I have one yixing and I'm currently using it for Rou Gui from DTH, it's ok but I don't like the tea so much that I'll lever use another one in that pot. I've tried TGY in a yixing and didn't like the results (felt that it muted some flavours that I enjoy). I'm think next I'm going to try dong ding...

[Tead Off]

All teas including green tea can be successfully used in Yixing teapots. There is no limitation. This cannot be said of the one that is brewing the tea.

[tingjunkie]

The fact that you are experimenting and finding out what works and what doesn't for each pot is good! Tea and Yixing are subjective and you have to find what you like. Most people don't realize how different each Yixing teapot will be (clay type, firing level, size, shape, wall thickness, pour, etc) and falsely assume they can brew any tea in any pot, or that it's just a matter of dedicating and seasoning it. Keep experimenting! Short of having access to a great teacher, it's the best way to learn.

[bagua7]

I have one yixing... I've tried TGY in a yixing and didn't like the results...I'm think next I'm going to try dong ding...

As the first two users already stated, keep trying teas until you find one that matches that pot smoothly. There are many variables to bear in mind.

Also make sure you are using the best water that is available in your area; water is the mother of tea.

Good luck!

[chrl42]

That's a too broad question.

Within Yixing itself, lots of categories range.

Different clay and different shape work for different tea.

[debunix]

falsely assume they can brew any tea in any pot

Of course you can brew any tea in any pot--the results won't always be the best with every combination of tea and pot, but the nuances people rhapsodize about here are just that, nuances, subtle differences, things that may or may not be important to another tea drinker.

If you're looking to justify additions to your teaware collection, however, it can suddenly be very important to have exactly the right vessel for the right tea in the right setting....and the fun really begins.

[tingjunkie]

falsely assume they can brew any tea in any pot

Of course you can brew any tea in any pot

False! Try brewing gao shan in a 5 ml pot.

[debunix]

Give me a 5 mL pot, and a nice quantity of very high quality gao shan (I will need a lot to practice), and I'll do it.

[chrl42]

Give me a 5 mL pot, and a nice quantity of very high quality gao shan (I will need a lot to practice), and I'll do it.

It just depends on teas.

Some teas will work well in any devices of teaware, like Oriental Beauty, Japanese greens, Shu etc

Then there's sophisticated teas, like Wuyi, Biluochun or some Puerh. Try Biluochun in thick-walled Yixing, that's where you ruin the tea.

I agree water is a main factor for tea tasting, but clay-quality and shape of pots are also not-to-ignore factors IMHO:)

[debunix]

Seriously, now: the issue with pot wall thickness is heat retention. I control how much heat my delicate green teas are exposed to by use of a temperature-controlled kettle. So they brew up fine in thick-walled or thin-walled pots. It is different with a strong Wuyi or puerh, where I am going to want very long infusions towards the end, with very hot water--then a truly delicate, thin-walled pot does them no favors, and I have to resort to other tricks to keep the heat up, like pouring hot water over the pot or putting the pot in a bowl of hot water.

The clay & water effects on the tea are a different matter entirely.

[kyarazen]

Seriously, now: the issue with pot wall thickness is heat retention. I control how much heat my delicate green teas are exposed to by use of a temperature-controlled kettle. So they brew up fine in thick-walled or thin-walled pots. It is different with a strong Wuyi or puerh, where I am going to want very long infusions towards the end, with very hot water--then a truly delicate, thin-walled pot does them no favors, and I have to resort to other tricks to keep the heat up, like pouring hot water over the pot or putting the pot in a bowl of hot water.

The clay & water effects on the tea are a different matter entirely.

clay and tea effects is all in the chemistry, but of course some do not ascribe to this perspective.

[Noonie]

Thanks for the information. As a noob, the depth of the discussion is a little over my head, but I understand a bit of what's being discussed. To expand a bit on what I was looking for, when I asked about what tea people are brewing in their yixing, I would've expected (if I looked at the results, had it been a survey) that 'many' people brew puerh and wuyi, and that very few would brew sencha or gyokuro in a yixing, and I was most interested on the next to highest responses for yixing brewing beyond puerh and wuyi (to give me some 'next to try' ideas). I like sencha in my kyusus, not to say I wouldn't try in another vessel, it's just that I really like kyusus

Thanks again

[wyardley]

To expand a bit on what I was looking for, when I asked about what tea people are brewing in their yixing, I would've expected (if I looked at the results, had it been a survey) that 'many' people brew puerh and wuyi, and that very few would brew sencha or gyokuro in a yixing, and I was most interested on the next to highest responses for yixing brewing beyond puerh and wuyi (to give me some 'next to try' ideas).

Generally speaking, I think you will find that oolongs and pu'er are the most common things people use Yixing for. You'll also find people who use them for liu'an, liubao and other heicha (black or "dark" tea), as well as unscented black (red) teas. Brewing more delicate teas, like greens or whites, while not unheard of, isn't that common.

I don't dedicate pots with too high a degree of specificity - generally, Wuyi oolongs will go in one set of pots; depending on the degree of firing / oxidation, I may choose a particular pot or another, but it's based on intuition, leaf size, and past experience more than saying "this pot is only for rougui" or "this pot is only for dahongpao". In a way, the difference between processing styles tends to be more dramatic than the difference between varietals, even though a particular varietal may have certain taste characteristics that cut through. In a lot of cases, I may choose not to use a pot at all, but to use porcelain, and in many cases, that is the choice I end up making.

I dedicate pots to aged raw pu'er, and to ripe pu'er; I have a few pots that I've used for younger raw stuff, esp. if it's wet-stored, but generally speaking, if it's really young smelling / tasting, I won't use a pot at all.

[jayinhk]

I use two shuipings for all of my pu erh and hei cha. I have two from the same factory; one is thicker than the other, but the same exact clay. One makes wet-stored shu very palatable; the thinner one brings out the worst in it!

Conversely I use two Yixing pots for all Wuyi and roast/aged oolongs, but I prefer to drink greener oolong from porcelain as I feel my pot takes away some of the aroma in the fresher-tasting oolongs.

Show us your pot and maybe we can make some suggestions based on our experience.

[chrl42]

Thanks for the information. As a noob, the depth of the discussion is a little over my head, but I understand a bit of what's being discussed. To expand a bit on what I was looking for, when I asked about what tea people are brewing in their yixing, I would've expected (if I looked at the results, had it been a survey) that 'many' people brew puerh and wuyi, and that very few would brew sencha or gyokuro in a yixing, and I was most interested on the next to highest responses for yixing brewing beyond puerh and wuyi (to give me some 'next to try' ideas). I like sencha in my kyusus, not to say I wouldn't try in another vessel, it's just that I really like kyusus

Thanks again

The Japanese loved using Yixing for Sencha back then. Mostly 19c Yixings, egg-shaped and small.

Historically Yixing teapots were used for loose-leaf green teas, black teas were for exportation and Oolong drinkers used small Zhuni teapots.

It just explains 'Yixing not for green' is a quite recent perception..because I hear that often even in China. How they make greens different now and past, I've no idea.


I see many Chinese brew green in Yixing during summer, in a huge pot doing a grandpa style