To ask you how you make tea taste good?

[VeronicaM27]

Every now and then I make a cup of tea and it tastes like pure magic. The problem is 99 times out 100 it tastes like soggy cardboard.

I put the teabag in the cup with 2 sugars, pour in the boiling water, leave for 2-3 minutes, take out and then add a splash of milk. I have no idea what I do differently that one magic time but it’s so annoying when I crave a nice cup of tea and it ends up tasting like the aforementioned cardboard.

So what am I doing wrong? How to you get the perfect cup of tea every time?

Find Barry's tea bags.

Fresh water every time, never previously boiled

I leave it stewing for 6 mins.

swish kettle and add filtered water, brew for 3 mins at least. Add milk and sugar if you like. Then tip down the sink, tea is yak!

I have the exact same problem as you OP! Sometimes it’s lovely, other times it’s horrible.

Make it in a pot

Fresh water in the kettle
Yorkshire tea bag
Brew 2-3 minutes
Add sugar and milk

Then let it cool for about 3-4 minutes and it will be the perfect temperature

Yorkshire tea bag and brew for at least 2 mins.

This won’t be popular but…..

put teabag in mug with milk then pour boiling water on. Stir til desired colour then remove bag. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

i don’t drink tea but my Dad, who is a ferocious tea drinker always comments favourably when I do it this way!

Stop adding sugar and make sure you buy good quality tea .

get some decent tea in! I drink it just teabag and hot water, a sugar sometimes if I need it haha.

have you tried it with just one sugar? I think too much really, really ruins the taste of tea and it maybe that on the times you like it you’re a little more stingy with it?

this is not sugar hating though. I eat chocolate and cake like a beast

I don’t know but I know what you mean. Sometimes I make the perfect cuppa.

I like Clipper teabags, leave it to brew for a few minutes before adding a splash of milk. I hate weak tea.

Unfortunately Covid has put me off tea entirely. I’m so upset!

Thompson's Punjana tea. gorgeous brew

Teabag in first, then milk then boiling water. Take teabag out when it's the colour you want it. Have you tried it without sugar?

I find tea tastes massively different depending what I've eaten previously. It's awful if you've just brushed your teeth, and it's awful after some foods, I just haven't worked out which consistently yet.

Also - nobody mentions squeezing out the teabag? Do none of you do that? You just swoosh it around then pull it out? I like a good squeeze, personally.

Pour the water as soon as it's boiling. Don't leave it for even half a minute in the kettle after boiling. (I have my hand on the handle waiting to pour as it boils, won't wait 5 secs. I can taste the difference)
Tea made with water not 100 degrees tastes different.
If making green tea or some other herbal ones you don't want 100, more like 80-90.

The type of tea really makes a difference. I also think loose tea in a pot tastes better than teabags, even though I use bags pretty often.
Fresh water, not water that has been sitting in the kettle.

I do it like this, and they're mostly nice!

Hold the kettle higher when you pour so the water lands more forcefully

Let it stew for a couple of mins

Jab the tea bag with tea spoon and swirl it around a couple of times

Add milk while tea bag is still in, then swirl it all again

Not too much milk! Reddish-tan tea is the best!!! One generous sugar

And drain tea bag at the end too

Also - nobody mentions squeezing out the teabag? Do none of you do that?

Yep, I properly mash it against the side before taking it out.

I have this same problem! I leave the tea bag for five min now, and sometimes double up on tea bags (ie, two in the cup) if I want a good strong cup. Still can be hit and miss... I can never work out if it's the water, the milk or the tea (although I have different types and still have the same inconsistent outcomes!).

I'm sure it's the water. It has to be fresh water in the kettle every time.

Yep, freshly boiled water as soon as it hits the boil. Don't use re-boiled water. A lot of the variation will be to do with small differences in how long you brew it and exactly how much milk you add though.

You can't, tea is disgusting😜

The cup makes a difference. I'm absolutely certain of this. There are certain mugs where I know I will get a good drink and others I avoid using.