Hokujo, Kobiwako & Iga Clay

[LeoFox]

Did you ever end up trying it with roasted oolong?

I did, but I personally think it works best for things unroasted or lightly roasted at most. I stick to sencha/gyok with it mostly, as it seems to do very well with Japanese teas. If you end up experimenting with the clay and other types of tea, let me know!

Thanks for sharing your experience! I am waiting for my kobiwako to arrive.

[OCTO]

Iga Natural Red Clay brewing up a storm with lightly roasted DanCong... served with Nosaka Red Clay ... and unmatched cups... hehehehe... blissful night.

Cheers!!

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[LeoFox]

@OCTO
Are you designating cups for specific teas?

[OCTO]

OCTO
Are you designating cups for specific teas?

@LeoFox

Yes and No.... a lot depends on the occasion, the tea, the desired outcome and the person whom I’m drinking with.

Cheers.

[pchua]

@OCTO, did you manage to find a pairing for your Iga pot?

[LeoFox]

Just received the kobiwako shibo from HoJo! Immediately brewed a shan lin xi ive been drinking almost every day recently. I can confirm the clay seems to make an immediate impact: the tea has a much deeper tropical fruit sweetness that i associate with green oolong. This flavor also seems to linger for much longer than with porcelain. At the same time, the aroma is also reduced, but not
by too much. The tea also seems thicker. Very pleased with the purchase. Would not have known about this clay without the great information found on this forum. Thank you.

[OCTO]

Congratulations @LeoFox

[klepto]

I own a hokujo and a kobiwako pot and I am curious to what doesn't brew well in the kobiwako? I assume yancha is no good?

[LeoFox]

I own a hokujo and a kobiwako pot and I am curious to what doesn't brew well in the kobiwako? I assume yancha is no good?

This really is a personal preference. I've heard from a yancha connoisseur that hokujo is not good for good yancha because it changes the mineral profile too much and you lose fidelity. Yet others like it for yancha because it seems to amplify flavors, even though these flavors have been altered.

Many like kobiwako for gaoshan because it increases body. At same time many dont like it for gaoshan because it sucks up aroma and fragrance.

[klepto]

I own a hokujo and a kobiwako pot and I am curious to what doesn't brew well in the kobiwako? I assume yancha is no good?

This really is a personal preference. I've heard from a yancha connoisseur that hokujo is not good for good yancha because it changes the mineral profile too much and you lose fidelity. Yet others like it for yancha because it seems to amplify flavors, even though these flavors have been altered.

Many like kobiwako for gaoshan because it increases body. At same time many dont like it for gaoshan because it sucks up aroma and fragrance.

So these two pots cover a lot of tea, so zhuni/hongni for yancha or is there something else? Thanks Leo, it takes time to do all these experiments yourself.

[LeoFox]

I own a hokujo and a kobiwako pot and I am curious to what doesn't brew well in the kobiwako? I assume yancha is no good?

This really is a personal preference. I've heard from a yancha connoisseur that hokujo is not good for good yancha because it changes the mineral profile too much and you lose fidelity. Yet others like it for yancha because it seems to amplify flavors, even though these flavors have been altered.

Many like kobiwako for gaoshan because it increases body. At same time many dont like it for gaoshan because it sucks up aroma and fragrance.

So these two pots cover a lot of tea, so zhuni/hongni for yancha or is there something else? Thanks Leo, it takes time to do all these experiments yourself.

There is another rabbit hole: porcelain, hahaha
A discernable difference between reduction fired high iron jing de zhen porcelain (the blue stuff) and oxidation fired low iron /high potassium de hua blanc de chine. Hahahaha

[klepto]

There is another rabbit hole: porcelain, hahaha
A discernable difference between reduction fired high iron jing de zhen porcelain (the blue stuff) and oxidation fired low iron /high potassium de hua blanc de chine. Hahahaha

I'm currently in too many rabbit holes, they are pulling me apart . I asked Hojo what the best japanese clays for yancha was and he said

For Yan cha, I suggest Akitsu Mumyoi reduction or Akitsu mumyoi. I also suggest Nosaka oxidation and reduction. I also like Iga.
I believe body is the important element for Wuyi yan cha.

Thoughts?

[LeoFox]

There is another rabbit hole: porcelain, hahaha
A discernable difference between reduction fired high iron jing de zhen porcelain (the blue stuff) and oxidation fired low iron /high potassium de hua blanc de chine. Hahahaha

I'm currently in too many rabbit holes, they are pulling me apart . I asked Hojo what the best japanese clays for yancha was and he said

For Yan cha, I suggest Akitsu Mumyoi reduction or Akitsu mumyoi. I also suggest Nosaka oxidation and reduction. I also like Iga.
I believe body is the important element for Wuyi yan cha.

Thoughts?

Best to try them all if you can hahahaha or not. I just bought a joaka mumyoi for yancha. Hojo's store manager was so nice she even seasoned it for over a month with their expensive yancha at their store. It is now a little shiny.

[klepto]

Best to try them all if you can hahahaha or not.

That is the exact thing @OCTO said to me.
At least Japanese clay isn't anywher near as expensive as lqer pots so I might be able to do that, in the future
I'd love to know how that pot of yours makes yancha. To be able to have 3-4 pots that produce specific excellent teas I like would be nice.

[OCTO]

Best to try them all if you can hahahaha or not.

That is the exact thing OCTO said to me.