How to make tea in the British way?

Drinking a cup of tea with family and friends is an integral part of British culture. As we all know, Brits love to drink tea, but different from American ice tea, British tea is a little bit warmer and stronger, as tea can help them get through those rainy and gray days.

Learning how to make British tea means that people will be able to host many successful afternoon teas! The following are the steps needed to make a proper cup of tea in the British way.

British take making a cup of tea much seriously. George Orwell even wrote an essay on how to make the perfect British tea. And recently a research in a magazine has shown that in order to make the perfect cup of tea, people should use freshly boiled water, which means that the water coming from an electric kettle  or teapot that can be used on the stovetop will meet the requirement.

First, pour approximately 4 cups of water into the kettle and prepare a kettle of fresh boiled water.

Second, tea should be steeped for about 2 to 5 minutes, depending on personal preference.

Third, put milk into the cup of tea. According to research, more than 90 percent of the British like to drink their tea with milk. One thing should be noticed is the sequence of milk pouring. Scientists at University College London have finally worked out the tea-or-milk first question, and they say that tea made in a cup should have the milk added after the water so that it doesn’t interfere with the brewing process. But if the tea is made in a pot then the milk should be added first.

Finally, place 1-2 teaspoons of white sugar into black tea if you prefer. Remember to use a clean teaspoon to carefully tip white sugar into the cup of tea. Never use any other type of sugar in tea, such as brown sugar. It may ruin the taste.

In the U.K, whilst green tea and herbal tea have seen a rise in popularity, there are some who prefer Earl Grey tea instead. Now the British often invite guests for a cup of English breakfast tea in daily life, which now has become the most popular one.

In terms of the choice of tea bags and loose-leaf tea in Britain, people often would rather choose teabags when making it at home whilst loose-leaf tea is often seen to be served in restaurants and inns.

Generally speaking, English tea is accompanied by scones, biscuits, cake or sandwiches, which turns English tea into a traditional British afternoon tea.