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Is it just me, or does the cup make a big difference?

Allow me to preface this by saying I am in no way a tea snob. I do drink some Japanese green teas that I've purchased from denstea.com, but other than that, I enjoy basic Earl Grey and flavored green and white teas.

Now to my real question: I don't mean to sound like a snob, but drinking tea from real China makes an honestly noticeable difference in flavor to me. It just tastes purer. Has anyone else found this to be the case?
 
Have you tried a rusty tin can?

That is not just humor. I think you have to try quite a few different tea cups to know if your preference is for pricey wares, or just glass. You might find something you like better.
 
I prefer to use China/Porcelain for coffee or tea as well. The cup is thinner, glazing is smooth, seems to loose less heat than something like stoneware. Maybe the contents taste the same, but the experience is better IMO.
 
I detest drinking tea/coffee from glass. At home my favourite cups are two stoneware espresso cups my fiance bought for my birthday.

I don't think the drink tastes any different, I just prefer to use something that feels good in my hand.
 
Now if you'd posted this in The Clubhouse, and being an ex hockey player, I would have said that the cup makes a huge difference. :w00t:

Regarding your question, I never thought about it before. I don't think it makes a difference to the flavor but I invariably drink my tea from a porcelain cup. I usually reach for a stoneware mug for my coffee.
 
I have a few Royal Worcester porcelain mugs I bought from the factory shop in Worcester several years ago for my tea and coffee. Just don't get on with the earthenware jobs.
 
No, you aren't just imagining this. The material the cup is made from, the shape of the cup can make all the difference in the world. Ive posted on this before but I remember drinking Sencha from a Tokoname clay yunomi and the impression that the tea expressed was earthy, rustic and almost herbal. The same tea drunk from a porcelain cup seemed lighter, more high notes and very elegant. I think matching tea to tea ware can be a challenge, but it's worth the effort.
 
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I have japanese teacups from my trips to Japan, but my favorite japanese pottery is a beer cup I bought from a little house on a side street.

Kind of looks like this, but a little more plain.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/japanese-pottery-bizen-beer-cup-by-kido

this cup enhances definitely enhances the drinking pleasure.

To answer your question: "does it change the flavor?" Probably, as most cups, mugs, or glasses change the way the aroma and breathing of the liquid occurs. there's a reason why wine glasses, in particular, are shaped so differently for different types of wine. I think tea would benefit from this as well.
 
The cup I was talking about in the original post is actually Bone China, not just regular porcelain. There is a real difference in tea taste.
 
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