For most Britons, the ‘art’ of tea-making involves throwing a bag in a cup, pouring boiling water over it and then squeezing it with a teaspoon to within an inch of its life.
So perhaps it’s no wonder that according to some of the nation’s top connoisseurs, the road to a quintessential brew is one missed by many drinkers.
Thankfully, the experts have now set the record straight on how to make the perfect cuppa – including the exact brew time and the surprising secret ingredient to add in.
The hallowed cup of tea is a national institution in Britain, with 72 per cent of us drinking an average of four cups a day, a recent study commissioned by Aldi revealed.
But what it takes to make the perfect brew is certainly one of the most divisive debates Britons have among one another.
Should you put your milk in first or boiling water, and how long do you need to let the tea bag sit for? All these arguments about what consists of a good cuppa are constantly reignited in homes, staff rooms, with friends and even on TikTok, as most drinkers insist it’s their way or the highway.
Now, four tea-making experts from across the UK have revealed exactly how to make the ultimate cup of tea.
Below, the likes of Stephen Twining of Britain’s famous three centuries-old Twinings Tea company and dietician and member of the UK Tea Advisory Panel, Dr Carrie Huxton, have shared their top tips.
According to some of the nation’s top connoisseurs, the road to a quintessential brew is one missed by many drinkers (stock image)
Stephen Twining of Twining tea (pictured) told the Daily Mail that a perfect cup of tea must contain fresh water
Angela Pryce, a tea consultant and the founder of Albion Tea, and Dan Graham, the managing director of British tea brand Birchall Tea since 1994, have also offered their sage advice.
Refill your kettle with cold tap water
Stephen Twining told the Daily Mail that a perfect cup of tea must contain two ‘key ingredients’, explaining: ‘One is the tea and the quality of that, the other is the water – that water is going to be the major part.’
The director of corporate relations and 10th generation member of the Twining family shared his personal method, which he revealed includes a ‘magic ingredient’.
‘How I do it is I empty my kettle of previously boiled water and put in fresh cold water from the tap – tap water in this country is great,’ he explained. ‘The fresh cold water contains the magic ingredient – dissolved oxygen.’
Dissolved oxygen (DO) is the amount of molecular oxygen, or O₂, gas present in a body of water.
The expert – who admits to drinking 10-15 cups of tea a day – explained that a higher amount of dissolved oxygen is needed to extract the tea’s flavour. However previously boiled water, or that emitted from a tap, contains less dissolved oxygen, resulting in a weaker taste.
‘You can brew it [your tea] in a cup or a mug,’ continued Stephen, before proceeding to debunk the myth that loose leaf tea tastes better than tea bags. He said what mattered more was ‘where the tea bag is from’.
‘Tea is like wine’ added Stephen. ‘It is affected by the altitude and weather conditions [of the area where it is grown]’.
Dr Carrie Huxton (pictured), a member of the UK Tea Advisory Panel, said a perfect cup of tea needs no sugar whatsoever
He also instructed tea lovers to add milk last to the beverage and to let the bag brew for at least three minutes.
Lastly, he warned ‘not to beat the tea bag with a teaspoon’.
‘The poor tea bag gets beaten and then the colour comes rushing out and you think “oh that’s looking good, that’s what my tea should look like”‘. But Stephen explained that this was not the case.
To remedy this he suggested opting for a teapot. That way the tea bag is left to steep in the water peacefully while it’s flavour is extracted ‘naturally’.
Don’t add any sugar
Meanwhile, Dr Carrie Huxton chimed in with her perfect take on the cuppa – claiming that a cup of tea needs no sugar whatsoever.
‘Don’t add sugar,’ warned Dr Huxton. ‘It completely drowns out the taste of tea. Use one tea bag or one rounded teaspoon of loose tea for each cup or mug. Don’t share tea bags because that makes it [tea] a lot weaker.
The expert – who’s knowledge in the industry spans 25 years and includes work for the NHS – also insisted that the only way to get the ‘full flavour’ from a tea bag is to let it brew for no less than three to four minutes.
Dan Graham (pictured), the managing director of British tea brand Birchall Tea, revealed the secret ingredient he uses to make the perfect cup of tea
She also explained that steeping tea bags for this amount of time was crucial for maximising its full health benefits.
Tea is high in polyphenols – plant chemicals that our gut bacteria break down into a range of beneficial compounds that have an antioxidant effect in the body – which protect our cells and tissues from wear and tear and mop up potentially harmful substances circulating in our system.
Tea polyphenols are also thought to help lower ‘bad’ cholesterol and help reduce blood pressure and the strain on the heart.
And for those who practice shorter steeping times as they believe this will cut the amount of caffeine in their tea, Dr Huxton stated they are simply misinformed.
Don’t squeeze the tea bag
Elsewhere, Dan Graham has been the managing director of British tea brand Birchall Tea since 1994, and his staff’s duties include tasting around 5,000 teas a week.
Dan expectedly takes pride in his personal cuppas and advised fellow tea lovers to invest in quality brands as it is ‘impossible’ to achieve the perfect cup with cheaper ones.
‘The second the kettle is boiled pour that water directly onto the tea bag – that’s really important,’ he instructed. ‘If you do that it’ll [the tea bag] blow up like a balloon which gives more space within the tea bag for the tea leaves to move and circulate’.
Angela Pryce (pictured), a tea consultant and the founder of Albion Tea insists loose tea makes for the perfect cuppa, as this is its ‘purest form’ and is less processed than a conventional tea bag
Next he instructed drinkers to gently stir the tea bag from ‘side to side’ and vehemently warned people not to squeeze the tea bag before removing it from the cup.
‘The problem with squeezing the tea bag at the end is you will get some bitterness into your cup – you might get a bit more colour but you’ll also get some bitterness’ he stated.
And the secret ingredient to his perfect cup of tea is, perhaps unconventionally, goat’s milk. ‘It’s quite light and gives the tea an extra brightness in colour,’ he explained.
But if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, Dan suggested using semi-skimmed instead of full fat.
Ditch the tea bags – go for loose leaf
Adding her two cents, Angela Pryce, a tea consultant and the founder of Albion Tea, insisted loose tea makes for the perfect cuppa, as this is its ‘purest form’ and is less processed than a conventional tea bag.
She also mentioned that the way tea is stored in your home is crucial to the final outcome of your cuppa.
‘Storage is key,’ Angela stressed. ‘Tea absorbs the flavour or the smell of whatever it is stored next to.
‘If you keep a box of tea open in your cupboard next to a load of spices, you’ll end up with spice-flavoured tea.
‘You want to keep your tea in a caddy or in a sealed container – just away from strong smelling products’.
