If someone asked you for "builders' tea", what would you make?

[LethargicLumpOfLockdownLard]

Colleague at work, when asked what they would like, asked for a cup of builders tea (no sugar). Several times. Each time I'd make it strong, then wonder why they went back to the kitchen and added more milk.
Eventually I asked them about it and they said they don't like it strong. When I queried this they said they ask for builders' tea in order to differentiate between regular tea and the decaf, redbush and other teas.
To me, builders' tea is strong tea. No?

Probably two teabags, milk and ten sugars. I wouldn't stir it unless they liked it sweet.

@Duckwit

What kind of wanker asks for 'builders tea' every time?

@FatimaMunchy

Strong, often with a lot of sugar.

Yep. I come from a family of tradesmen and this is how they all drink it. You can practically stand the spoon up!

Yes strong tea to me too

@FippertyGibbett

I drink builder’s tea, it’s so strong that the teaspoon can stand up in it !

This, I don't have sugar, but enough milk to be a mid brown colour.

I usually use a Farrow & Ball paint chart (the most useful palettes I find for this are Mundane Beiges and Rummaging Bears) and ask people to point at the colour they want.
This is only partially successful as the colour does not directly relate to strength, for that I use a 'viscometer'. Hope this helps

I seem to have spent the past 20 years with builders, and the only thing I can say is that they all have their tea in their different ways (I think I have covered all possibilities over the years: strong/weak/sugar/no sugar/bit of milk/whole cow's worth of milk. Etc, etc.

The only things that they all have in common are: definitely tea bags, and more or less milk.

Anything that uses a strainer is "posh". And anyone who has no milk (because you just wouldn't, with a nice Fortnum's Assam TGFOP, would you?") is "weird".

Agree that tea is just tea, no other name needed, add green/herbal as required.

Builders is strong tea to keep the labourers labouring obviously. Usually with milk and sugar but always strong, teabag left in for a while to steep.

Very strong, teabag left in for a long time. Some milk.

Strong tea, bit of milk.
Normal black tea too - not Earl grey etc
I'd only add sugar if they asked for it.

Yes builders tea is strong and milky regular (black) tea. Your colleague doesn't know what builders tea means.

They like builder's tea but with lots of milk? They obviously don't know what builders tea is

I like my tea strong, I leave the tea bag in for ages and add a little milk. Sometimes I don't take the bag out

YANBU

Mega strong
Not sure on milk
Ask re sugar end expect an answer of at least 4

Really strong, white and two sugars - at least!

Is it only builders who are finickity over their tea?

I'm just wondering if there is a specific tea that one should make for other tradespeople and the like who may visit one's home...
e.g.
Carpet Fitters
Door-to-Door Duster Sellers
Electricians
Fencers
Mobile Hairdressers
Mormon Evangelists
Painter / Decorators
Plasterers
Plumbers
Removal Men
Roofers
Tree Surgeons
Window Cleaners
etc.?

Strong tea with a medium amount of milk, sugar optional. Nothing to do with it not being Earl Grey or whatever, those are always specified by name.

To me builders tea is strong stewed tea.

But with enough milk added so that it’s that perfect drinking a big gulp temperature.

I thought builders tea was very strong, milk but not too much so it was a deep mid brown and with two sugars.

I would never assume the number of sugars but when we had building work done we probably met 15 different guys and they all had their tea like this.

Tea that's been brewing a long time.

I find it strongly annoying that some people seem to think builders tea is just standard breakfast tea. Builders tea is strong, sweet and with milk in a large mug.

Big Brand bog standard teabag tea rather than anything posh. But also on the strong side, and I’d check milk, sugar and biscuit expectations before making it.

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon

Strong, tea bag left in for ages. But then milky AF.

Yes, this. The flavour is given plenty of time to fluddd outt.

Really strong tea - a teaspoon should be able to stand up in it (not really) with an option of half a match.

For those who don't know if you put a bit of wood in a mug of any hot drink any dust that drops into the tea with be pulled towards the wood. If you are not actually on a building site then you don't need the wood.

A builders tea.. I've always made it in a mug, strong, milk and 2 sugars with a few Crawford's mini pack wrapped biscuits on the side. Never had any complaints, just beaming smiles.

I always thought builders tea meant regular tea, ie not decaf, herbal, oat milk etc..