| View previous topic :: View next topic |
|
| Author |
Message |
|
wehayley
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 206
Location: Under the Basket
|
 Posted: Nov 23, 2006 9:27 pm Post subject: Yixing |
 |
|
I recently bought a yixing teapot from an Internet vendor. I was told the pot held roughly 12 ounces. The pot is beautiful, but it has a very low profile and actually holds only about six ounces. Additionally, the spout turns upward slightly more than most pots and the built in screen has only a half dozen holes or so. I didn't pay a whole lot for it, and I think the person I spoke with (when placing the order) simply didn't really know the pot's capacity, so I don't feel robbed. I'm wondering  , is this pot really functional and, if so, what would be the best way to use it. Any sincere ideas  would be welcome... |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|
Kevangogh
Forum God
Joined: 19 Jul 2005
Posts: 927
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Nov 23, 2006 11:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Sounds like a typical Yixing teapot, I've got a few myself. People sometimes are shocked at how small Japanese teapots are, but the Yixing are half the size still.
Basically, those things are designed for oolong and large leaves where they pack the leaves in there. After you brew, it's pretty much full of leaves. You would not want to use it for most Japanese green teas, the screen isn't adequate and it doesn't hold enough liquid. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
wehayley
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 206
Location: Under the Basket
|
| Posted: Nov 24, 2006 12:54 am Post subject: |
|
|
| In that case I now realize that not so long ago, I gave away a nice yixing pot - it was so small I thought it was a nik-nak (strictly ornamental)... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Kevangogh
Forum God
Joined: 19 Jul 2005
Posts: 927
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Nov 24, 2006 1:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Doh!  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
britt
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 181
|
| Posted: Oct 22, 2007 4:16 pm Post subject: Re: Yixing |
|
|
| wehayley wrote: | | I recently bought a yixing teapot from an Internet vendor. I was told the pot held roughly 12 ounces. The pot is beautiful, but it has a very low profile and actually holds only about six ounces. ... I'm wondering , is this pot really functional and, if so, what would be the best way to use it. Any sincere ideas would be welcome... |
It is not unusual to get 6 or more infusions from a high quality oolong tea. Can you imagine drinking 6 infusions, or 72 ounces of tea, if you did this in a 12 ounce pot? Using a 4 ounce Yixing would bring the total volume of 6 infusions down to 24 ounces, minus 12 ounces spilled trying to aim the tea from the pot into the typical 1 ounce cups.
I think these miniature Yixings are intended for teas that support multiple infusions. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
olivierco
Black Belt
Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 81
Location: France
|
| Posted: Oct 23, 2007 4:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I use a 10cl (ca 3 oz) Yixing teapot for Puer and another one for oolong. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Photiou
Black Belt
Joined: 25 Apr 2007
Posts: 125
Location: Finland
|
| Posted: Oct 23, 2007 6:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
6 ounces is about 180ml - right?
My current gyokuro pot is 120ml. It also has quite coarse filter but gyokuro and fine sencha don't need a metal mesh screen. (I do not brew fukamushi in it)
I will probably buy smaller and simpler one (60-80ml) next time I order some gyokuro.
I have also thought to purchase Yixing pot but having one pot for each tea is maybe too much. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
britt
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 181
|
| Posted: Oct 23, 2007 8:33 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Photiou wrote: | I will probably buy smaller and simpler one (60-80ml) next time I order some gyokuro. ...
I have also thought to purchase Yixing pot but having one pot for each tea is maybe too much. |
I purchased a 2.8 ounce pot, if you can call it that (no handle), specifically for gyokuro. It came with two 0.8 ounce cups. I guess this is the Japanese equivalent of Gong Fu brewing. It works very well. The "pot" is actually more like a pan with a lid and it has no filter. The set was US $152 and I have no regrets for purchasing it. It is called Mogake Gyokuro Set by Hokujo and it is a Tokoname. It was originally built to the specs requested by a professional tea dealer.
