My JAS-eTea order came in today ... which tea in which pot??

Three delightful Yixing pots* (ripe, raw, and oolong, methinks), a gorgeous gaiwan, a few bags of lapsang suchong and oolong, and a ripe pu-erh sampler ... and a couple extra goodies that managed to find their way into the box ... a pu-erh cake pry-pick and a metal filter.




* I opened the box with the 220ml pot first ... "Oh my God, that's the smallest teapot I've ever seen!!" Then I opened the 160ml pot ... "Oh my God, that's the smallest teapot I've ever seen!!" The I opened the 150ml pot ... "Oh my God, that's the smallest teapot I've ever seen!!"

Nice haul. Did you get any small cups to go along with the pots, or are you using what you already have?

Nice Steve is great to do business with, can't wait til he gets his new inventory up.

Ian- I lost your address during the great fire at the Imperial Library last year (made the fire at the library of Alexandria, which destroyed roughly 80% of the world's knowledge, look like a campfire). PM it to me and I'll send you a sheng sampler.

Which pots did you get? I (call me the ugliest American) like the 220 since it only takes two potfulls to fill a yankee cup. Those 150ml pots take three potfulls.

My pots ... text from JAS-eTea website ... photos in order of pot descriptions ...

Traditional Shipiao Yixing pot made by Master of Artwork, Xu Yanping.

Shipiao is the most traditional Yixing pot shape that has been used from ancient times. All masters of Yixing pot creation artwork always make the Shipiao to check their craftsmanship. The Shipiao design pot is used to brew Oolong, ripe Pu Er, or black tea. However, only use it for one type of tea. Sand: Purple sand Yixing clay Volume: 220cc

... and ...

Da Hong Pao Clay "Pomelo" Wen Dan Yixing teapot - 160ml
Da Hong Pao clay comes from the west side of the Fudong township of Yixing in Jiangsu province. At the boundary of Rentu village and Hongwei village is a small mining area, which produces this delicate double-layer clay. High in iron oxide, it takes on a crimson color after roasting in a kiln (Note: Da Hong Pao means "Crimson Robe" in Chinese). This is high density clay of exquisite quality with a high degree of crystallization. It brews tea that is soft, smooth, and great tasting. Over time brewing tea gives the teapot a highly pleasing bright red color. This type of clay is extremely rare. It produces excellent tasting tea and is highly acclaimed.

... and ...

Ben Shan Green Clay "Dragon Egg" Yixing teapot 150ml
Ben Shan Green Clay of the highest grade. Ben Shan green clay has a clamshell texture and look. It is richly textured and after proper care and use will take on a glossy luster! This teapot was baked at a relatively low temperature to preserve the startling natural tones of the clay. After using for a long time to brew oolongs, or raw pu-erhs this teapot will take on bronze-like patina.

Photos ...

ouch said:

Ian- I lost your address during the great fire at the Imperial Library last year (made the fire at the library of Alexandria, which destroyed roughly 80% of the world's knowledge, look like a campfire). PM it to me and I'll send you a sheng sampler.

Which pots did you get? I (call me the ugliest American) like the 220 since it only takes two potfulls to fill a yankee cup. Those 150ml pots take three potfulls.

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PM on its way ...

Doc4 said:

My pots ... text from JAS-eTea website ... photos in order of pot descriptions ...

Traditional Shipiao Yixing pot made by Master of Artwork, Xu Yanping.

Shipiao is the most traditional Yixing pot shape that has been used from ancient times. All masters of Yixing pot creation artwork always make the Shipiao to check their craftsmanship. The Shipiao design pot is used to brew Oolong, ripe Pu Er, or black tea. However, only use it for one type of tea. Sand: Purple sand Yixing clay Volume: 220cc

... and ...

Da Hong Pao Clay "Pomelo" Wen Dan Yixing teapot - 160ml
Da Hong Pao clay comes from the west side of the Fudong township of Yixing in Jiangsu province. At the boundary of Rentu village and Hongwei village is a small mining area, which produces this delicate double-layer clay. High in iron oxide, it takes on a crimson color after roasting in a kiln (Note: Da Hong Pao means "Crimson Robe" in Chinese). This is high density clay of exquisite quality with a high degree of crystallization. It brews tea that is soft, smooth, and great tasting. Over time brewing tea gives the teapot a highly pleasing bright red color. This type of clay is extremely rare. It produces excellent tasting tea and is highly acclaimed.

