Drinking tea for health has increasingly become a popular choice among office workers. As a commonly used tea vessel, what teas are ideal for brewing in a Yixing purple clay teapot? Does it have anything to do with the pot’s shape and size? In fact, when choosing an Yixing teapot for brewing tea, besides considering the clay material, you can also make a selection based on the pot’s capacity and shape features. So, what teas suit Yixing teapots best, and what are the key considerations?

Black Tea: Xishi Pot & Rongtian Pot

Both Xishi and Rongtian pots share the traits of a large, deep, plump, and rounded belly. Brewing black tea in these pots can fully release the tea’s aroma without damaging the tea leaves. Given that black tea has a relatively deep liquor color, it is best paired with Yixing teapots made from darker clay varieties such as Tianxing clay, blue-gray clay, and Dicaoqing clay.

Oolong Tea: Zhuozhi Pot & Longdan Pot

Most oolong tea leaves expand significantly after brewing. For the convenience of adding tea leaves and cleaning, pot styles with slightly larger openings are preferred, such as the Zhuozhi pot. Of course, many seasoned tea drinkers who regularly enjoy Tieguanyin prefer using the Longdan pot, which has a slightly taller body, for brewing.

Pu’er Tea & Dark Tea: Shipiao Pot & Baozun Pot

Pu’er tea and dark tea are post-fermented teas, so they are more suitable for brewing in pots with strong airtightness and excellent heat retention. Pots like the Shipiao pot and Baozun pot, characterized by a large belly, narrow mouth, and deep cavity, fit this requirement perfectly.

Green Tea, White Tea & Yellow Tea: Shuiping Pot

Common green tea, white tea, and yellow tea are all fresh and delicate in flavor. They are usually brewed in gaiwans or glass teapots, and it is generally not recommended to use Yixing purple clay teapots for them. If you do prefer using an Yixing teapot, the Shuiping pot—with its thinner walls and wider opening—is a relatively better option.

Yixing purple clay teapots are most suitable for brewing aged teas and other highly fermented or roasted teas. However, for light, fragrant teas, it is advisable to avoid using Yixing teapots as much as possible, as this is determined by the inherent properties of the clay material.

Compared with porcelain teapots, Taiwanese wood-fired teapots, or gas-fired clay teapots, Yixing purple clay teapots have a much lower material density. It is precisely their heat-dissipating property that makes them ideal for highly fermented or roasted teas. For high-grade, light-fragrance Taiwanese teas such as Lishan, Dayuling, and Yushan teas, brewing them in an Yixing teapot will inevitably result in a subpar liquor taste.