The comments from Abx and Salsero have fired up my enthusiasm - so despite the postman delivering an exciting new 'Supreme+ Ti Guan Yin' - straight from the farm! My next brew was always going to be with a Gaiwan - and I did not want trial and ERROR with something special.
I am delving into Gaiwans to try and get even more from my DanCongs than the extremely favourable results I am currently achieving with Yixing pots. But the 'Yellow Leaf' leaves are long, and I wanted to experiment with something smaller, and less valuable to me.
I chose my TeaCuppa Shui Xian which I have had moderately successful results with before, but nothing to write home about.
2.5 Grams in a 95ml Gaiwan - with Garish Yellow dragons on a deep blue background, but a pleasant pale aqua blue interior.
1st Infusion - water just off the boil for 15 seconds and lifting all in one hand poured into a small yixing style faircup/pitcher this was easier than I anticipated - standing up near the kitchen sink, in case of problems. Nudged the lid with my free hand poured effortlessly into the pitcher. Only slight issue were acouple of bits of broken leaf made their way along with the tea.
Drinking from a Fencai bowl, one of a set of many that I got from TeaCuppa. Not unpleasant but very weak.
No heat problems at all with Gaiwan or pitcher NONE at all. The Fencai cup was rather hot though as I tasted the first bowl. I then recalled that the videos and demo descriptions wax on about cradling the yixing with one hand and stirring the brew (courtesy of the lid) with the other - I had done none of that - did this account for the weakness? It certainly helped explain my hand having no problems with the heat.
2nd Infusion- water a second or two longer off the boil 33 seconds. I was going for 30 but was late, too preoccupied with
a) trying to stir with the lid
b) remembering to try the lid less ajar while pouring to prevent any leaf loss.
But there was little point in stirring the leaves were all at the bottom, is the heat problem more likely with Green Tea when the leaves float and you HAVE to stir?
The lid ended in the perfect position, a clean quickish pour with no escapees at all.
The brew itself was uplifting - fragrance I have never found in Shui Xian before and a wonderful taste - not mellow and bland as from my Yixing pot, but fruity and floral with a good body. Shui Xian is worth persevering with, thank you TeaCuppa, sorry that I doubted it.
3rd Infusion- water as before 52 seconds.
This time I got the lid too tight, the pour was very sparse, but it was no effort at all to ease it back with my free hand and complete the pour as in the 2nd Infusion.
Same great taste and fragrance.
Now I recall that with my Yixing I always do a wash/rinse - and forgot this time
- so the first infusion was actually the wash! When the leaves were awake it all went well. I need to rig another set up, so that I can have the kettle by a comfortable table and chair. I am going to do this many more times and NOT standing by the kitchen sink.
Great experiment - I'll have to try TeaCuppa's SX in a thinner gaiwan as well.
...but who knows. I would exhibit some temerity also!