... and ...

Ben Shan Green Clay "Dragon Egg" Yixing teapot 150ml
Ben Shan Green Clay of the highest grade. Ben Shan green clay has a clamshell texture and look. It is richly textured and after proper care and use will take on a glossy luster! This teapot was baked at a relatively low temperature to preserve the startling natural tones of the clay. After using for a long time to brew oolongs, or raw pu-erhs this teapot will take on bronze-like patina.

Photos ...

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Nice pics there Doc!

netsurfr said:

Nice pics there Doc!

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Thanks!

Now for the tricky bit ... deciding which tea goes in which pot! Suggestions??



(I had planned one for ripe pu-erh, one for raw pu-erh, and one for either oolong or lapsang suchong ... but I'm open to suggestions.)

Doc4 said:

Thanks!

Now for the tricky bit ... deciding which tea goes in which pot! Suggestions??



(I had planned one for ripe pu-erh, one for raw pu-erh, and one for either oolong or lapsang suchong ... but I'm open to suggestions.)

Click to expand...

Dragon egg for shu, shipiao for sheng, and the da hong pao for oolongs.

I'd look at size and shape for tea preferences as well as clay type. I'd use the shipao for oolongs, I have a purple sand in the same size that does very well for light to medium roast oolongs with 30-60 percent oxidation. I have a similar shaped, albeit smaller, da hong pao that I like for shu, and that exact dragons egg that I find holds the floral aromas of young sheng and patinas beautifully with that type. I'd use the larger pot for oolongs primarily because most oolongs do not deem to yield as many good infusions as many quality sheng or shu. There are of course exceptions, but I typacally get 5-6 infusions from a medium oolong, 15 and up in a good puer so a 210 pot would pour over 3000ml of sheng/shu - thats a lot of tea.

Personally, I don't think you can go wrong. Just pick a pot and dedicate it to the particular type of tea.
However, for me I would choose the larger pots for shu and sheng and use the dragon egg for oolong. But that is just me. Now, are you sufficiently confused?

thanks said:

Dragon egg for shu, shipiao for sheng, and the da hong pao for oolongs.

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Ian- please promise me you won't poison that Ben Shan dragon egg with shu. Thanks in advance.

Nice pots!

ouch said:

Ian- please promise me you won't poison that Ben Shan dragon egg with shu. Thanks in advance.

Nice pots!

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Poison? Now here is someone with an opinion worth hearing. haha
Not that I am necessarily a huge shu fan... ... ... but, POISON... pretty harsh. hehe

netsurfr said:

Now, are you sufficiently confused?

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ouch said:

Ian- please promise me you won't poison that Ben Shan dragon egg with shu. Thanks in advance.

Nice pots!

Click to expand...

Done!!

... but now my Egg makes everything taste like dishwashing soap!!

I'm reminded of the immortal words of Scotto, who said:

I used to drink shu. Then I got a job.









I have that Ben Schwartz dragon egg, but that Da Hong Pao is beckoning. Nice!

I love shu , hahaha. I guess like everything else, the best way to find out is to just try them all. Did you boil any of the pots?

Shu can be delightful, but a lot of it is compost.

ouch said:

Shu can be delightful, but a lot of it is compost.

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Now, that's funny! I guess you have to be a shu drinker to appreciate the humor but consider that shu is effectively composted for 45-90 days to give it somewhat of a flavor profile of aged green pu-erh and you get some insight.

The dragon egg is a great size, color, and material for sheng. I have the milk jug style (from Steve). My prized pot! The Pomelo would be good for shu (I drink and enjoy it sometimes - though I agree that SOME of it is wretched, some is quite nice). That leaves the big pot for oolong or others, and if I'm honest, I prefer to drink those in more Japanese or even Western styles, so that would suit me fine.

Good shu is well worth having around. If I never had XZH shu, I probably wouldn't be the shu drinker I am today.

Not that I'd ever use a porous clay pot for shu. Celadon glaze stoneware is perfect for shu.