Why is my tea scummy?

[SatsumasOrClementines]

Lately, every time I have a cup of tea I notice that it’s scummy!

It wasn’t always like this. Occasionally I’d get a scummy one if I’d left it to brew for too long, but now it seems to be every single time.

I live in a hard water area so I’ve tried descaling the kettle in case that was the problem. It’s absolutely spotless now. But my tea’s still scummy!

I just want a nice cup of tea 😫

I know this is controversial, but this has never happened to me since I started putting the milk in the cup first. No idea of the science behind that, if any.

Maybe you need to try a water filter thingy, it's almost certainly the hard water. Possibly the source has changed and it's even harder than before.

Do you use a dishwasher? It could be soap detergent residue in your cup maybe?

Filter jug? It's revolutionised cups of tea in this house (also hard water area)

Stirring the teabag straight away works for me, if I leave it first and then stir I get scum. No idea why it works like that

@IsabelleSE19 you monster

BalancedIndividual

I put milk in first too!!

My partner thinks I'm a psychopath.

Milk in first if you're making the tea in the pot. But obviously not if you're using a teabag, as the liquid won't be hot enough for proper extraction and diffusion of the flavour compounds out of the leaves.

@IsabelleSE19

I know this is controversial, but this has never happened to me since I started putting the milk in the cup first. No idea of the science behind that, if any.

Completely agree. I was going to post almost identical words to you.

My husband's tea is like this because he doesn't stir it while it's brewing, he just thinks I'm a nag!

Is the kettle boiling hot enough? I find that if I boil outs at a lower temp (oh yes our kettle has a selection of temperatures) then you get scummy tea.

Try boiling the kettle with water from a brita filter jug

@ErrolTheDragon

Milk in first if you're making the tea in the pot. But obviously not if you're using a teabag, as the liquid won't be hot enough for proper extraction and diffusion of the flavour compounds out of the leaves.

Yup, that was my thought. You need enough heat to get a strong cup of tea.

Although, I find for coffee, putting the milk in first can result in a smoother flavour and texture.

I put milk in straight after the water and give it a stir

Like all the other PP that have said this, we have had to change to milk first. It has made so much difference. It's really hard to get used to making it that way though, and we always make sure people don't watch 😂 but it was always scummy the other way. We live in a hard water area too!

No need for milk first, just stir straight away and keep stirring till it's the colour you want and take the tea bag out!

Could be:
water not boiled
water boiled more than once
warm water used for boiling
tea bag not left in long enough
milk added before tea has had time to brew
tea package left open

Tbh in the long run it's probably easier to move to somewhere with soft water.

I have the same issue with scummy tea in a hard water area. Easily solved by putting in the milk before you take out the teabag. I'll give the credit to my husband and it's revolutionised my tea enjoyment!

So many of you think milk in first or a filter might be the answer!

I don’t have a filter so I’ll put one on my shopping list but try the milk idea today. I just hope that I don’t replace scummy tea with bad milky tea that tastes of shame and regrets.

Is the kettle boiling hot enough?
It’s a fancy newish kettle so I hope so! I’ll take it’s temp @Liquorishtoffee

@ichundich I thought the same thing about boiling water more than once so we don’t do that now. I only put enough in for the amount of cups and then start afresh the next time I boil it.

tea package left open
I decant the tea bags into a sealed tea caddy thing. But I always have and the scum is new so surely that’s not it?

@Loopyloututu2 I do use a dishwasher! I’ll hand wash some mugs and compare.

Today I am a tea scientist.

Brita Filter. I get the scum when the filter needs replacing, they are normally good for 4 weeks but 2 people addicted to tea working from home means we swap every 3 weeks.

Descaling kettle is also a must but less often.

I drink my tea black so no milk solution possible but I find that my tea shows the scum earlier than DH's who takes milk.

No need for milk first, just stir straight away and keep stirring till it's the colour you want and take the tea bag out!

This is what I thought when it first started happening @iamverytired. It does help a tiny bit but no amount of well timed stirring is currently making the perfect cuppa.

I'm in the milk in first camp ! Discovered it recently and it's a complete game changer