New Yixing Teapot. What tea should I dedicate it to?

[edkrueger]

Here is the link: http://funalliance.com/tea/htm/teapot/870901899.htm

I originally bought it for Sheng Pu-Erh, but clearly has too slow of a pour, so I think its should be a oolong pot of some sort. The pour is 18 seconds. The color makes want to use it for some darker oolong. What tea?

Thanks in advance for your input.

[scruffmcgruff]

18 seconds, oof, sorry about that. Not knowing the pour speed is one of the many reasons I hate buying Yixing online (even though it's my only option)!

I have heard some people state that heavier teas may benefit from a long pour, as it emphasizes the aftertaste. However, I do not know if this theory has any merit. Logically this would point to using the pot for Wuyi yancha, but I tend to prefer quick infusions and short pour times for such teas.

If it were me, and please note that I am no expert, I would probably use it for shu puerh or red/black tea, but YMMV.

[chrl42]

Here is the link: http://funalliance.com/tea/htm/teapot/870901899.htm

I originally bought it for Sheng Pu-Erh, but clearly has too slow of a pour, so I think its should be a oolong pot of some sort. The pour is 18 seconds. The color makes want to use it for some darker oolong. What tea?

Thanks in advance for your input.

I can see your pot is made of either Duanni or Liuni.
But jesus, 410 oz!
My recommendation is Hong Cha. Just imagine how many leaves of Oolong should be put into the pot for one person.
If more than one person, long time of pour can be a problem as well.

And I've heard Puerh should be brewed in a short pour as well, although I don't know the specific reasons.

[tenuki]

That is a seriously beautiful pot. But not for me - I just got rid of a YiXing that was ~160 ml cause it was too big. lol.

Still, I bet it would brew some fantastic tea for 2-4 - and more western style, ie longer steep times and less leaf. If I had that pot I would try it with everything and just see what I liked. My first try would be either some WuYi or some roasted stuff that is too strong for a small gaiwan.

Finding cups to match it's beauty is gonna be a challenge!

[britt]

I find about a 4 second pour time on a 125ml pot nice (pot holds more, but I do not fill it all the way).

Guang of Hou De Asian commented on his blog that the aroma is better retained if the pot is filled to overflowing, as this will create a water seal around the lid. He said that with a larger pot that is partially filled, this can be achieved by pouring hot water over the pot and lid to create the seal from the outside.

Aroma adds a nice touch, but it isn't one of my priorities. For those who consider aroma to be of high importance, this might be worth considering.

[edkrueger]

Thanks all!
I measured its capacity and its actually 12 oz not 14oz [and defiantly not 480oz ]

I been looking at some stuff about small spout Yixing being good for High Mountain green Tai Cha. I'm thinking that would be better since they don't get bitter when over steeped like Yen Cha

[edkrueger]

Just received tea pot. http://funalliance.com/tea/htm/teapot/870901601.htm
Actual volume is about 50 ml. 7.5 second pour time. This is going to be a sheng pot [unless someone thinks thats a bad idea.]

[Smells_Familiar]

I'm assuming that is a duanni pot and the picture is making it look more yellow than it really is. If it's a duanni it will probably be fine for young sheng. I personally wouldn't use a duanni pot for good aged sheng though. If I were you I'd get a giwan or some other non-porous vessel and compare different teas brewed in it with the same teas brewed in your new yixing. Find which teas taste great in the yixing and there you go. That's the best way to match your pot to a tea. Good luck!

[Salsero]

If I were you I'd get a giwan or some other non-porous vessel and compare different teas brewed in it with the same teas brewed in your new yixing.

Yes, there is nothing like a porcelain gaiwan to establish a baseline and get the good, bad, and the ugly about your tea.

As far as slow pour, I start many of the darker oolongs and Dan Cong with very short steeps and the same is the case more often than not for any puerh, especially sheng. The light oolongs, however, seem to start well with medium length initial steeps, so a slow pour wouldn't be a big issue. Chrl42's suggestion of using it for Hong Cha also makes sense to me, since they also brew for quite a while. I have an overly big yixing pot (from Kam coincidentally) that I use for Assam and it really reduces the nasty bite that many Assams have.

And then too, as Tenuki points out, if gong fu is not your goal, you could brew most anything Euro style.

That second pot is darling.

[edkrueger]

The second pot is less yellow than the picture. I've started to use it for medium or young sheng. It seems to take out a lot of the bitterness. I always make a new tea in my glass set before assigning a pot.

BTW. I'm very impressed with the service from Kam and both pots.