You can find varieties of tea in the market, all of which require different brewing methods to end up in your cup in the best way.

There are many people who are concerned about brewing methods of tea. Yet, there are many, who are unaware of the fact that it is equally important for you to use the right teapot to bring the desired flavor in your tea.

Different teapot have their own significance. And here you can find how different apparatus can be used to brew teas differently.

Small gaiwan

Type: porcelain Capacity: Less than 4 fl. Oz. Type of tea used: Any type, esp. oolong tea

Like large gaiwan, small gaiwan is composed of three pieces – bowl, lid and saucer. However, brewed tea in small gaiwan is drank directly from it.

Large gaiwan

Type: Porcelain Capacity: More than 4 fl. Oz. Type of tea used: Any tea, esp. green tea

Large gaiwan is a 3 piece porcelain ware which includes a bowl, a lid and a saucer. After the tea is brewed, it can be drank directly from it or can be transferred / distributed to smaller cups.

As gaiwan is made of porcelain, it loses heat easily. Therefore, any tea that can be brewed at low temperature can be made in this tea ware. It is one of the best teapot to brew green tea because green tea brews perfectly in low temperature.

Water glass

Type: Glass Capacity: 6 - 8 fl. Oz. Type of tea used: Any tea, esp. green tea and floral tea

The result of brewing tea in water glass is similar to that of large gaiwan. But the reason behind choosing a water glass to large gaiwan is that you can appreciate the making of tea visually.

Like porcelain, glass also loses heat easily. Therefore, any tea that require low heat for brewing can be made using this apparatus.

Porcelain teapot

Type: Porcelain Capacity: 14–30 fl. Oz. Type of tea used: Mostly tea of lower grades

Usually, a teapot is bigger than your teacups. So using one for brewing tea can save that extra time you spend to prepare each cup.

However, if you are brewing all tea for yourself then remember that the tea gets bitter as the time passes. Also, brewing tea for a long time can destroy important components of tea.

Kettle

Type: Metal Capacity: 20-30 fl. Oz. Type of tea used: Compressed tea

Using a kettle to prepare tea is not brewing but boiling of tea leaves.

This method is mostly followed by the Tibetans to make their daily cup of tea. Under this method, the leaves are boiled over repeatedly, as a result the leaves are over-brewed.

Kettle is used when you have to boil compressed leaves as only brewing would not be enough to extract full flavor, aroma and nutrients of the tea.

Kung fu tea pot

Type: Yixing clay Capacity: Big teapot - more than 6 fl. Oz, Small teapot - less than 6 fl. Oz. Type of tea used: Oolong tea (not ideal for green tea)

While preparing kung fu tea, special teapot made from yixing clay is used. Hot water is poured into the pot and leaves are added into it. The pot being made from yixing clay is good at retaining heat, giving you the right combination of water temperature and brewing time.

As the water stays hot for a long time in the pot, this procedure of tea making is applied especially while making oolong tea. Other teas having tender leaves such as green tea are not prepared by this method.