Maybe it is the lighting, but what I am not so sure about are those yellow dots in the clay, which would more point to a blend in my view. I might be wrong though. Other pictures might clear that up. Does it change colour quickly when doused in hot water?
Looking to pair some pots. Ideas on where to begin?
+1 to @OCTO's approach. Can't think of a better, more neutral way to investigate a given teapots performance. Nice! And nice tray of pots you got going there...
@Bok A picture of the bottom of the “mantianxing Zini” Xi Shi. Just stepped outside to take it. It’s very cloudy so it should give a better idea.
Btw, lukevecent says Mantianxing is “deep strata Zini”. Perhaps it’s naturally mixed with some duanni?
Btw, lukevecent says Mantianxing is “deep strata Zini”. Perhaps it’s naturally mixed with some duanni?
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What about the zhuni? I am assuming you’re familiar with mudandleaves and have read what they have to say about the clay they use?
This is the one I got: https://www.mudandleaves.com/store/p658 ... 120ml.html
And they explain the “bones and meat” texture here: https://www.mudandleaves.com/teatime-bl ... uni-part-2
As far as I am aware that clay is a modern blend, not a naturally occurring clay. But modern Yixing is not my strength...
The meat and bones on their picture is not what I was referring to on yours. I meant the tiny yellow dots. Again I’m more familiar with old Zhuni than modern one, just on your image it looks odd for Zhuni.sporad wrote: ↑Wed Apr 29, 2020 3:31 amWhat about the zhuni? I am assuming you’re familiar with mudandleaves and have read what they have to say about the clay they use?
This is the one I got: https://www.mudandleaves.com/store/p658 ... 120ml.html
And they explain the “bones and meat” texture here: https://www.mudandleaves.com/teatime-bl ... uni-part-2
Thank you @OCTO for the lovely welcome and for your very thorough and generous reply.
What you suggest seems like a natural continuation of how I've been experimenting until now. And weaving in what @gld wrote, seems like good wasy to understand what each pot gives and takes. As I mentioned, I have been doing a lot of brewing in porcelain and glass gaiwans, and a lot of it has been line-tasting of different samples in tiny porcelain ones (got five). Thanks to that, I seem have identified what I gravitate towards within every type, but I am also aware that stuff that I am currently not a fan of might become my favourite in the right yixing. But this I won't worry with at the moment. I will start experimenting with what I am already a fan of, like at least a couple of dark Jin Xuans, two yanchas (Shui Jin Gui and Tie Luo Han), Bai Hao Dongfang Meiren, Ya Shi Dancong, one Anxi, one Yunnan black, one Fujian (unsmoked Lapsang), one shou, and one sheng.
One technical question: how long should the porcelain-brewed tea be in the pots? Btw, I will make sure to heat them up first.
And finally, wondering: what if, for example, the liquor of a huge leafed yancha tastes the best after being poured into, for example, the tiny Shi Diao Ti Liang? That would certainly not be very convenient...
What you suggest seems like a natural continuation of how I've been experimenting until now. And weaving in what @gld wrote, seems like good wasy to understand what each pot gives and takes. As I mentioned, I have been doing a lot of brewing in porcelain and glass gaiwans, and a lot of it has been line-tasting of different samples in tiny porcelain ones (got five). Thanks to that, I seem have identified what I gravitate towards within every type, but I am also aware that stuff that I am currently not a fan of might become my favourite in the right yixing. But this I won't worry with at the moment. I will start experimenting with what I am already a fan of, like at least a couple of dark Jin Xuans, two yanchas (Shui Jin Gui and Tie Luo Han), Bai Hao Dongfang Meiren, Ya Shi Dancong, one Anxi, one Yunnan black, one Fujian (unsmoked Lapsang), one shou, and one sheng.
One technical question: how long should the porcelain-brewed tea be in the pots? Btw, I will make sure to heat them up first.
And finally, wondering: what if, for example, the liquor of a huge leafed yancha tastes the best after being poured into, for example, the tiny Shi Diao Ti Liang? That would certainly not be very convenient...
I personally have a few pots from Lukevecent. I find the pots he sells are modern blends which don't stand up to the typical descriptions of the clays. This is definitely not a negative comment, but more of a generalisation. All of his pots except one required a decent amount of use to show their character, rather than muting the flavours.
Oh, my crappy, crappy photos... Those yellow dots seem to be weird reflections of the light. I am not really able to see them with my naked eye. Is there mica in Zhuni? Here's another pic taken outdoors just now (still cloudy):Bok wrote: ↑Wed Apr 29, 2020 3:52 amThe meat and bones on their picture is not what I was referring to on yours. I meant the tiny yellow dots. Again I’m more familiar with old Zhuni than modern one, just on your image it looks odd for Zhuni.sporad wrote: ↑Wed Apr 29, 2020 3:31 amWhat about the zhuni? I am assuming you’re familiar with mudandleaves and have read what they have to say about the clay they use?
This is the one I got: https://www.mudandleaves.com/store/p658 ... 120ml.html
And they explain the “bones and meat” texture here: https://www.mudandleaves.com/teatime-bl ... uni-part-2
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Oh, ok, that's very helpful to know. Thank you for sharing. Could you perhaps share with me what kind of clays yours are (or he listed them as) and what you ended up pairing them with? I understand that the particular knowledge you gathered will most likely not apply to my case, but it would be super interesting to get a look into your process.Pants404 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:22 amI personally have a few pots from Lukevecent. I find the pots he sells are modern blends which don't stand up to the typical descriptions of the clays. This is definitely not a negative comment, but more of a generalisation. All of his pots except one required a decent amount of use to show their character, rather than muting the flavours.
@Bok, @OCTO. As I mentioned in my first post, I haven't been able to find much info on the effect of a flat bottom teapot (especially those cylindrical) on tea. I have read a lot about round shapes, and tall shapes with bulging lids, and flat ones, the benefits of both wide mouths and narrow mouths, but nothing really on flat bottoms and I am super curious. Also wondering about the effect of feet on a brew. Do they help keeping a high temperature or with cooling down?
@sporad the yellow dots are still clearly visible as before, so it’s not a question of your images 
Big leaf Yancha? That would be worrisome as well
Small pots and big leaves are not a big issue, it’s a question of technique. I just witnessed a friend fill a 50ml tall pot with very tiny opening with long leaves Dancong, poking out like a bush. Once added hot water it falls into place, literally.
So I wouldn’t worry too much about that. But please do worry if you see a big leaf Yancha
Big leaf Yancha? That would be worrisome as well
Small pots and big leaves are not a big issue, it’s a question of technique. I just witnessed a friend fill a 50ml tall pot with very tiny opening with long leaves Dancong, poking out like a bush. Once added hot water it falls into place, literally.
So I wouldn’t worry too much about that. But please do worry if you see a big leaf Yancha