Silver is an age-old symbol of wealth. It has served various purposes throughout history. Some of them include use as currency, adornments, and utensils. Additionally, people used silver to create tokens, religious symbols, and even tools for poison detection! Traditional medicine valued silver not only as a precious metal but also for its potential health benefits believed to surpass even those of gold.
Royal nobles have been cherishing and using silver teapot for generations. While not widely collected even in its home country, China, its exceptional craftsmanship and rich cultural heritage have garnered collectors' attention in recent years. Handmade silver pots showcase intricate techniques and boast exquisite appearances. You can check these blog posts for more information on the history and the crafting techniques of a handmade silver teapot. In this blog post, we'll cover the essential benefits of using a silver teapot. We'll talk about how silver benefits the tea brewing process and its influence on the water, the tea leaves, and the human body, making it a preferred tea brewing tool and a prized possession.
The benefits of using a silver teapot
Silver teaware is not limited to merely using silver teapots. In China, silver is a ubiquitous material used to fabricate all kinds of tea utensils. A silver teapot is undoubtedly the most popular silver vessel among silver teaware. That includes both water-brewing kettles and tinier teapots for infusing tea leaves. However, the usage of silver doesn't stop there. There are silver "fairness cups" (gong dao bei – 公道杯) and silver (or silver-plated) teacups in all shapes and sizes. Artisans create intricately designed tea strainers in the shape of a leaf or a petal out of silver. Tea holders and delicate tea needles, all made of silver, are also quite popular. Some tea lovers store their tea leaves in exquisitely crafted silver tea jars. In some areas of China, ethnic minorities have a habit of storing food and beverages in silverware. It keeps the food fresh and delicious for a long time.
Antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifying
From ancient times, people noticed that liquids stored in silver vessels stayed fresh longer, long before anyone knew what bacteria were. People discovered that placing silver coins in milk prolonged milk's shelf life. Mongolian herders observed that milk stored in regular bowls would spoil and emit an unpleasant odor within a few days, while milk kept in silver bowls remained delicious and flavorful for an extended period.
We now know that silver ions (Ag⁺) can damage bacterial cell walls and DNA, slowing or stopping the growth of many microbes. When water stays in contact with silver surfaces long enough, tiny amounts of silver ions dissolve into the water and can help suppress bacterial growth, so liquids can stay palatable for longer.
Preserving freshness
Some provinces in China, such as Yunnan and Guizhou, widely use silver teapots for tea brewing. Local people believe that tea brewed in a silver teapot remains fresh and tasty longer (even if left overnight, which is generally considered taboo in China).
Throughout history, wearing silver ornaments has been believed to bring blessings and provide protection against evil forces. Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica says silver can soothe internal organs, calm the mind, dispel fear, and ward off evil spirits, contributing to long and healthy lives. Ancient medical practitioners in China often wore silver rings as a form of preventive and healing measure.
Today, some mothers also choose to use silver kettles to boil water for infant formula, ensuring the formula stays fresher longer. A popular habit from the not-too-distant past of using a silver spoon to feed a baby also stems from silver's antibacterial properties.
Ensuring a 'neutral' environment for the infusion of tea leaves
Silver is chemically stable in water at tea-brewing temperatures and does not rust or give off metallic flavors. Unlike porous clay, it doesn’t absorb aroma or taste. However, the high thermal conductivity of silver determins how quickly the silver teapot heats up and cools down. This can make the infusion feel “cleaner”, compared with other, more heat-retaining materials.
a pair of silver-plated teacups
Using as gifts and objects of appreciation, and collecting
Silver pots have been presented as prestigious gifts on many occasions. Their exquisite artistry represents China's intangible cultural heritage and the rich historical legacy of Eastern culture. Each handmade silver teapot is crafted with unique craftsmanship and develops a distinct patina over time. Silver teapots increase in value each year as collectibles and earn the admiration of tea connoisseurs. Handmade silver pots have become beloved treasures in the tea industry, favored by tea enthusiasts and serving as popular tea sets for those with refined tastes.
How does a silver teapot change the taste of tea?
Silver conducts heat very quickly, so a silver pot heats and cools faster than a thick clay or porcelain teapot. That changes the temperature curve during the steep and can shift how the tea extracts. In general, gentler, less ‘stewy’ conditions tend to bring out sweetness, umami, and aroma while holding back some of the bitterness and astringency. For some teas this translates into a cleaner, more defined aroma and color, which is why many people like pairing silver with delicate, aromatic teas: young Sheng Pu-erh, High-Mountain Oolongs, Dan Cong Oolongs, and Japanese Sencha – when you want clarity more than extra thickness in the body.
When using a silver teapot, do you need a separate one for each tea type?
Many owners of Yixing teapots (ZiSha – 紫砂) are used to dedicating a separate pot for each tea type (or a group of similar tea types). You might ask yourself whether you need to do the same when using silver teapots?
Unlike clay, silver has no pores. Its density is very high, meaning the pot cannot absorb the aroma or taste of the tea leaves inside it. After brewing the tea, rinse the pot with boiling water. You can then proceed with brewing other tea types. There will be no impact from the previously brewed tea on the taste or smell of the next tea.
handmade silver teapot
A word of caution
There are many counterfeiting products on the market that contain a low amount of actual silver. Instead, they are using cheaper materials like aluminum, copper, or nickel. These can be particularly harmful to the human body. The type of silver commonly used in producing cutlery, teaware, etc., is "sterling silver", a kind of alloy with a high amount of silver.
Pure silver is relatively soft and easily malleable. That makes it easy to work with but hard to use in daily life. Therefore, producers pair it with other metals. Adding copper increases its hardness and strength. Other metals, like zinc, help reduce tarnishing, which silver is prone to.
Sterling silver contains 92.5% silver combined with 7,5% of copper and/or copper alloy.
An authentic sterling silver teapot - or any silverware - always carries the "STER", "92.5%", or simply "925", which stands for its percentage of pure silver. Always choose a trustworthy provider. If in doubt, consult a jeweler or gilding master, and make sure you're using safe silver teaware.