Ratgeber zu Tee und Teegeschirr
Longjing Tea: Glass Cup vs Gaiwan Brewing
The best vessel for Longjing is the one that fits how you drink. A glass is convenient for one person and shows the leaves beautifully. A gaiwan makes it easier to separate tea and water, share small cups and compare several short infusions. Neither vessel guarantees sweetness if the recipe is too strong.
A glass-cup starting recipe
Use a heat-safe open glass, about 2 g of tea per 250 mL and roughly 85–90°C water as a first trial. Taste after around two minutes. Pour gently; you can add a little water first, add leaves and then top up. A separate discarded rinse is usually unnecessary for a sound, clean green tea. Let the liquor cool to a comfortable drinking temperature.
A gaiwan starting recipe
Try about 3 g per 100 mL and a first infusion of 15–20 seconds, then pour out fully. Shorten the time if it tastes sharp, or raise temperature and time cautiously if it is thin. Keep a secure lid gap and avoid hot rims and steam. A wide opening helps handling and cooling, but it is the complete recipe that determines extraction.
Which one fits your tea table?
For a work break or a quiet cup alone, a glass minimizes equipment. For several people or a comparison of batches, a gaiwan gives more control. Glass brewing continues while you talk; a fully emptied gaiwan pauses leaf contact between rounds. Brew the same tea in both before deciding that one releases “better aroma.” Keep water and strength comparable.
