Common Mistakes People Make When Making Tea and How to Fix Them

Making tea is not as simple as it seems and many people make mistakes when preparing their cuppa.

Jack McMullon, an expert tea buyer and blender at Ringtons, a 115-year-old British manufacturer has shared his tips on how to create the perfect cup of tea.

Firstly, patience is key when brewing tea.

To ensure an optimal flavour profile, Mr McMullon suggests covering your mug with a paper towel or cloth while it brews to maintain a consistent temperature and fully unfurl the flavours of the tea leaves.

Stirring the teabag softly while it brews will also amplify its flavour.

How long you let your teabag steep depends on how strong you like your drink – 4 minutes would be enough if you prefer black tea.

When adding milk, ones using full-fat or semi-skimmed varieties will get a creamier texture that balances the bitterness present in tannins compared to low-fat options that are too watery for this purpose.

If you use plant-based kinds of milk don’t forget to heat them up before pouring over the hot tea to prevent them from splitting.

It’s important to consider the type of cup you’re making your drink in – glass, china or porcelain are preferable as they “won’t affect the flavour”.

Prices for creating your perfect cuppa have increased drastically over the last year with a 250g pack of teabags being priced at £2.28 and a pint of milk costing an extra 19p come September 2021 at 62p per carton.

Boiling a kettle also went up by 2 pence recently so making our daily dose of beverage comes with a tasty price tag.