Brew the Perfect Cup of Tea | A Cup of Tea | Tea Tips | Whittard of Chelsea (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for the perfect cup of tea? ›

Or, as the scientists at the University of Northumbria put it in their formula: TB + (H2O at 100 degrees centigrade) 2mins BT + C (10ml) 6mins BT = PC (at OT 60 degrees centigrade). If you're wondering, TB means tea bag, BT is brewing time, C is milk, PC means perfect cuppa, and OT stands for optimum temperature.

Porcelain and Bone China

Bone china and porcelain cups (which are also sometimes clubbed under ceramic) have been used for ages as teaware, and are the material of choice when it comes to drinking tea. When made the right way, porcelain is amazingly non-porous, and the vitrified glaze makes it non-reactive as well.

The survey of around 2,000 Brits has 70% of Brits agreeing on the following method: tea bag goes in first, boiling water is second and the milk is the final step.

The standard recommends the use of a pot of “… white porcelain or glazed earthenware, with its edge partly serrated… and provided with a lid”. The pot should be filled with freshly boiled water to within 4-6 mm of the rim and the tea should be brewed for six minutes.

If you are making a single mug of tea, British style, the generally accepted way is to put a teabag in the mug and add boiling water. At this point opinions divide: Give it a quick stir, and then wait 3 or 4 minutes to brew before gently lifting the teabag, and then add milk.

It's all a question of heat. Tea brews best in very hot water, but adding milk cools things down. So if you're brewing tea directly in a mug, it's better to add the milk last, after it's brewed. And if you're brewing in a teapot, the order doesn't matter at all – it's just a question of personal preference!

Other researchers found that when milk was added first, the tea tasted richer. But when milk was added last, it tasted bitter! According to an article published by the Royal Society of Chemistry a few years ago, “add fresh chilled milk, not UHT milk which contains denatured proteins and tastes bad.

Step 3 For one cup of tea, you may opt to follow 2:1 ratio of water and milk respectively.

What is the algorithm of a cup of tea? ›

Step 1: Place the fresh water in a saucepan or a kettle. Step 2: Boil the water to match your style of tea. Step 4: After that add some milk into that pot. Step 5: Add some sugar.

Why is there no chemical formula for tea although tea is a mixture of water (H2O), sugar (C6H12O6), milk, tea leaves, and ginger? Tea is basically a suspension mixture of many substances which can be separated using chemical methods. As such it has got no general notation.

Generally, you should measure 1 teaspoon loose leaf tea per 8 oz cup of water. However, fluffier blends such as white teas and Chamomile may require as much as one tablespoon or more, while denser teas such as Gunpowder may require less than one teaspoon.