teevogel said

(Partially) Glazed Yixing - what do I do with it?

I have a tiny little Yixing(or at least, chinese clay – it might not be genuine Yixing, either) teapot, which is much darker on the outside than inside. At first I thought this wouldn’t matter, since the inside is definitely unglazed, but then I read that there should never be any kind of glazing or other coating on any part of a Yixing pot, ever, at all. So I called the vendor to find out if it is glaze, or maybe paint or some other kind of coating, thinking that if it wasn’t glaze, there might be a way to remove it. They told me that it is glaze – only one layer, but still glaze. Apparently it is meant to make the teapot more durable and supposedly won’t prevent it from breathing.

So what do I do now with my partially glazed chinese clay teapot? Is the glazed outside merely an aesthetic flaw that won’t prevent it from performing like a fully unglazed pot, or will it actually impact brewing in some way?

5 Replies
mrmopar said

i do not think it will impede the brewing of the tea on the inside. i would put a towel in a pot and bring to a boil and then put the pot into the boiling water for one hour to open the pores of the clay. then let cool to room temperature. after it cools boil some water add the tea that you are going to use it for immerse your pot and let it set in the tea mixture overnight. this should allow the pores of the clay to absorb the flavor of the tea you want to use. i am working on my 5th yixing now. i have done the same process with black tea and it will be finished tomorrow.

Login or sign up to post a message.

teevogel said

That seemed like the logical answer to me too, but then I read that other thread – maybe someone can explain the difference between “yanging” and seasoning, if there is any?
I suppose I’ll boil it tomorrow morning and season in the evening – if I have managed to decide what to put it in it by then, and if I have received no further indication that to do so would be fruitless. And assuming that it’s fine to season the pot with a less high-end tea from the same category – say, for example this http://steepster.com/teas/hamburger-teespeicher/31061-vietnam-oolong if i want to use it for green oolongs?

Login or sign up to post a message.

mrmopar said

i would think the tea oil from whatever you brew in it would be absorbed by the clay. i am guilty of seasoning a pu-erh pot with a less costly one to get it in the pores of the clay.

Login or sign up to post a message.

teevogel said

It’s now boiled, but not yet seasoned. I’m still unsure what to use. If these http://steepster.com/teas/die-kunst-des-tees/31146-jade-oolong http://steepster.com/teas/hamburger-teespeicher/31061-vietnam-oolong http://steepster.com/teas/hamburger-teespeicher/31059-china-tie-guan-yin-oolong-bio were all brewed in the same teapot(not at the same time, of course), would they mess each other up? If yes, what would be a better way to group oolongs?

Login or sign up to post a message.

mrmopar said

i would use the one you drink the most in this pot so it picks up the flavor of the one you like best.i have one for menghai pu-erh, one for pu-erh, one for oolong, one for chai. one for sheng pu-erh and one for black tea. i guess i am crazy about my tea but it works for me.

Login or sign up to post a message.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.