by Janelle Wazorick
February 27, 2020
Since the dawn of tea consumption, various vessels have been created to infuse the aromas, oils, and flavors from the tea leaf into hot water to produce a delightful beverage. Some can be as elaborate as a well-decorated teapot, but some as simple as a small bowl. During the Ming Dynasty of China (1368-1644), a simple brewing vessel became popular for brewing tea and continues to be popular today: the
gaiwan.
A gaiwan or 'covered bowl' is a Chinese tea brewing vessel composed of a bowl, saucer, and knobbed lid. The tea is brewed inside the bowl, and then using the lid as a strainer, the tea beverage is poured into a pitcher or teacups, or is sipped directly from the bowl. Typically, Gaiwans are made from porcelain or earthenware (such as prized Yinxing Clay) and can come glazed or unglazed. Glazed gaiwans are often recommended over unglazed since unglazed gaiwans tend to absorb tea flavors and should only be used for one type of tea to prevent flavor contamination. Because glazed gaiwans do not absorb flavors, they are great for brewing multiple kinds of tea in one gaiwan.
Selecting a Tea
Gaiwans can handle brewing all types of tea, however, not all teas are suited for gaiwan brewing. Chinese teas with big leaves are recommended for gaiwan brewing because the leaves will not escape from the lid and bowl while pouring. Teas with a smaller leaf (for example, the Japanese green tea Sencha) are not ideal for gaiwan brewing since the small leaves and particles can easily escape from the bowl and lid while pouring.
Tea selection also relies on the type of gaiwan you're using. Earthenware gaiwans, for example, are ideal for brewing
black or
pu-erh teas that require high temperatures since earthenware retains heat well. Porcelain gaiwans, on the other hand, absorb heat and minimize damage to tea leaves, making them well suited for delicate teas that can easily burn such as
greens,
whites, and certain
oolongs.
Brewing With a Gaiwan
One of the advantages of brewing with a gaiwan is that the brewer is allowed more control over the brewing process than other tea brewing methods. While the Gong Fu Cha method (the traditional Chinese tea ceremony method with twenty-one steps) can be used, most gaiwan brewers use a simplified method. Typically, brewing is done on a tea tray with slits and a water reservoir underneath to catch discarded water, but some users opt to use a separate bowl for discarded water in lieu of a tea tray.
Gaiwans are usually poured using only one hand, although some brewers use both hands. To pour with one hand, simply shift the lid to create a little opening between the lid and bowl, and either grab the bowl with your index finger on the lid and thumb and other fingers holding the sides near the top of the bowl or with your thumb on the lid and fingers underneath the saucer, and pour. To pour with both hands, use one hand to hold the lid in place and the other hand to hold the bowl while pouring.
Now that you know how to hold the gaiwan while pouring, here are the basic steps of brewing with a gaiwan.
1. Collect the following items: a gaiwan, premeasured tea leaves, a small tea pitcher, teacups, a drying cloth.
2. Preheating the vessels: Heat up water to the desired temperature for your tea. Pour the hot water into the empty gaiwan and pour that water from the gaiwan to the tea pitcher. Pour the water from the tea pitcher to the teacups. Discard the water from the teacups. Your gaiwan, pitcher, and teacups are now warm and should be empty.
3. Rinsing the tea leaves: Pour the premeasured tea leaves into the gaiwan. Pour the hot water into the gaiwan. Within five seconds and using the lid to keep the leaves in the bowl, pour out the water into the tea pitcher and teacups as before. Discard the water. This is done to 'wake up' the tea leaves and release the tea's aromas and oils.
4. Optional: Take a moment to smell the tea leaves in the bowl. Take in the aroma to heighten the tea experience.
5. Steeping: Pour water into the gaiwan with the rinsed tea leaves and brew for around 20-30 seconds. Pour the brew into the tea pitcher. Serve the tea in the teacups, wiping the bottom of the cups with a drying cloth for any water.
6. Re-steeping: Repeat Step 5, increasing the brewing time by 5-10 seconds per steeping. The leaves can be re-steeped around five to ten times depending on the tea. Avoid over-steeping the leaves, which can lead to a bitter brew.
Alternative Method: Drinking Directly from the Gaiwan
If you do not have a tea pitcher, fear not. It is perfectly acceptable to drink tea directly from a gaiwan. Simply hold the gaiwan at the saucer with your right hand and hold the lid with your left hand. With your left hand, move the lid to create a small opening, and sip holding the lid.