The perfect cup of tea: Here’s how you’re doing it wrong

Blog  by : Adnan

Thought you knew how to make the perfect cuppa? Think again.

Painstaking research into the matter has concluded that we Brits are extremely particular about how to make tea and whilst that might seem like a statement of the bleeding obvious, apparently the methodology for getting tea ‘just right’ isn’t quite so clear to everyone. Just in case you’re doing it wrong, read ahead…

A new study quizzed 620 Brits on their tea preferences to help them come up with a foolproof formula and 64 per cent agreed that a teapot would be ideal, with 35 per cent happy to use a mug. Just one per cent opted for a tea infuser.

Just under a half, 47 per cent, love to sip their tea from a china mug, with 34 per cent opting for the traditional cup and saucer. Almost one in five, 19 per cent, would use a mug.

For the perfect cuppa, the majority, 71 per cent, agreed loose tea would be their preferred choice. Many commented that loose tea reminded them of their childhood, in particular having tea with grandparents.

For 29 per cent, a teabag was preferred, with many confessing they’d never used loose tea and had no idea what all the fuss was about.

Almost a half, 48 per cent said between two to three minutes was the perfect length of time for the loose tea in the teapot to brew, with 41 per cent opting for one to two minutes.

The nine per cent who liked their tea strong said over three minutes was the preferred option for them, with just two per cent saying under a minute was ideal.

Asked whether they’d add the milk before or after pouring, for the perfect cup of tea 62 per cent agreed on the milk going in first.

A spokesperson for CheapHolidayLand.com, who conducted the survey, said: ‘Making the ideal cup of tea is a fine art – the best thing to do is ask people how they like it and follow their instructions as best as you can.’