So Many Ways To Steep

Teapot, Gaiwan, Teabag, Teaball? The number of ways to enjoy tea are endless, but is one way right or wrong?

While there isn't a wrong way to prepare tea (as long as you still enjoy it) there are definitely better ways to enjoy your tea depending on the type. Some methods just bring out the ~essence of your tea better than others. Let's break it down by the most common methods, starting from what I objectively believe to be the worst method, all the way to the best method.

But ultimately, the best method is the method you enjoy the most :)

Teabag

Let's just get this out of the way. I recommend avoiding pre-packaged teabags if you can. While teabags are becoming more innovate and you might see higher quality teas being sold in pyramid teabags for example, I generally recommend avoiding teabags if you can (Not to mention microplastics in plastic teabags but I'll save that topic for another day). Teabags like Lipton and Tetley are typically made from the "dustings" of the tea manufacturing process. Dustings are exactly what they sounds like, the "dust" that gets made as a byproduct in the tea manufacturing process. They are usually the finest parts of the leaf which means high surface area and therefore the quicker they are to release and lose their aroma and flavour. This translates to a flatter flavoured tea that can only be steeped once as it loses all its flavour in the first steep.

Now before you boycott teabags forever, they do have their purpose. I can't deny that I grab a teabag every now and then when in a hurry, making a strong iced tea, or just feel like something easy.

Teaball

While an improvement to teabags, still not the greatest option. These are used for loose leaf teas but don't always seal perfectly, can be difficult to clean, and in my experience, these break easily. Depending on the shape you get these are usually still too compact to allow the tea leaves to fully unfurl and release their flavours into the tea properly. I actually have not used a tea ball for years because of these cons.

Teapot

The timeless classic. Associated with high tea and large groups. Teapots can come in varying sizes, shapes, and materials. I have a small teapot from Japan that I like to use when I want to steep enough tea to last me the entire morning or afternoon. When I have guests over and want to make enough for everyone to enjoy several cups without performing a full tea ceremony, I'll grab my larger ceramic teapot. Some teapots have built-in sieves or holes in the spout so you can just pour the liquid directly out into the cup without having to worry about leaves coming through. Otherwise, you will need to use some sort of additional sieve, which leads us to the next steeping method...

The Sieve

The sieve is arguably one of the best methods for a no-fuss tea drinker, due to its simplicity. With a simple sieve you can steep in any vessel (a cup, a bowl, a teapot, etc.) and just pour the liquid into the next vessel with the use of the sieve. This method can be used for all tea types since there is no risk of burning your hands when brewing teas that require hotter temperatures like black teas for example.

Gaiwan

Saving the best for last - the traditional steeping method for Gong Fu Cha. Typically made of porcelain and decorated in intricate art. Not only are these great for steeping loose leaf tea, but often act as pieces of art on display as they are found in a wide array of beautiful colours and designs. Learning to pour out of a Gaiwan can be a bit tricky at first but once you get the hang of it you'll feel extra fancy when you make your tea. This tool allows for you to make several smaller and faster steeps since the Leaf to water ratio is higher than compared to a teapot. This allows you to taste the intricacies between each brew and observe how the flavours change as you progress through each brew. But like all these steeping tools - Gaiwans have their purpose - these are usually meant for Oolong and lighter teas and I avoid steeping black teas in Gaiwans since the water usually needs to be much hotter (might burn my fingers when pouring out the tea!) and some black teas have smaller leaves that might sneak through the Gaiwan.

Now with a little more background on each method you can choose the best ones that work for you.

...Or just steep in whichever manner is possible - including a French Press :)