To think DH is wrong about how you make a brew

[Phos]

... or maybe I'm weird!

I always maintain you put the bag in, then the water, then the milk and then you get the tea to your desired strength before removing the tea bag. DH just made a fuss about this saying I do it the wrong way. But surely leaving the bag in is sensible insurance against an unfortunate slip and putting too much milk in! Have I been badly taught?

TEABAGS??? Gasps and clutches pearls😂😂😂

Don’t squeeze the bag! What I shout if DH ever gets round to making me a brew.
China mug, teabag, just boiled water. Leave 2-3 mins. Gentle stir and lift the bag from the mug. Splash of milk. Beautiful.

My fave is Taylor’s orange and lemon tea, but I take my Earl Grey or Yorkshire gold just the same.

Most traditionally non milk ones are really nice with oat milk. But normal tea is proper blue milk only, or Carnation if you want to pretend you're on an expedition.

I don't like oat milk. It's too sweet for me, even the unsweetened stuff, and I loathe sweetened tea. If I accidentally drink tea with sugar in, I can barely resist the urge to spit it straight out! When I was off dairy for a while, soya milk was my preferred non-dairy milk as I found it the most neutral, almost flavourless. I like semi-skimmed cow's milk in my tea, definitely not full fat, and wouldn't touch Carnation with a bargepole!

You’re exactly correct OP. The amount of times I’ve been given awful weak tea because someone has taken the bag out before putting the milk in. I’ve been known to put the bag back in for an extra squeeze 😂 No thanks to any danger of milky tea. I like a nice strong piping hot tea.

I have a variety of tea at home and never have milk. I prefer leaf tea in a pot but don’t mind the odd teabag. I have green, jasmine and rose green, genmaicha, oolong, Turkish black tea (holiday souvenir😀) and earl grey (and PG Tips)

As I don’t have milk if I’m making a mug for someone I do teabag in mug with boiling water. Give it a couple minutes and a bit of a squeeze and then ask them to add the milk they want.

Even with a pot I would never add the milk first in the cup. I would let the drinker add their own after pouring.

If I'm making tea for myself it's decaf tea bag, the correct amount of oat milk for my mug of choice (measured by eye), hot water, agitate tea bag, squeeze tea bag, remove. Perfect every time.

For other people I've always made it the 'proper' way, especially for tea sticklers like my dad or mil. However, recently I accidentally made their tea my way (but with caff tea bag and normal milk), and they both commented on what a lovely cup of tea it was. After that they both leap at the chance of one of my cuppas, always met with appreciative noises, and I just make sure they don't see me make it, as they'd be horrified 😆

So mostly it seems it may largely be snobbery...

(disclaimer: some brands of tea bag do not seem to work with dairy milk first, it's like the pores get clogged, but are fine with oat milk. The hardness of the water also seems to have an effect on this, so there's definitely more than just snobbery at play sometimes).

Squoggle eyed 🤣🤣🤣🤣

The main things are properly boiling water and tea before milk. Not getting these two right should be a hanging offence but the rest is noise.

I use a teapot so add milk after tea has brewed in the pot and poured into the cup. I'm with your husband.

Any tea made in the cup is wrong . You need a teapot . Period . End of query !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Water in first I’ve had far too many burst so less chance of tea bag goes in after water. I leave to brew for 3 minutes so if I need the loo I’ll go or do something that needs doing in the kitchen. Tea bag out first before pouring in milk. I like a strong brew so I also measure a dessert spoon of milk out. If I don’t I put too much in. DP only likes a tiny bit so I put a teaspoon in.

Actually putting the milk in before removing the bag interferes with the brewing process. I stir and leave to brew for 3 minutes cos I like a builders brew. Everyone asks me to make the brews. Sometimes when vsiting family members. Because they say I make a good cup of tea. One of them though puts the milk in first with the teabag then the water. 🤢🤮They also use the same spoon to stir tea with no sugar as they just used to stir tea with sugar or coffee. They need serious lessons on the art of tea making.

I don't drink tea or coffee but was always taught this by my parents when making brews. Theres nowt worst than burnt beans apparently! (Instant 'beans' obviously!)

And I remember years ago watching a programme on how they make tea and one of the big brands said that putting milk in first clogs the holes in the bag so hinders infusion.

YABU. You should take the teabag out before putting the milk in.

But you can't see final colour then.
OP is right
Tea bag.
Water
Milk
Tea bag out

Teabag out before milk in.

Whatever argument you're trying to make was moot the second you started talking about bags...

Pot and cups filled with boiling water.

Kettle reboiled.

Pot emptied and leaves added, fresh boiling hot water and tea cosy applied.

Brewed for appropriate time period, pot turned midway through brewing.

Cup emptied and tea poured through strainer.

Milk added.

This. Is the way.

I can't bear milk and t bag mixed. My partner thought I'd not be able to taste the difference but I can every time.

Frequently. But I am lucky enough to live near a town with an excellent independent tea and coffee merchant.

"Rainbowshit
YABU. You should take the teabag out before putting the milk in.

But you can't see final colour then.
OP is right
Tea bag.
Water
Milk
Tea bag out"
@Summerlovin24

By trying to compensate for putting too much milk in though you are then making the tea the wrong strength. The tea strength is correct when you take the bag out. Just put the milk in a splash at a time so you don't over pour. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Frequently. But I am lucky enough to live near a town with an excellent independent tea and coffee merchant.

Me too

But you can't see final colour then.OP is right.Tea bag. Water Milk Tea bag out"

No, because tea needs to be brewed in boiling water to bring out the flavour properly. Boiling water mixed with cold milk is not boiling water. Surely if you regularly make tea, you can tell if the tea is the right colour before you put milk in?

My dad used to drink Earl Grey with a dribble of milk in and 2 saccharine. I never did understand why he didn't just drink it black. I asked him about the saccharine once, apparently it was healthier than sugar. Didn't taste like sugar though.

Same as you. Never take the bag out before adding milk. So many possible disasters if it's taken out before.

It can 100% save a cup of tea