Expert says we have been brewing our daily cuppas wrong (original) (raw)

Expert says we have been brewing our daily cuppas wrong - and it is not about the milk

Tea experts have announced that people in the UK, despite being known for our love of tea, have been brewing the drink all wrong

Experts have argued that Brits a making a mistake when brewing tea

It's believed that around 100 million cups of tea are consumed daily in the UK and while as a nation we are known for our love of the beverage, there's still plenty of debate as to what is the best way to brew a cuppa.

The experts at Wren Kitchens have teamed up with Angela Pyrce, senior tea buyer at Whittard and Katie Kippax, tea buyer at Taylors of Harrogate, and have identified just where so many people in the UK are going wrong when brewing tea.

One key mistake being made by tea drinkers is not allowing enough brewing time, with Angela arguing that there is an optimum time for a regular black tea.

She said: "Leaving your teabag in for around 3-5 minutes is the key to your cuppa reaching the perfect strength. It’s also important that the temperature of your water is 100 degrees."

You should also avoid leaving your teabag in for the entire drinking process. The longer you leave in, the more chance your tea will become bitter as the hot water will draw out an intense taste.

Angela has also shared her view on what goes first, the water or the milk, arguing: "I recommend water first, before adding milk. This method will help you get the best from your brew as you can make the tea to your taste and strength, before adding in the milk."

Brew tea for around 3-5 minutes for the perfect cuppa (

Image:

Getty Images)

The experts advise against hitting your teabag on the side of the mug or squeezing it. The first can cause a tear in the bag leading to the tea leaves escaping into your drink, while the second can make your tea taste bitter due to the release of tannic acids.

Katie advised against ever microwaving a cup of tea. She said: "Don't put it in the microwave! My top tip is don't reboil the water. Each time your kettle comes to the boil, the oxygen levels in the water reduces. Tea loves freshly boiled, well oxygenated water and stale water will negatively affect your brew."

She also shared that for those taking milk in their tea to choose full fat, claiming it will enhance the flavours and give the final brew a rich and satisfying flavour.