Little cups or big mugs? What do you prefer?

[Jackie]

I guess I’m not asking whether you drink your pu’er out of super size mugs, can’t imagine anyone doing that. Although, you never know. But generally do you prefer drinking tea out of little cups cups, or large mugs? Or; out of small vessels, or large vessels? Personally I prefer cups over mugs. I wouldn’t drink oolong or green tea out of mugs. I feel they’re too delicate so I prefer drinking them from more delicate containers. I do drink many of my black teas out of mugs, even though I’d prefer cups. Why? Because small cups are more work : P By that I mean it saves refilling, since I know I’m going to want at least two cups worth of tea in one go. Perhaps three cups even. One large mug takes care of my tea desires for a little longer. Anyway, t’was @riccaicedo who got me thinking about this because the subject cropped up in a round-about-way in a recent forum post. What about you guys?

[riccaicedo]

I think small cups let you appreciate a tea better, especially if it’s a high quality tea. There’s a difference when sipping small amounts, or at least that’s what I feel : )

Cup size may be based on culture, American cups and glasses seem much larger than other countries, I’ve noticed this in restaurants (especially fast food restaurants). That’s why occasionally people tell me that in my blog the water volumes are too low.  The problem lies not in the water, it’s about cup sizes.

As a related story, in my country we drink an alcoholic beverage called aguardiente in small glasess, much like tequila in Mexico. Some people here also prefer to drink whisky in those glasses. For other countries that may look odd.

It’s a matter of taste, but I do it for Japanese green teas because that’s the way it’s drank in Japan and I love Japanese cups and teapots. For herbal teas, although I don’t drink them much, I’ll just use an infuser basket and a mug. Herbal teas aren’t something special for me.

 

[Robert Godden]

I think that’s bollocks. There is no right or wrong answer to matching tea to drinking vessels. I use everything between a 40ml clay bowl and an imperial pint glass based on how much I want to drink, how much is in the pot, or what ever is nearby.

Matching cups to moods, however, makes much more sense.

[bram]

I think that the best cup size is defined by the combination of tea, material, circumstances and mood/preferences of the drinker.

But we are talking personal preferences here.

At home I usually use a large cup (150-200ml) and drink it by the potful (0.7l). I also use small cups (20-40ml) with a gaiwan for the more special cases.

At work I use a glass mug, that I also use as a brewing vessel. But I selected my teas for these circumstances and brewing methods. Which reminds me that I need to refill my work-tea-stock.

[Jackie]

@thedevotea As you said there is no right or wrong answer. Which is why nothing that anybody said could be construed as bollocks. The whole conversation is about preferences. Or do you mean those people who tell Ricardo that his water volumes are too low? I’m confused.

I also think @riccaicedo makes an interesting point about cup size and culture. Perhaps there’s something in that. After all the “supersize me” trend started here. I think.

I also agree with @bram, I prefer drinking really special teas (which I often consider delicate) out of small cups, or a gaiwan. Again, it’s personal preference. But I’ve never wanted to sip a high quality Taiwanese oolong from one of my 240ml mugs. In a large pot perhaps. But I don’t want to drink it out of large mug. On a practical level, it would go cold too quickly. Perhaps I just savor those kinds of teas more. Let them linger. Whereas my morning strong cup of Vanilla tea goes down hard and fast to brush away those cobwebs as fast as possible. Hence; big mug no problem.

Interesting discussion….

[Xavier]

Can you imagine that? I agree with @thedevotea

[Author]

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