Most people do not even realize that the taste of their favorite Chinese tea can become much richer, more varied and more unusual if brewed in the right dish. It is not for nothing that the Chinese tea art has developed over the centuries and improved not only in the creation of new varieties and brewing techniques, but also in the creation of unique dishes for tea ceremonies.
Today, everyone can buy various gaiwan, glass and ceramic teapots, as well as special teapots with a spill in tea shops. We will, however, focus on the more traditional Yixing teapots that have been used for Chinese tea ceremonies since time immemorial. Despite the outward simplicity and seeming nondescriptness, Yixing clay teapots are best suited for brewing all Chinese teas, revealing their unique taste. For many hundreds of years, they practically do not change their appearance, remaining modest and laconic.
Why are Yixing teapots good? Their peculiarity is that Yixing clay absorbs the aromas of tea, and a special coating forms on the inner surface of the dishes, which later also complements the taste of the drink and enriches it. That is why experts advise to have a separate teapot for each tea variety. If you brew pu-erh for a long time in a real Yixing teapot, be sure that you are drinking a drink with a truly unique, multifaceted taste that cannot be obtained by brewing the same pu-erh in ordinary ceramic dishes.
The clay from which Yixing teapots are made does not in itself affect the taste of the tea. Nevertheless, it is ideally saturated with tea infusion, as a result of which the teapot subsequently begins to give the tea its own acquired aroma. Finally, in a clay teapot, the drink infuses very well and does not cool down for a long time. Such dishes are a real find for lovers of strong brewing.
It is very important to pay attention to the quality of the teapot you are about to buy. Real Yixing teapots always bear the stamp of the school or the craftsman who makes them. Such teapots are always handmade. You need to knock on the kettle before buying. The sound that the clay will make in response to the knock should not be muffled. A ringing metallic sound is characteristic of well-dried Yixing clay. The opening in the teapot spout should be at the same level as the opening in the lid. A real Yixing teapot is a genuine work of art that can be admired for long hours.
