It is common to drink tea out of different types of teaware: glass, ceramic, gaiwan, teapot, red clay teapot, etc. The materials, lids, spouts, and even the size of the teaware all play a role in determining how well the taste and aroma of your brew. Certain kinds of tea leaves are designed to be brewed in specific kinds of teaware, so matching the right teaware to the right tea leads to the best brew.
But what is the best kind of teaware to use for every tea type and how do you know what to choose? Continue reading to find out.
GLASS TEAWARE
By using glass teaware, it is easier to see the tea leaves through the glass teaware. This allows you to watch the tea leaves unfurl as it brews, which is a beautiful sight to behold. There are other advantages to using glass teaware as well, such as its transparency, which allows the user to gauge the color of the brew as it steeps. However the glass material will make the temperature cool down quickly, and thus making it a perfect match for brewing tea leaves that should not be overcooked, such as green and white tea.
PORCELAIN OR CERAMIC TEAWARE
Porcelain or ceramic teaware is popular, because of its durability, ease of care and visual appeal. Another advantage of using ceramic or porcelain teaware to brew tea is that they can keep the temperature of water and tea leaves relatively constant when brewing by absorbing the heat energy from the hot water. No matter what your tea-brewing method of choice, it’s a practical choice if you’re looking for a one-fits-all type of teaware.
METAL TEAWARE
Metal teaware can be made from stainless steel, iron, silver, or from some other metal materials. They are more durable, can be used for a longer period of time and, generally, will not wear out as fast as the ones made from glass or clay. Since they are harder, you don’t have to worry about them cracking from a fall. Besides, metal teaware are easier to clean. The thermal conductivity of metal is so much higher than ceramic, glass or clay that you can brew hotter water quicker than you can using ceramic teaware. Other benefits include the fact that metal does not absorb the tea’s flavor and thus the flavor of the tea is more potent. The perfect tea for metal teaware is a lightly oxidized oolong or other dark tea types.