Sounds like you’re going to have a fun trip! I’m not too familiar with specific tea shops in China, but we have the same issues when buying tea in Taiwan. It’s best (and acceptable) to sample any tea before you buy it, so my only advice would be to compare against what you drink at home. If you’re not sure, ask for smaller amounts. Reputable stores are usually able to break down a larger pack into a smaller amount for you (the standard sizes are 600g, 300g, 150g). If you like the taste and the price fits your budget, you’ve got a good deal. Also, don’t be pressured to buy the more expensive item – know what taste you’re looking for, and don’t buy unless it’s what you want.

As to teapots, check out my post on Teapot Basics here: http://www.taiwanteaguy.com/2008/08/03/teapot-basics/.

It will give you some general rules for looking at a pot. You’ll most likely be told everything in the store is Yi Xing clay, but all the really good clays from that area have been mined out for quite some time, so be skeptical. Again, it’s best if you have a good idea what you like first, set a budget, and stick to it. In the end, buy a pot that you feel happy with, and don’t think too much about it. Your only other real choice would be to do some intensive study on teaware before you go.

If you don’t find what you want, let me know. If you tell me your brewing expertise, types of teas, and price range, I can find you some good pots to choose from. Hope you have a great trip!!

I would like to have your advice on tea shopping. I am going to travel to Beijing soon and i would like to buy there some tea and teaware. I’ve been to China before and i experienced that there are a lot of tea shops, but it is really hard to find good quality of tea. Do you have recommendations about how to chose the good quality tea in the shops? Is there a list of good quality teas and producers which i can take it with me as a help while buying tea in Beijing?
My other question is about teaware. I would also like to buy tepots there, but i’m only interested in the good quality handmade stuff. How can i differentiate them from the poor quality mass products?

The other thing is pricing. I know in China it’s a must to bargain for the good price but how can i know what is the accaptable market price.

Thank you for your advice.

Best regards,
Daniel

If you have a tea that is aged, or you are unsure of the source, a rinse (or brewing in a bowl)might be good idea. When you’ve examined the tea and are comfortable with it, then you’re good to go. Also, some people just prefer to rinse, so that’s fine as well.

Sorry for the delay (again). We’ve been on typhoon watch the past few days, and weather-proofing the new place has been exhaustive. (Dry) tea leaves are ‘afraid’ of 3 things: air, moisture, and light. Keeping the tea in its original bag, rolled down snugly & sealed with a clip or rubber band, then stored in the tin or box, should be sufficient. For pu-er or other aged teas, Master Tsai will simply put the tea cakes into brown paper bags and put them in a drawer, or use a ceramic jar.

Your friend likely either has a very sensitive proboscis, or enjoys being a bit ‘snobbish’ regarding teas. I think your storage is probably not the issue. Any time you open the bag to make tea, odors, moisture, etc. can get in. With very expensive specialty teas, I’ve had people refuse to open the can because the humidity was too high on that particular day. As you were near the bottom of the bag anyway, the tea was likely not quite as fresh as the TKY also.

Grabbing a cup of tea would be great, I’d love to talk tea with you, as I’ve been drinking it for awhile, but never in the way that I have here. I’m studying Traditional Medicine at Yang Ming University in Beitou for the summer, and am falling in love with this country. Maybe at some point next week we could meet in one of the tea houses in Muzha. It’s pretty incredible up there. Let me know how to get in contact with you.

Since you’re in Taipei, how about getting together for a cup of tea sometime? Would love to have a look at your new pot. If it’s really made from stone, you’ll want to be careful what you brew in it, as stone pots tend to crack when very hot water is poured into/over them. You need to warm stone pots slowly with several rinses, and even then they need extra care. Of course, it’s also the ‘stone’ referred to is the type of clay used to make it.

If we can arrange a time, we could go out to Muzcha and have Aliang take a look at it.

Also, you can get small metal filters that have a spring-type clip and fit over the inside hole. They aren’t the best solution, but work well although they need replacing every year or so.

I recently found myself wandering off the beaten path in Taipei, and stumbled into an old tea shop with an even older man. After looking around (I really wanted to buy a teapot and most likely a set) I spotted a different looking black one hiding behind some others on the top shelf. He told me it was made out of a black stone only found in Taiwan, called 黑月石, literally meaning black stone. It was hand carved like a dragon, and is very beautiful. The inside has three holes that lead to a single spout. All I hear about is the red clay teapots, and I haven’t seen any similar pots or materials to the one I purchased. I was just wondering if you or anyone had ever heard of the material before. Also, from time to time the leaves get stuck causing weak pouring, I was wondering if there was some kind of clay filter or something I could buy that wouldn’t mess with the flavor of the tea in a negative way. Thanks!