Longtime Tea Fan Seeking Teapot Advice

[Garrett]

Hi everyone! Please allow me to introduce myself:

You're sure to have already picked up that my name is Garrett. Beyond that, I've been a big fan of tea for several years, but have just now begun to a develop a deeper, more refined appreciation for it. I'm so glad that I have come to realize and appreciate the intricacies that a fine tea can provide it's drinker, as I have vowed to never again succumb to the dreaded Lipton tea bags.

As I'm sure is the trend, my first post here is in search of advice, as I'm hoping to learn from your guys' experience and knowledge. It's probably worth mentioning that I have been looking through threads for several hours, so I am not coming to you without having done my due diligence.

I'm trying to determine what kind of teapot(s) would best suit my needs/drinking habits. Furthermore, recommendations of different teas would be very helpful. It appears that the tea samplers will be a very useful tool, and I plan on purchasing the Green, Oolong, and White ones from this site.

Here's what I'm working with so far:

This afternoon I came home with 1 lb. of Ten Ren's Pouchong 4th grade, in addition to 1lb. of their Dark Oolong 5th grade (split between myself and a roommate). In hindsight, perhaps a lesser quantity of some higher grade teas would have been better, but I figure that I'll be able make up for it.

I currently own two teapots: one made of porcelain that I picked up from Bed Bath & Beyond several years ago (roughly 40 oz.), and one made of Cast Iron with enamel coating on the inside (38 oz.).

It appears that many of you recommend the use of a Gaiwan when it comes to brewing several teas, which appeals to me because I am on a very strict budget (college student). Having said that, is my porcelain teapot just as capable, or would my tea benefit from the use of a Gaiwan? I'm also worried that my current teapots are too large to extract optimum flavor/aroma should I decide to only brew a half pot of tea. Am I correct in that assumption?

Oolong has thus far proved to be far and away my favorite tea, so I'm contemplating buying a clay pot (Yixing or otherwise) to dedicate to it. I'm just unsure if this is the best course of action, as I have read many posts that would seem to discredit the "one tea per pot" theory. I've also read that there are better materials to use with Oolong teas.

Sorry if this is long-winded. I've become very excited to learn as much as I can about tea, and I'm so happy that there are forums such as this to help me get started.

Thank you in advance for any advice, as it is greatly appreciated!

-Garrett

[stanthegoomba]

Hey, another tea-addled student. Welcome!

It appears that many of you recommend the use of a Gaiwan when it comes to brewing several teas, which appeals to me because I am on a very strict budget (college student). Having said that, is my porcelain teapot just as capable, or would my tea benefit from the use of a Gaiwan?

What a gaiwan has going for it is its size. Your porcelain teapot is 40 oz while a typical gaiwan is only 4 oz—enough for a few good gulps of tea! Because of its size you always fill it to the top, and when the tea is ready you decant it all at once; no water sits around over-steeping in the bowl. The higher proportion of leaf to water means that a gaiwan is is less forgiving, but as you have guessed, very rewarding of a little bit of skill and determination.

A yixing works much in the same way except that the clay will absorb tea and alter its flavours. For this reason it is probably a better idea to learn Chinese-style brewing with a gaiwan.

[Garrett]

Thanks for the fast reply!

When you mentioned Chinese-style brewing, does that refer to a higher concentration of leaves with a shorter steeping time?

If the Gaiwan is ultimately the way for me to go, then what would you guys recommend for me to take a look at?

Thanks guys!

[xuancheng]

I like the gaiwan idea. you should start with one of those. You might also like to buy a couple of sizes, but you can get a good gaiwan cheap.

I like a very small one:
http://www.theteagallery.com/small_gaiwan_p/ta-gwns.htm
(They have 3 sizes of plain white ones here. You can probably find a cheaper one, but the quality here is good.)

The above is only 2 ounces, 20 times smaller than your large teapot. This is a good option for trying new teas and also trying teas you only have a small sample of. I like a small gaiwan especially when I don't know what tea I want to drink today. With a 2 oz. gaiwan, I could drink a few types of tea in one day, and still not feel like I am wasting leaf.

Also, I would advise you to buy smaller amounts of leaf at first. You will probably be wanting to try a lot of stuff, and the tea will really pile up. Although, it is also good to buy a pound of cheap tea that you really like to keep at home, that way you won't feel as though you have to buy stuff you aren't sure you like because you have nothing at home to drink.

