How to make the perfect tea

I can't notice any difference between milk going in first or after. After just means I can make the tea quicker as its hotter.
 
sports_brah said:
3- Teabag agitated for 10-15 seconds and until the water is dark dark dark.
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At this point you're mostly getting the caramel.

4- Milk poured in, a small amount, no milkshake thanks.
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Now the fat in the milk is blocking the pores of the teabag.

Here's how I make my tea if in a mug:

Boil water and pour into mug.
Add teabag and give a quick stir.
Cover (so it doesn't cool) and leave for a minute or two to brew.
Add milk (full fat) and sugar to taste.
Enjoy!

When pouring from a teapot - I have a lovely glass teapot - I tend to put the milk in first because it's easy to correct if you put too much milk in.
 
fez said:
Firstly you cannot whinge about anything when you are using PG tips and adding 2 sugars to it.

Secondly, I used to be a strong supporter of putting the milk in after the tea has brewed but its true, the best cup of tea comes from putting the milk in first. The tea comes out tastier and if you have hard water you don't get that horrible film on the top of the tea.

On the topic of tea, loose is best but if you are going for tea bags it has to be yorkshire tea.
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Quartz said:
At this point you're mostly getting the caramel.



Now the fat in the milk is blocking the pores of the teabag.
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While there is no one right/perfect way to make a cup of tea as everyone has different tastes a lot don't appreciate the implications that milk is an emulsion (largely fat and water) and that radically changes how it reacts to different scenarios.

For instance pouring boiling water straight into cold milk in the mug can scald the milk or even heat it enough to destroy certain proteins which can make for a very different taste - if you prefer a harsher tea with a bit of "bite" this can work well if you prefer a smoother relaxing cup then its not the way you want to do it.
 
Adding milk first is a hang over from the days that we used cheap mugs, which would break if warmed too quickly by hot water.
Now we have better quality mugs, the tea bag should be added first, and boiling hot water poured on top. Having the water as close to 100 degrees as possible is important as it draws out more flavour in the tea.

After that, you can do what you like.

I normally have twinnings everyday breakfast, or Assam tea, with 1 sugar and no milk. Earl grey is good in the afternoon sometimes.


The other week I added a blob of vanilla ice cream to my tea instar of milk. Turns out that melted ice cream is mostly flavourless, and I had to keep the tea bag in for ages to get any flavour back. Do not try at home.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Seeing tea originates from Asia, and they don't put milk in their tea, so the argument of adding milk in totally falls flat at the first hurdle.
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Meh, Asians were still using it to soothe their piles by the time Britain had figured out how to make it taste good.

Besides which this thread is about how Britons like their tea, not how amazing Asians are for sticking some leaves in water four thousand years ago.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Seeing tea originates from Asia, and they don't put milk in their tea, so the argument of adding milk in totally falls flat at the first hurdle.
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Agreed, milk in tea is just so wrong.

Some earl grey/lapsang/Assam/ceylon and not quiet boiling water. Nothing else needed.
 
I have a copy of BS6008 on my computer. That article contradicts itself implying it has just been released now. As they mention further down, it was released in 1980.

I follow it religiously.*




*may not be true.


p.s. Wonder if Eurocodes will supersede it...
 
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