Whats the Difference?
Sorry for the really newbie question here, but what the big deal? How does different teaware effect your tea? And does different wares do different things better? What are the basic types of teawares for that matter? Thanks for the help
Feb 13th, '10, 03:58
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Re: Whats the Difference?
Not too sure of all this myself, because I read so many comments about what seem like trivial differences between different bits of teawares but are said to be of great import, and make big differences in how much people pay for their wares.
From personal experience I can confirm that gaiwans are the 'jack of all trades' in handling different types of tea beautifully, but for brewing up larger volumes, like when filling a quart thermos to take with me away from brew-central, a larger teapot is handy.
The size of the strainer/filter provided with or built into the pot also makes a difference in how quickly and easily the tea pours out, which can be important if you're doing a bunch of short infusions especially with smaller or cut/broken-leaved teas, but may not be a big deal for longer infusions. Infuser/filter capacity also becomes an issue if it doesn't provide enough room for the leaves to expand fully.
And because porous clay teapots (the yixings and zhou ni and other special clays) can hold odors and flavors, they're best avoided for flavored teas (e.g., jasmines) but this property is cherished when you're regularly brewing fine examples of a puerh or oolong tea in the same pot.
I also have read about thickness of the pot material being important for holding temperature steady, especially for longer infusions of hot-brewed teas. Can't say I've found this to be an issue yet, but I'm still a neophyte when it comes to teaware geekdom.
I'll leave it to others to discuss the arcana of the clays. I'm trying to ignore this topic because a proper exploration of it seems likely to make a major dent in my wallet.
And finally, a piece of teaware that makes you happy to view and to hold can't help but add to your enjoyment of your tea.
From personal experience I can confirm that gaiwans are the 'jack of all trades' in handling different types of tea beautifully, but for brewing up larger volumes, like when filling a quart thermos to take with me away from brew-central, a larger teapot is handy.
The size of the strainer/filter provided with or built into the pot also makes a difference in how quickly and easily the tea pours out, which can be important if you're doing a bunch of short infusions especially with smaller or cut/broken-leaved teas, but may not be a big deal for longer infusions. Infuser/filter capacity also becomes an issue if it doesn't provide enough room for the leaves to expand fully.
And because porous clay teapots (the yixings and zhou ni and other special clays) can hold odors and flavors, they're best avoided for flavored teas (e.g., jasmines) but this property is cherished when you're regularly brewing fine examples of a puerh or oolong tea in the same pot.
I also have read about thickness of the pot material being important for holding temperature steady, especially for longer infusions of hot-brewed teas. Can't say I've found this to be an issue yet, but I'm still a neophyte when it comes to teaware geekdom.
I'll leave it to others to discuss the arcana of the clays. I'm trying to ignore this topic because a proper exploration of it seems likely to make a major dent in my wallet.
And finally, a piece of teaware that makes you happy to view and to hold can't help but add to your enjoyment of your tea.
Re: Whats the Difference?
Segmund wrote:Sorry for the really newbie question here, but what the big deal? How does different teaware effect your tea? And does different wares do different things better? What are the basic types of teawares for that matter? Thanks for the help
Different teaware is both aesthetically pleasing, and functional. I won't touch upon how they effect your tea, as that varies greatly even between pieces of similar design, and often you have to know how to work with your teaware instead of letting your teaware work for you ( I.E. there is no magic piece of teaware).
But Basic Types of teaware would be Gaiwan, Kyusu, and Western teapot, depending on how much western brewed tea you like to drink a glazed kyusu could also function as a western teapot.
But mind you these are for more traditional people, and as you really take a hold into a certain type of tea you will tend to collect various "niche" pieces for more specific roles. And If you would rather find your own way to approach each tea, you could very well just get away with one brewing vessel.
Hope this helps answer some questions.