When I first tried tie guan yin I was amazed by the aroma and fresh tea taste in the mouth. I bought 750g and brought it home. Within a month, I had already had much better TGY, and set it aside. It sat at home for 2 years before I got rid of it all. (I may even still have some of it kicking around somewhere, I'm not sure.) It was cheap, though; 2 grades $10 US/lb. and 13 USD/lb.

Yixing is very nice for oolong. I do like one kind of pot per tea, but it is not of paramount importance. It is important to use one pot for similar teas, though. But I suggest you take it slow on the Yixing. Look at a lot of pots. Find one you really like, maybe ask some opinions here, and consider the facts before you buy. If you really love Yixings, and plan to continue this hobby for many years, you will soon find you have more Yixings than you really need.

You might also consider a purion teapot from Lin's ceramics. I think there is a nice 100ml one for 20 something dollars(new). Someone else might be able to find you the link. I have been using the Chinese site, I can't find the link to the English site (there is one, i've been).

[heavydoom]

you are on a strict budget therefore drinking from a huge teapot, if you have a huge one, is not very economical. a gaiwan would serve your purpose of making tea with not too much leaves. if you share the tea with others, use smaller sipping cups. tea tastes better sipping it instead gulping it. rules are not set in stone when it comes to tea drinking.

[teaguy]

Hi Garrett,

Welcome to tea drinking! Glad you're here!

If you don't mind my 2 cents' worth, here's what I'd suggest:

You've got 2 areas to work on as a 'tea student'. One is learning about different teas and finding ones you like. The second is to learn brewing techniques and develop your own style.

Getting samplers and 'trial size' teas is your best way to learn - drink lots of different teas (that should be obvious). Start with cheaper stuff to help you establish a 'baseline' of what suits you. As you become more experienced, you'll naturally gravitate into higher qualities and vintages, and you'll likely appreciate them more from having worked your way up, so to speak.

The same logic applies to brewing & teaware. If you're buying 'entry-level' quality tea, a $300 teapot isn't going to improve it enough to justify the purchase. Go for a functional, well-designed teapot (not necessarily the cheapest, mind you). You might look at sets that are available with matching pitcher & cups. If you were learning to drive, an old, beat-up 1970s pickup probably wouldn't be the ideal vehicle - neither would a Ferrarri.

A cheap gaiwan (or what I call a 'semi-gaiwan - basically a gaiwan with a spout and side grips) would be good if you are getting into green, black, or pu-er (I would suggest leaving pu-er teas until you're well-versed with greens and oolong - they get complicated very quickly). Here's a photo of one:



For oolongs, get a clay pot - not necessarily Yi Xing, but a well-balanced pot that pours well - and just use it. Especially starting out, you're not likely to really notice a difference anyway, and when you do, you'll know it's time to expand your arsenal. I spent several years with 2 or 3 $20 tea sets, and it doesn't seem to have done me too much damage!

Some people feel that gaiwans are easier to start with, but you're really much better off working with a teapot first. Even getting a small porcelain teapot would be fine. Also, remember that brewing instructions are guidelines more than absolutes, and that brewing is an art, not a science.

Enjoy your teas!

[gingkoseto]

A cheap gaiwan (or what I call a 'semi-gaiwan - basically a gaiwan with a spout and side grips) would be good if you are getting into green, black, or pu-er (I would suggest leaving pu-er teas until you're well-versed with greens and oolong - they get complicated very quickly). Here's a photo of one:

I like this kind of gaiwan/pot very much! However the ones I saw are all more expensive than gaiwan - but I have to admit my gaiwans are all near the low price end

Btw I like your gaiwan contest piece (the bamboo poem calligraphy gaiwan) very much!

[Saifuddin]

Yunnan Sourcing store on ebay has some gaiwans at a very nice price. I have the white one and while it is a bit crooked to look at it brews good tea and it's only 3 bucks. Their customer service is also incredible, Scott (the seller) replied instantly to all my questions and was very kind.

Here is a link: (I hope I'm not to new to post this)

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Yunnan-Sour ... ec0Q2em322

[Geekgirl]

agreed, Scott has some decent tea-things at good prices. However, if you live in a big enough city to have a good asian market, you can probably pick up a nice gaiwan there for cheap. Ideally you would want a lightweight porcelain for lighter teas, and a heavier ceramic for sturdier teas. 3 oz capacity is just about right for me, ymmv.

