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Hi all,

I've bought a pot for primarily 15-20yo pu'er - high-fired late F1 70s hongni as far as I know- but a friend has suggested that it may not be the best choice for relatively mature teas. I have the opportunity to return it.

https://imgur.com/a/DkNEaUx

While I am able to test it with some of my own teas (within a reasonable period of time), I was wondering if anybody had any experience or expertise to share regarding the pot/clay and its suitability for the kind of teas I'm interested in.

Paging steanze since this is in your wheelhouse, iirc?

steanze wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:52 am

Atlas wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 22, 2018 7:53 pm

Hi all,

I've bought a pot for primarily 15-20yo pu'er - high-fired late F1 70s hongni as far as I know- but a friend has suggested that it may not be the best choice for relatively mature teas. I have the opportunity to return it.

https://imgur.com/a/DkNEaUx

While I am able to test it with some of my own teas (within a reasonable period of time), I was wondering if anybody had any experience or expertise to share regarding the pot/clay and its suitability for the kind of teas I'm interested in.

Paging steanze since this is in your wheelhouse, iirc?

Hi Atlas,

Have you benchedmarked your brews against a simple white porcelain Gaiwan / Gaipei?

Reason I’m asking is that, there is no straight forward rule that says any specific clay is a match for a specific tea... there are only general guidelines which will give an indication on where to start.

By benchmarking against porcelain , you will get the unadulterated flavor/aroma/taste of the tea. Then you can start pairing with a teapot that would enhance or mute certain nuisances to best suit your preference.

My 2cents...

Cheers!

Why wouldn't it be good for mature pu?

Sure its prob not super porous due to firing but that doesn't mean you can't use it with aged puerh. If it's HK stored than your likely gonna taste more storage initially but once that fades it'll have more flavor throughout the rest of steeps. I use to use late 80's hong ni with aged sheng and never had issues.

Only issue is possibly size. 60-70ml pots cooler faster than something around 100ml so you wight wonna use Mr. Coffee hot plate for later steeps.

I'm going through and brewing all my super-familiar teas with it; so far it seems to be performing well with them, but I'm no amazing connoisseur and the effects of suggestion are not to be underestimated.

Chadrinkincat wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 22, 2018 8:19 pm

Only issue is possibly size. 60-70ml pots cooler faster than something around 100ml so you wight wonna use Mr. Coffee hot plate for later steeps.

I'm not gonna lie, I am not above using whatever cloth I have laying about as a tea-cozy. SOP with pots and gaiwans alike in the late steeps lol.

Chadrinkincat wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 22, 2018 8:19 pm

Why wouldn't it be good for mature pu?

Sure its prob not super porous due to firing but that doesn't mean you can't use it with aged puerh. If it's HK stored than your likely gonna taste more storage initially but once that fades it'll have more flavor throughout the rest of steeps. I use to use late 80's hong ni with aged sheng and never had issues.

Only issue is possibly size. 60-70ml pots cooler faster than something around 100ml so you wight wonna use Mr. Coffee hot plate for later steeps.

+1
No reason why it shouldn't work great, though I usually like to use 80ml pots for teas that like heat.

ShuShu wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 22, 2018 10:02 pm

Chadrinkincat wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 22, 2018 8:19 pm

Why wouldn't it be good for mature pu?

Sure its prob not super porous due to firing but that doesn't mean you can't use it with aged puerh. If it's HK stored than your likely gonna taste more storage initially but once that fades it'll have more flavor throughout the rest of steeps. I use to use late 80's hong ni with aged sheng and never had issues.

Only issue is possibly size. 60-70ml pots cooler faster than something around 100ml so you wight wonna use Mr. Coffee hot plate for later steeps.

+1
No reason why it shouldn't work great, though I usually like to use 80ml pots for teas that like heat.

I mostly drink 10-15yr stuff which works in 60ml w/ 3g but 90's tea is best in 80-120ml especially if you plan to pack pot.

So...any conclusions?
(lmk if you decide to return it -- I've been looking on this guy for a couple of weeks )

Atlas wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 22, 2018 7:53 pm

Hi all,

I've bought a pot for primarily 15-20yo pu'er - high-fired late F1 70s hongni as far as I know- but a friend has suggested that it may not be the best choice for relatively mature teas. I have the opportunity to return it.

https://imgur.com/a/DkNEaUx

While I am able to test it with some of my own teas (within a reasonable period of time), I was wondering if anybody had any experience or expertise to share regarding the pot/clay and its suitability for the kind of teas I'm interested in.

Paging steanze since this is in your wheelhouse, iirc?

steanze wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:52 am

Kale wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 23, 2018 9:25 pm

So...any conclusions?
(lmk if you decide to return it -- I've been looking on this guy for a couple of weeks )

Hah, bad news, I've decided to keep it after all - it's playing real nice with the majority of the teas I've tried it with so far.

Got it prepped for surgery - poor little guy needs a patch-up before it'll pour nicely.

I'm sure it will work great. When you finish the surgery don't forget to post the "after" pictures...

Atlas wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 23, 2018 9:34 pm

Kale wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 23, 2018 9:25 pm

So...any conclusions?
(lmk if you decide to return it -- I've been looking on this guy for a couple of weeks )

Hah, bad news, I've decided to keep it after all - it's playing real nice with the majority of the teas I've tried it with so far.

Kale wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 23, 2018 9:41 pm

When you finish the surgery don't forget to post the "after" pictures...

Of course!

Kale wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 23, 2018 9:41 pm

...

Happy to say it now pours nicely and the lid seals to the point that the lid-hole can stop the flow.

The ugly little teapot that could.

Now I just have to get a round file to clean up the acute surface on top of the lid...

I personally would not have put the JB Weld on. Now you are probably getting a dose of BPA with every infusion!

tealifehk wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 25, 2018 1:40 am

I personally would not have put the JB Weld on. Now you are probably getting a dose of BPA with every infusion!

WIth all due respect, no I'm probably not.

Think about where the JB-Weld is, how much surface area is in contact with hot water, for how long, and where much of that water ends up (outside the pot).

That's setting aside the question of how harmful trace amounts of dietary BPA actually are in the first place.

Applying JB-Weld to the lid interface is technically worse than the alternative, but not to the point where I suspect it is a significant contributor to dietary BPA intake.

Come to think of it: you're right. I'm just very reluctant to use JB Weld on teaware, but considering it's on the outside rim of the lid, it's probably fine!

I did some home 'kintsugi' with gold powder and JB Weld on chipped porcelain cups (and a gaiwan). That lid might look nice with a little gold dust applied over the gray! Of course you'd need to apply a new, thin layer over the existing epoxy.

Hmm, I should give that a try on my busted-to-heck gaiwan and see if I have the talent to apply it in an aesthetically-pleasing way.

That said, the powder is relatively expensive, even the faux stuff.