As for the Yixings, I can never remember which tea I brewed in each one so I don't even try. What I do is reserve one pot for a type of tea. All high mountain oolongs in one, all aged in another, etc. In spite of the reputation of the Yixings, my favorite set is from Taiwan. It is a mineral ore set that is superb for aged and wood-fired oolongs. It is made by Lin's Studio in Taiwan and was purchased at Hou De Fine Asian Art, along with several other excellent Taiwanese sets. Unfortunattely, all the ones I purchased are now sold out. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
spacesamurai
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Posts: 204
|
| Posted: Oct 23, 2007 12:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| britt wrote: | | I purchased a 2.8 ounce pot, if you can call it that (no handle), specifically for gyokuro. It came with two 0.8 ounce cups. I guess this is the Japanese equivalent of Gong Fu brewing. It works very well. The "pot" is actually more like a pan with a lid and it has no filter. The set was US $152 and I have no regrets for purchasing it. It is called Mogake Gyokuro Set by Hokujo and it is a Tokoname. It was originally built to the specs requested by a professional tea dealer. |
Huh, I didn't know it was that small; probably should've read the specs. Its nice to hear from someone who has it. Perhaps my Shimizu collecting days aren't over. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
wehayley
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 206
Location: Under the Basket
|
| Posted: Oct 23, 2007 7:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Just a point of interest for some: Most Westerners think the term "Kung Fu" (or gong fu) refers to martial arts. In reality it refers to any skill developed over time and with ongoing effort (mastery). The Chinese word for martial art is actually Wushu... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Photiou
Black Belt
Joined: 25 Apr 2007
Posts: 125
Location: Finland
|
| Posted: Oct 26, 2007 5:26 am Post subject: |
|
|
| britt wrote: |
I purchased a 2.8 ounce pot, if you can call it that (no handle), specifically for gyokuro. It came with two 0.8 ounce cups. I guess this is the Japanese equivalent of Gong Fu brewing. It works very well. The "pot" is actually more like a pan with a lid and it has no filter. The set was US $152 and I have no regrets for purchasing it. It is called Mogake Gyokuro Set by Hokujo and it is a Tokoname. It was originally built to the specs requested by a professional tea dealer. |
I googled for the pot and have to say it is very nice, like Spacesamurais Mokage tea pot. They seem to have same kind of 'texture'.
Though I think I will buy some 3200yen hohin instead.
Anybody know if there is/what is the difference between hohin (treasure jar) and shiboridashi? (they called Mogake Gyokuro pot shiboridashi) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
spacesamurai
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Posts: 204
|
| Posted: Oct 26, 2007 11:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I googled for a bit, and coudln't find an answer. All the hohin I saw seemed to share a specific shape, while the shiboridashi seemed to vary. Dunno. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Photiou
Black Belt
Joined: 25 Apr 2007
Posts: 125
Location: Finland
|
| Posted: Oct 27, 2007 4:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
| spacesamurai wrote: | | I googled for a bit, and coudln't find an answer. All the hohin I saw seemed to share a specific shape, while the shiboridashi seemed to vary. Dunno. |
You did not find this page then?
http://www.kurodatoen.co.jp/shimamura2006.html
(this does not seem to be any webshop even if they have prices listed). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
britt
2nd Degree Black Belt
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 181
|
| Posted: Oct 28, 2007 1:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Photiou wrote: | I googled for the pot and have to say it is very nice, like Spacesamurais Mokage tea pot. They seem to have same kind of 'texture'.
Though I think I will buy some 3200yen hohin instead. |
If Spacesamurai's Mogake pot is by Hokujo then it most likely is the same material and texture as it would be by the same artist as the Gyokuro set I have. I have special ordered an 8 ounce version of the tall Mogake pot as 12 ounces is a bit bigger than I wanted. With two 4.4 ounce Mogake cups, I think this will be perfect.
Mogake is a technique that applies seaweed to the pot before it's fired. I have seen the same pots available from the artist Hokujo without the seaweed, but not the Gyokuro set.
I have seen a similar Gyokuro set from Tokoname on the Tokoname web-site. It appears to come with a 6 ounce "pan" that looks like the one in the Hokujo Gyokuro set except twice the size, two cups, and a water cooler. It is listed as 10,000 yen. I don't know if the basket and tea container are included. By the way, there is a matching water cooler for the Hokujo Gyokuro set which I did not purchase. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Photiou
Black Belt
Joined: 25 Apr 2007
Posts: 125
Location: Finland
|
| Posted: Oct 28, 2007 9:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
You can see the picture of Spacesamurais pot/water cooler on his blog. If mokage is the name of the seaweed technique, that explains similarities in 'texture' - I just did not know it.
Can you PM me a link to the gyokuro set? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