Clay pots, and other tea accouterments can certainly wait until you are more flush. Tea as a hobby can be quite expensive, but it doesn't have to be so. Unless you have money to burn, (sounds like you don't,) diving into tea-ware acquisitions before you have knowledge of what you are looking for just gets you a lot of teaware you don't use, mixed in with a very few things you do. Buying teaware on the cheap can have the same effect of ending up with a lot of things you don't use, because they are not quite adequate.

Enjoy!

[Garrett]

First let me say thanks to all of those who replied! Your advice is very much appreciated.

After having read all of your wonderful advice, I think I'll be picking up a nice, lighter Gaiwan for Greens and Whites (assuming that's suitable), and a clay pot to be used only for Oolongs (more specifically, green oolongs).

I am very interested in learning the gong fu brewing method, and as such would like to purchase a size-appropriate gaiwan and pot. What should I be looking for in terms of size?

Also, I would greatly appreciate any and all suggestions regarding my first teapot purchase. I am looking for something clay, and would like to avoid cheap ones with applied coloring. I have a budget of around $50 US. I would definitely prefer functionality over design, but ideally would like to have both.

In regards to Oolongs, is yixing generally regarded the best kind of clay?

Again, thanks for all of the help. You guys have already made me feel quite welcome, and I appreciate it!

[Geekgirl]

After having read all of your wonderful advice, I think I'll be picking up a nice, lighter Gaiwan for Greens and Whites (assuming that's suitable), and a clay pot to be used only for Oolongs (more specifically, green oolongs).

Not to be contrary, but you might actually be better off using a gaiwan for your green oolongs also.

For your more roasted/oxidized oolongs, in that price range, there are a couple of ebay stores where you could pick up a suitable yixing. Dragon Tea House, Yunnan Sourcing and Chinese Teapot Gallery (as long as you stay away from the cheaper stuff,) would all be fairly reliable sources.

[Garrett]

I gotcha...so I'll be better off (especially in the beginning) going with a nice porcelain Gaiwan for my Whites, Greens, and Green Oolongs.

I think I'm gonna go ahead and lay off of the clay pot idea for the time being, until I can try out lots of different teas and see what I like. It seems to be the wise thing to do, as I don't want to buy a tea-specific teapot and later find out that my tea preference has changed.

I think while I'm buying my first Gaiwan I might as well go ahead and pick up a set with the Gaiwan, a serving pitcher, and cups.

What would be a good quality Gaiwan set that I could learn on now, and sort of grow into? It appears that a 4-5 oz. is generally recommended, so is this something I should be looking for? I looked at all of the sets offered by Yunnan Sourcing LLC and all of the Gaiwans offered appear to be too small.

Thanks for all of your help!

[Geekgirl]

If you are intending to use the gaiwan for gongfu or some modified version of it, you want one that is about 90-125ml. Any larger and it becomes more awkward to handle, unless your hands are larger. Smaller is not so great for learning on.

That puts the travel sets from YSLLC quite a bit on the small side, but the individual gaiwan are mostly in the ballpark. On this page, there are 3-4 sets that have 100ml gaiwan.

Dragon Tea House has at least two sets that are a good size.

There's of course nothing wrong with mix and match. TBH, I never use my tasting cups or the odor cups. I use the gaiwan and a glass pitcher for decanting, then straight into my cup (sized about the same as whatever gaiwan or pot I'm using that day.)

[Garrett]

Awesome, I'm gonna have to check all of those out.

Now the search begins for my first Gaiwan.

[Garrett]

If you are intending to use the gaiwan for gongfu or some modified version of it, you want one that is about 90-125ml. Any larger and it becomes more awkward to handle, unless your hands are larger. Smaller is not so great for learning on.

My intention is to definitely use the Gaiwan for Gongfu, and as such I want to make sure that I purchase the appropriate equipment. Is it absolutely necessary that the Gaiwan fit into the 90-125ml range? If so, what is the reasoning behind it?

I find myself heavily gravitating toward this Gaiwan from enjoyingtea.com for aesthetic reasons, but sadly it appears to be too large (200 ml) for Gongfu brewing purposes:



I also like this one, sold by Yunnan for $8.90 (plus shipping):



Due to the fact that it's size-appropriate, I think I might go ahead and pick this one up. What should I look for in terms of cups and a serving pitcher? It appears that Yunnan sells a glass pitcher, but not a porcelain one. Is glass preferred?