How to choose the right tea utensils?
The taste of the tea in our cup is determined by many factors: the quality of the tea and water, the amount of tea and water used in the brewing process, the temperature of the water, and the timing of the brewing. The utensils and techniques used in the preparation also have an impact on the result.
There are two common techniques for making tea – Western and Asian. Western-style tea is usually made using a strainer and with less tea leaves than for Asian-style tea. Western tea brewing involves pouring more water, extending the brewing time and reducing the number of possible refills.
Asian-style tea preparation uses more tea leaves, less water and more infusions. It is believed that preparing tea in this way brings out the characteristics of the tea better and allows for a different flavour experience with each infusion.
Tea strainer
If you have chosen a western way of making tea, the quality of your strainer should be taken into account. The strainer should be as deep and wide as possible. The small and cramped strainers do not allow the tea leaves to open up fully and convey the rich flavour and aroma. To discover the true taste of tea, we recommend you to try the Asian way of brewing in a teapot.
Teapots
Key questions you should ask yourself when choosing a teapot: what do I plan to use it for and when? Am I looking for a universal option or a teapot for only specific teas (e.g. green tea)? What size and what kind of group of people will this purchase be for?
Having answered these questions, you should think not only about the aesthetic appearance, but also about the material of the teapot. It is thought that unglazed ceramics can absorb the taste of the tea you have drunk before. Often, tea lovers only brew certain or similar types of tea in their unglazed teapots. Unglazed ceramics may limit the variety of teas that can be made, but they enrich the taste of the tea. If you are looking for a versatile teapot that can be used for both delicate and intense teas, glazed ceramics or glass are preferred.
Sounds too complicated to answer all the questions and think through all the details? We suggest you start with the first one – what kind of tea do you usually make? To answer this question, here are some of the most popular Japanese tea utensils.
Kyusu
Kyusu – This is a Japanese teapot with an elongated handle. This type of handle was designed to prevent burning of the hands while holding the teapot. This function sugests that kyusu type teapot can be used not only for green tea – sencha – but also for teas that require a higher temperature, such as hojicha or wakoucha. Regular kyusu are larger than shiboridashi or houhin (150-450ml). So it’s perfect for those looking for a versatile teapot for larger groups.
Recommended for: hojicha, wakoucha, genmaicha, bancha, sencha
Houhin and shiboridashi
Houhin and shiboridashi – are small capacity teapots with a lid. The main difference between the two is that hoshin has a strainer and a handle, while shiboridashi does not. This type of teapot does not have a handle and has a smaller capacity (60-180ml) and is therefore designed for higher quality sencha or gyokurowhich use warm water. Often a cooling dish is included with the teapot – samashi.
Recommended for: gyokuro, kabuse sencha, sencha
Matchawan
A large part of matcha tea experience depends on how it was prepared. It is important to have the basic tools to do this: machawan (bowl), chasen (whisk) and chasaku (spoon). Matchawan is found in different designs and ceramic styles. One tip for beginners is to choose a wider bowl so that there is enough room for the whisk to whisk the tea.
Recommended for: matcha
All teapots have their own purpose, but each tea lover can choose them individually. You don’t have to follow all the rules to create your own personal tea rituals, but if you want to choose the most suitable tea pot, contact us and we’ll be happy to advise you and answer any questions you may have!