Size Matters (Gaiwan)

[Vulture]

I wanted to get a gaiwan for work so I just ordered a 6oz one. I wanted to upgrade my work teaware from the 16oz ingenuiTEA I have been using. I have a 4oz gaiwan at home that I use for a lot of my teas (except flavored or herbal tea).

I know there is a big thing that 'smaller is better' and that you get more control out of a smaller vessel. Where is the balance between a small gaiwan for tea sessions and a larger ones for just getting a decent amount of tea?

[Space Samurai]

5 oz is my preferred size for a gaiwan. Not too small, not too big.

[Proinsias]

I hate to say it but I think you might have to find your own balance.

[Vulture]

I hate to say it but I think you might have to find your own balance.

That is true but I wanted to hear what people thought on the subject

[TaiPing Hou Kui]

Yeah...you just need to do what works for you....if you like using a 4oz at home....by all means use the same size one at work. Personally, I try not to change my habits or brewing methods too much just becuase I am not at home....other then leaving the expensive teaware at home, I typically brew the exact same amount at work as at home....I have a lot of kyusus that are between 4-5oz and I use the same size gaiwan for brewing at work. Anyway, thats just my 2 cetns! I hope this helps you some!

-Nick (TaiPing)

[Oni]

It is not the size of the "hammer" that counts, it`s how you wield it.

[Oni]

It is not the size of the ship that counts, it is the motion of the ocean.

[xuancheng]

... I wanted to hear what people thought on the subject :wink

My favorite gaiwan is about 70ml up to the rim; about 2.5 ounces. For me it's the perfect size. I can pack it as full of leaf as I like without having to worry about wasting tea. Sometimes it's too small for me, but I can always fill it up again. I like the small size because I enjoy the process of brewing. I can get twice as many infusions out of this as someone with a 5 ounce gaiwan because I use half the tea!

I can see this being much too small for other people, but a tiny gaiwan is a great investment even if you just use it for samples. I always want to brew a sample as many times as I can because when I have a small amount of good tea, I will invariably screw it up.

your workplace is probably not the best place to "enjoy the process of brewing" so I could see using a bigger gaiwan than you normally would; using less leaf and doing just a couple of infusions so you don't spend too much time on tea.

[Salsero]

My favorite gaiwan is about 70ml up to the rim; about 2.5 ounces.

I only have one that small, but for some teas ... notably Wuyi yan cha ... it is the perfect size. Normally, 100 ml to 120 ml (about 3 oz) is my prefered size. I have a couple 5 oz and 6 oz sizes because I once thought I would use them to brew larger cups of tea at work, but I haven't felt comfortable wielding something so large. For that much tea I tend to use a Finum stainless infusor basket. I probably should get the big'uns back out and hone supersize skills.

[Vulture]

your workplace is probably not the best place to "enjoy the process of brewing" so I could see using a bigger gaiwan than you normally would; using less leaf and doing just a couple of infusions so you don't spend too much time on tea.

This was my idea. I might go smaller later but gaiwans are not that expensive so I know I will get my money's worth out of the 6oz one I ordered. You have to also relise I am going from using the 16oz ingenuiTEA at work to the 6oz gaiwan hehe

[Oni]

I hate those who say size does matter. I think sometimes smaller is better, sometimes less is more. When you are alone and you want to just play with your gaiwan, or whatever you call yours, I call it gai-wong, smaller lasts longer, girls just love the taste off it`s essence.

[xuancheng]

I might go smaller later but gaiwans are not that expensive so I know I will get my money's worth out of the 6oz one I ordered. You have to also relise I am going from using the 16oz ingenuiTEA at work to the 6oz gaiwan hehe

In a perfect world, we would all have matching gaiwan sets from 2 ounces increasing in half ounce increments all the way up to 12+ ounces. That would look cool set out in a row on a shelf.

I only have one that small, but for some teas ... notably Wuyi yan cha ... it is the perfect size.

I have been drinking mostly Yancha recently. Maybe that's why I think my little gaiwan is such hot stuff. I tried it with some Guifei cha this afternoon, and after the second infusion the leaf was popping out all over the place. I had to give up and switch the leaf to a 100ml.

[Vulture]

In a perfect world, we would all have matching gaiwan sets from 2 ounces increasing in half ounce increments all the way up to 12+ ounces. That would look cool set out in a row on a shelf.

Hey I got mine started, both my 4oz and 6oz have the same pattern

[edkrueger]

Could we have a link to pictures? or your own pictures?

[Vulture]

Could we have a link to pictures? or your own pictures?

4oz


and 6oz