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raciere
Uh, Can I Add Sugar?
Joined: 01 Dec 2007
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Dec 07, 2007 10:21 am Post subject: Source for unglazed Tetsubin? |
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Hello,
I am new to the forum, and also new to the world of tea. It has been an unexpected discovery... like an entire new and beautiful world has opened up, with much to learn.
I am building a small, traditional teaware set with a gaiwan, a few yixing, and a "Shiboridashi" (a gaiwan-esque like clay cup w/ lid from Japan). I've done a fair amount of web searching on info re: using unglazed tetsubin for heating water, and of course people are widely mixed on using them... but I'd like to give it a go... I could use a little iron in the diet!
My question is, where can I find and order an unglazed tetsubin short of actually getting on a plane? I'm looking in the $100 to $150-ish budget. Any thoughts welcome. |
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syntheticpanda
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 198
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| Posted: Dec 07, 2007 10:31 am Post subject: |
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I think this has been discussed here before, and the problems are generally two-fold:
1. It's hard to find an unglazed tetsubin in the US because of health regs.
2. They're expensive. I want to say ~$400 or so.
That's just what I remember from reading around here though, others may be more helpful. |
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britt
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 175
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| Posted: Dec 10, 2007 9:58 am Post subject: Re: Source for unglazed Tetsubin? |
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| raciere wrote: | | I am building a small, traditional teaware set with a gaiwan, a few yixing, and a "Shiboridashi" (a gaiwan-esque like clay cup w/ lid from Japan). |
I started out this way about six months ago, not realizing how involved one can get. This hobby can get very expensive, and I found myself replacing many of the items I originally purchased. It is probably cheaper to buy what you really want now than to purchase something else and then go back later and buy what you wanted in the first place.
I would be very careful on the Yixings for quality and safety reasons. I bought a couple of new ones and they were not that cheap, but I immediately assesed them as junk. Some sellers purchase them in open markets which means they have no idea what they're buying or what they're selling to you. One Yixing I purchased had a very strange taste and I verified with the seller that this was purchased at an open market (flea market). The web is flooded with these, and they can come from anywhere. Dyes and chemicals are often mixed with cheap clay to make it appear that high quality clay was used.
I stongly urge you to consider buying one good, used Yixing instead of several new ones. Even then, you must know and trust the seller.
The only Yixings that I actually use were all purchased second hand from Hou De Asian Art. Every one was in like new condition (read the item descriptions-not all are like new). Most are now sold out, but they regularly add others.
The cheapest two I purchased were $84 each, and trust me, they are very superior in overall quality to the new ones I had already purchased. The clay, the craftsmanship, the fit and finish, and the taste of tea were all noticibly improved. If you buy a well seasoned Yixing, it may affect the taste if you use a tea type that is drastically different than what the original owner brewed in it. That's another reason to look for descriptions like "rarely used and in a clean condition" or "like new."
Whether new or used, due to the porous clay and mainland China's complete disregard for health and safety, I would boil each pot, including the lid, for at least 15 minutes before using them for the first time.
| raciere wrote: | | I've done a fair amount of web searching on info re: using unglazed tetsubin for heating water, and of course people are widely mixed on using them... but I'd like to give it a go... I could use a little iron in the diet! |
I don't know why anyone would argue against using a cast-iron kettle for heating the water, as this is the traditional way. I do understand why many would argue against using it as a teapot, and personally, I wouldn't even consider brewing tea in one.
| raciere wrote: | | My question is, where can I find and order an unglazed tetsubin short of actually getting on a plane? I'm looking in the $100 to $150-ish budget. Any thoughts welcome. |
Using the supplied link, go to the bottom of the page to where it says "kettles as opposed to teapots." There are two shown and neither is enameled inside. The black one on the left is 1.3 litre and costs $109.99 plus $27 for surface or $45 for EMS shipping. This is within the price range you noted.
http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/iwachu/tetsubin.html
Direct link to the lower priced cast-iron kettle:
http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/iwachu/ararekettle.html |
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raciere
Uh, Can I Add Sugar?
Joined: 01 Dec 2007
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Dec 10, 2007 3:11 pm Post subject: Re: Source for unglazed Tetsubin? |
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Britt,
Thanks for the generous reply. I've been told by a few knowledgeable people to be careful about yixing pots... I've so far only got the one, and at $75 it seems very good. I honestly am not sure what to compare it to, but I've dedicated it to Da Yu Ling oolong... and after many pots of tea brewed I did a taste test using the yixing pot against my gaiwan... and the Da Yu Ling in the yixing simply tasted better. Again, there are perhaps fine distinctions in tasting that I may be missing, but I attempted to use the same ratio of tea to water... same steeping time, etc... and the yixing tea simply tasted better. So I'm hoping this is a sign that its a decent pot. I'm actually going to take it in to a rather knowledgeable chap at a local traditional tea house, and will get an informed opinion.
And thanks for the link to the unglazed tetsubin... I'll check it out. |
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britt
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 175
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| Posted: Dec 10, 2007 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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$75 should buy you a decent new Yixing that is safe. Just be careful! It sounds like you have access to some tea expert friends, which can be very helpful. A new magazine called The Art of Tea has some very informative articles on Yixings and mentioned some of the current problems. Guang of Hou De Asian has also discussed them in his blog.
The taste test says a lot. I assume the gaiwan is glazed, which they usually are. I prefer tea from unglazed teapots the majority of the time. The Yixing that I bought that tasted terrible is what originally cautioned me on the subject. I did some research and was quite surprised at what I found. From then on I was much more careful before I purchased any other Yixings.
As for dedicating each pot to a specific tea, I compromise. I dedicate to a type of tea rather than each individual version. I do all high mountain oolongs in one, aged and woodfired oolongs in another, and all other dark oolongs in its own. This may not be the ultimate choice, but I don't want to take up too much space of spend much more money on Chinese or Taiwanese tea, as it cuts into my Japanese tea and teaware habit! |
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