Search found 111 matches

by Tor
Thu Mar 12, 2020 5:36 am
Forum: Vendor Discussion & Recommendation
Topic: Chanting Pines
Replies: 100
Views: 104609

Re: Chanting Pines

I have EoT’s #1 and CP’s diamond teapots. From the look and the effects on tea, I believe they’re not the same clay. Different how, one better than the other or just different? Diamond clay is less muting, shows better details, deeper and longer aftertaste than #1. Both clays have quite strong mine...
by Tor
Thu Mar 12, 2020 2:55 am
Forum: Vendor Discussion & Recommendation
Topic: Chanting Pines
Replies: 100
Views: 104609

Re: Chanting Pines

I have EoT’s #1 and CP’s diamond teapots. From the look and the effects on tea, I believe they’re not the same clay.

Chanting Pines
Essence of Tea
by Tor
Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:31 am
Forum: Oolong Tea
Topic: What Oolong Are You Drinking
Replies: 2894
Views: 2428703

Re: What Oolong Are You Drinking

Jasmin in a Dongding I would find rather bizarre... did you ever encounter that? No, I haven’t. I just raised it up as an example to show that competitions can be designed to serve different purposes. It can either endorse some set standards, or promote creativity and diversification. Anyway, compe...
by Tor
Sat Feb 15, 2020 5:16 am
Forum: Oolong Tea
Topic: What Oolong Are You Drinking
Replies: 2894
Views: 2428703

Re: What Oolong Are You Drinking

This mainstream kind of samey flavour profile of Dongding competition winners I have noticed several times so far(not all 1st prize but also runner-ups) and is a problem discussed by many in Taiwan. The catering of the tea makers to the palate of the judges. As such making it a rather one dimension...
by Tor
Fri Feb 14, 2020 9:36 pm
Forum: Kettles & Heating Elements
Topic: Tetsubin
Replies: 210
Views: 354563

Re: Tetsubin

Musing on tetsubins...could I get some of the beneficial impact of tetsubin on my water by adding a bit of steel wool to my stainless steel kettles? I’d used a steel wool similar to this with my glass kettle for a while in the past. It did not give any effect near my tetsubin at all. I stopped usin...
by Tor
Fri Feb 14, 2020 4:07 am
Forum: China & Taiwan
Topic: Yixing
Replies: 5895
Views: 4652611

Re: Yixing

Interesting that you compare CZ to Tokoname Shudei clay. The comparison being that they are both wheel thrown, beyond that are there other similar attributes between the two? None of my Tokoname shudei kyusu are very soft, except a Hakudei (white clay) kyusu which is soft and silky to the touch. No...
by Tor
Thu Feb 13, 2020 12:54 am
Forum: China & Taiwan
Topic: “Qing Xiang” Yixing teaware
Replies: 0
Views: 2286

“Qing Xiang” Yixing teaware

Does anyone know anything about “Qing Xiang” Yixing teaware? My guess is that they’re post-90s household, block-assisted, tea set. What interests me about this brand is that although they seem to be pretty cheap stuffs, they brew surprisingly good tea, for my limited experience. 2FDC4D9E-915F-4D78-9...
by Tor
Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:49 pm
Forum: China & Taiwan
Topic: Yixing
Replies: 5895
Views: 4652611

Re: Yixing

Interesting! It looked too smooth on the pictures, I apologise to the craftsman! Aren’t those kettles meant for boiling water though? CZ like their teapots very small, which is why the kettles are also comparatively small in volume. Ah, yes, it’s for boiling water. I usually brew Dancong in a gaiwa...
by Tor
Wed Feb 12, 2020 5:58 am
Forum: China & Taiwan
Topic: Yixing
Replies: 5895
Views: 4652611

Re: Yixing

CZ teapots from Zhang Hai Yan are also velvety soft and smooth. But this’s Yixing thread, isn’t it? :lol:
by Tor
Wed Feb 12, 2020 5:55 am
Forum: China & Taiwan
Topic: Yixing
Replies: 5895
Views: 4652611

Re: Yixing

This kettle looks like its machine made in a mould, rather than wheel-thrown, which would explain its unusual smooth appearance. How does the inside look? CZ clay, if wheel-thrown would not look like this. These mass-produced kettles also will likely not use pure CZ clay, but they are dirt-cheap on...
by Tor
Wed Feb 12, 2020 12:40 am
Forum: China & Taiwan
Topic: Yixing
Replies: 5895
Views: 4652611

Re: Yixing

In terms of Chinese clays which are the softest red clays? i.e. soft to the touch red clay after firing. Do these soft clays tend to have medium walled bodies? Thanks I’ve seen pre-F1 Zhuni that felt quite soft to the touch. Also some Chaozhou red clay are quite close to shudei Tokoname clay. Here’...
by Tor
Sat Jan 25, 2020 9:38 pm
Forum: Green Tea
Topic: Sencha: what water temp do you use for the second cup?
Replies: 50
Views: 40378

Re: Sencha: what water temp do you use for the second cup?

If you aim the laser at the lowest point of the inside wall and gradually move up along its wall, you’ll see that the temp will be gradually higher too. Good point. I aimed the laser various ways and could not get a reading that felt right. I did not specifically try to do what you suggest (will tr...
by Tor
Sat Jan 25, 2020 9:02 pm
Forum: Green Tea
Topic: Sencha: what water temp do you use for the second cup?
Replies: 50
Views: 40378

Re: Sencha: what water temp do you use for the second cup?

faj When you said you aimed IR thermometer at the water, did you aim the red dot at the center of the vessel? If so, I think the temp you got was the temp of the bottom part of the water or vessel. If you aim the laser at the lowest point of the inside wall and gradually move up along its wall, you...
by Tor
Sat Jan 25, 2020 1:58 am
Forum: Green Tea
Topic: Sencha: what water temp do you use for the second cup?
Replies: 50
Views: 40378

Re: Sencha: what water temp do you use for the second cup?

.. I don't know what expert recommended using boiling water for a brief steeping of sencha.. .. Florent also wrote about using off the boil water to brew sencha in his blog: II. Experiments with boiling water Now I would like to present some methods of infusions that are not basics method. These ar...
by Tor
Sat Jan 18, 2020 1:09 am
Forum: Japan
Topic: When is Shudei No Longer Shudei
Replies: 27
Views: 16540

Re: Yamada Sou Mayake Kyusu

Baisao wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2020 12:45 am
Of course shudei refers to the crimson color of the fired clay, but what is the name for the same clay when it is black/brown from reduction firing?
I heard some people called it shidei, but mostly they referred to Banko clay.