Thread: Tea anyone ??!!

fonthunter & proinsias: Y'all have very beautiful little teapots there; they certainly caught my attention! Are they "purple clay/sand" pots (紫砂壶 if anyone on this thread is familiar with Chinese)?

Should you be fortunate enough to have extra funds lying around - provided they are purple clay pots - I might suggest brewing only one type of tea per pot. While living in China I tried to immerse myself in the "tea culture". One thing I learned was that over years of use said pots absorb trace flavors of the tea, developing a rich, complex, and subtle flavor that can't be imitated with porcelain pots.

Supposedly (and I say supposedly as my taste buds either can't detect such subtleties, or I haven't used one pot for long enough), brewing multiple types of tea will muddle the flavors, obviating the special clay used to produce the pots.

If there has already been a discussion about these pots in the previous 80 pages of this thread, I apologize for clogging up the thread - its just a lot to read

Even if you guys (i.e. fonthunter, proinsias, and anyone out there with a purple clay pot) already knew this, I hope another SRP member/tea enthusiast learned something!

Thank you AspiringPolymath,
you summarized very well the essence of the "purple clay/sand" pots!
Béla

Hello everyone. I have been enjoying My Morning Mate Tea at Teavana | Teavana. Since I am starting to run low on it I was wondering if there was another tea that you suggest I try. I like the darker teas that have some caffeine and tea is hitting the spot for me right now. Preferably loose leaf and not ungodly cost prohibitive.

Thanks,
Marc

So, my curiosity has gotten the best of me and I have to ask: is that, in fact, a purple clay pot?

If so, and if you do restrict it to one type of tea, I'd be interested in learning what type of tea you brew with it.

I've got six Yixing clay pots. I divide up as:

Young sheng pu-erh
Aged sheng pu-erh
Shu pu-erh
Wuyi oolong
Qimen/Keemun
Dan Cong oolong

I'm not sure if any are purple clay, zisha, but I think my da hong pao pot may be. In any case they all seem to yixing clay and absorb the tea to some degree.

The tea pairings are not set in stone, or clay!, I occasionally play around with tea pairings. A little sheng in the shu pot never hurts and oolongs other that wuyi go in the wuyi pot.

I don't really know much about the different clays, if it tastes good and suits the tea I use it.

Exquisite! I have yet to purchase one myself as I would have a difficult time committing to one type of tea... I did, however, get my sister and brother-in-law a beautiful purple clay set as a wedding gift.

While it may seem like a ridiculous thing to say, if you ever have a chance to go to Beijing, make sure you visit "Tea City" (马连道茶城 ma lian dao cha cheng). I have only three words to describe the place: tea aficionados' heaven. It is a massive, four-floor facility with everything from teas to teapots to tea tables. I feel silly admitting I spent two entire days there; however, in my defense, each the hundreds of vendors allow you to sample any/all of their teas! over-hydration anyone?

Meant to add this photo of the building...

How to brew a basic every day blokes pot of black tea: This is for all you average guys who don't keep loose tea and don't have access to a fancy shmancey tea shop. Your basic pot of black tea. Well start with the tea. For and every day black I would reccommend bag tea and use common brands from your grocery store. In order(My opinion of quality,,,,good to worst the first FIVE being about equal are) PG TIPS,BARRY'S,LYONS,BEWLEYS,TYPHOO,BIGELOW,TWINNING S,LIPTON......DON'T OVERTHINK THIS OKAY GUYS...IT AIN'T ROCKET SCIENCE....Next the water boiler.....either a stovetop kettle or saucepan or and electric kettle........an TEAPOT where the brewing will take place. just a good decent one of clay,stoneware,metal,glass or porceline is fine. I've used all...again don't get bogged down by rocket science or you'll never get that cuppa tea for heavens sake........ Here's how ya do it ....the rule of thumb is a bag per cup plus one for the pot.Again play around with this as it really is up to your strength preference. For a four cup pot I usually do about 2-3 bags.. always start with fresh cold water from the tap(don't ask why just do it). Swirl a little hot water in your TEAPOT to pre warm it. In your WATERBOILER,bring your water to a nice boil.Place your bags in your TEAPOT and pour in your water and cover the pot. Let your tea brew for approx 2-3 min...some like 4-5 for stronger..this is preference. Any longer though and your tea will start getting tannins which make the tea awful. Take the bags out and DO NOT SQUEEZE THE BAGS ! this will also leach tannins into your tea . to keep the teapot warm..wrap a towel around the pot or buy a tea cozy(a teapot sleeve). Enjoy with sugar,honey,lemon,milk or even 1/2 n 1/2 . ...........Now ...I cannot stress enough to not bog yourself down in science on this...IT"S JUST A POT OF BLACK TEA OKAY. Worry about the nuances and science later and take it for what it is....... a proper pot of tea. I learned how to make tea from everyday dudes from Canada and ,Ireland ,Britain and my stepdad who was from Glasgow. This aint Russian or Asian fine tea..it's yer everyday pot O black that ya have in the morning for breakfast or after a heard days toiling or relaxing late in the evening. Or if your like me,for your lifes blood so it would seem sometimes. NOTE" if you overbrew you will see a film on top of your tea surface.That's the tannins and the more you see,the more you got. And also...it's not always about cute little cucumber sandwiches at the ladies social. Anything goes good with tea just about. Breakfast,second breakfast,brunch,elevensies,lunch,dinner,supper,sn acktime all the time ! Allright ? Again ...don't get out yer thermometers or water testing kits for this.....for the love of all that is holy and human..........Right then....I'm gonna get me a cuppa tea now ! Other note: if making tea in a cup...1 bag per cup and it's 1-2 mins for brewing. I rarely do this as it's better to make a pot than waste a bag for just a cup. Sometimes I will take the leftover tea and throw some sugar in it and dilute it a little with cold water and slap it in the fridge for iced tea. It works and I hate wastin good tea.

Thanks night blade and I think Iam going to be jumping in !!!!!!!

You are welcome !

So far this site has got me into.... Straight razors , pipe smoking and now proper tea drinking !!! What's Next !!!!!