Many people enjoy drinking Puer Tea, but what kind of tea ware is best for brewing it? Additionally, many are unsure about how to use the tea ware. Let's delve into the specifics below.
What Kind of Tea Ware to Use for Puer Tea
1. Purple Clay Teaware
Puer tea is a type of tea worth savoring, and choosing the right tea ware when brewing it is crucial. The first choice that comes to mind is purple clay teaware. Puer tea requires hot water to slowly release its essence, making a temperature-retaining purple clay Teapot ideal. Furthermore, the excellent breathability of a purple clay teapot preserves the original aroma of the Puer tea perfectly.
Benefits of Brewing Puer Tea with a Purple Clay Teapot: Using a purple clay teapot to brew Puer tea retains its original fragrance without dispersion. It also reduces the generation of off-flavors and keeps the Puer tea from going stale, maintaining a strong flavor even after multiple infusions.
2. Lidded Bowls (Gaiwans)
Lidded bowls (gaiwans) are a popular choice in modern times and were among the earliest tea wares used traditionally. Using a lidded bowl to brew Puer tea is an excellent option as it allows you to smell the lid's aroma while preserving the initial fragrance of the tea. Gaiwans make it convenient for evaluating, cleaning, and observing the leaf base, which may be why many prefer using them. They are suitable for tea enthusiasts. Benefits of brewing tea with a Gaiwan: quick pouring, easy rinsing, large brewing capacity, and short brewing time.
3. Ceramic Teaware
Ceramic teaware is very common in daily life and essential in our households. Due to their larger size, ceramic teawares are great for showcasing the color, aroma, and taste of Puer tea. Moreover, ceramic teaware embodies classic Chinese beauty, fitting well with the essence of tea. Many seasoned tea drinkers favor ceramic teawares, imbued with unique sentimentality.
4. Travel Mug (Piao Yi Cup)
A travel mug, often designed with separate layers, is beneficial for brewing Puer tea. Since Puer tea shouldn't steep too long in the infusion, the layered design of a travel mug solves this problem by separating the leaves from the liquid. Drinking from a travel mug is also very convenient, filtering out the tea leaves and extracting the liquid, making it perfect for office workers.
The culture of tea originated in China and has been a staple on Chinese tables for thousands of years. Even today, during casual conversations, people still say, “The seven essentials for starting a household are firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea.” This shows how deeply ingrained tea is in the Chinese psyche. A good cup of tea cannot be separated from a quality tea vessel. Tea and tea ware complement each other, inseparable and mutually enhancing.