So I am looking to get some pots for black tea, pu-erh and green. Was wondering if anyone tried any other types of clay like sado clay and had good results?
HOJO sells several types like Mumyoi or Nosaka pots made from Sado clay. Was wondering if these would be a good choice?
Other opinions on pots?
Thanks for the help
Re: Yixing vs Sado clay teapot
Old Yixing is great but they are costly now. Newer Yixing is not my cup of tea. Mumyoi and Nosaka are great modern alternative with good price tag. They do wonders to the tea. Akira just dug some good clay from some lake and working on some special project for the next batch. Watch that space. 
Re: Yixing vs Sado clay teapot
I never did any direct comparisons of the different clays, so I can't say how they differ in brewing tea.
I do recall that the sado clay was quite dense. Though possibly it was due to having thicker walls....
I do recall that the sado clay was quite dense. Though possibly it was due to having thicker walls....
Re: Yixing vs Sado clay teapot
AT333 wrote:Old Yixing is great but they are costly now. Newer Yixing is not my cup of tea. Mumyoi and Nosaka are great modern alternative with good price tag. They do wonders to the tea. Akira just dug some good clay from some lake and working on some special project for the next batch. Watch that space.
Oh sweet! which artist?
Anyway I can't comment on Yixing as its not my area of interest but both the Mumyoi and Nosaka are superb clays as AT333 said.
Re: Yixing vs Sado clay teapot
I must warn you a little about the nosaka reduction clay - its rounding effect is really intense. i have yet to find a pairing for it (although i havent tried it with sencha yet). i dont have any experience with other clays by hojo. but if you were looking for more neutral material, then look for petr novak stoneware teapots, they are quite exquisite and still very affordable.
Re: Yixing vs Sado clay teapot
Yes I too find the Nosaka reduction a little too much even for sencha. Actually sold mine recently due to this. It makes tea very smooth and soft, but for me it gives the sencha I drink all the same feel. The red Nosaka is much more balanced in this regard and actually my favorite clay.
Re: Yixing vs Sado clay teapot
Definitively, that's going to be the main problem with clay unless it has aged well and preferably pre-90s stuff over the highly mixed new Yixings.
With puerh especially the cooked type and very young aggressive raw clay can enhance the tea, but not all clay and/or pots are good. I got a yellow duanni with me I no longer use because it 'kills' the most subtle notes of my favourite cooked puerh cakes. It does a decent job with green tea but porcelain beats any Yixing for that matter, so I use a gaiwan instead for this type as well as greener oolongs of any area (dancong, TGY and Taiwan teas).
With puerh especially the cooked type and very young aggressive raw clay can enhance the tea, but not all clay and/or pots are good. I got a yellow duanni with me I no longer use because it 'kills' the most subtle notes of my favourite cooked puerh cakes. It does a decent job with green tea but porcelain beats any Yixing for that matter, so I use a gaiwan instead for this type as well as greener oolongs of any area (dancong, TGY and Taiwan teas).