As a non tea drinker, I never seem to be able to make a cup of tea that appeases a tea drinker. What’s the verdict?

For me – minimum of three mins and never put the milk in until you’ve removed the teabag!

yep, 3 mins,
teabag removed before adding milk/sugar.

As above, guy I work with puts the milk in first, then the tea bag while the kettle boils 😡 Burnt milk tasting tea, yummy.

Make a point of saying ‘no’ when he asks if I want a cuppa then making one as soon as he sits down.

it’s all subjective.

some people like “builders’ tea” that you can stand a spoon up in
some people like to wave the teabag at the milk and then throw it away

I’d more of the former than the latter, of which I can’t see the point

3 minutes. Much shorter and it lacks depth, much longer and too much tannin comes out and it goes bitter. I actually set a timer…

4 minutes

5 minutes for me before removing and adding milk

3 minutes is far too long.
like the holy hand grenade

I like my Earl Grey tea bags dunked in 3 times quickly and that’s fine for me. I always think of Ernie Wise hanging up the tea bags to dry to be used again. I reckon I could get 3 or 4 cups from one bag if I did that. No milk no matter what type of tea.

Earl Grey – five dunks, no milk, made in a cup (think it was the Goodies actually)
Darjeeling – one minute, no milk, made in a cup
Green tea – one minute, no milk, timed, made in a cup
Yorkshire tea – three minutes, milk, made in a teapot, normally two or three bags and I drink it by the pint.

In the unlikely event that I make a single cup of ordinary tea without a teapot, it’s normally a minute with milk added afterwards. Never add a teabag to milky boiled water, it won’t be hot enough to release the flavors.

about 5 seconds, i dont like strong tea.

water, sugar, milk, tea bag, microwave for 3 minutes.

beautiful

As a non tea drinker, I never seem to be able to make a cup of tea that appeases a tea drinker. What’s the verdict?

The answer is you use a tea pot to make a proper cup of tea.

when you’ve finished drinking the tea you can then remove the bag from the cup. Not before.

Bunch of teabaggers.

As Donald Pleasance said in The Great Escape… ‘Tea without milk is so uncivilised’….

teabag flat on bottom of mug
pour on boiling water from kettle ungently
add splash of milk
squidge teabag around until tea is the right shade of brown
.
leave it too long and it will stew
.
you could always use a colour match tea mug

until they need to breathe?

but make sure you stir the spoon backwards 5 times and then forwards 2 times in the cup afterwards and you will have a wonderful tasting cuppa.

Enjoy! 😆

boiled water to cup, add teabag and stir untill the colour doesnt look like its going much darker (when stirring its important not to aggitate the teabag, just stir and let it diffuse). take bag out without squashing it against the side. add milk and sugar to taste. prop’r job 🙂

2-4 mins depending on bag strength. Any less and it’s just hot milk – any more and it’s a bitter tannin-tainted turn-off.

Still trying to find the perfect cuppa. Sampled some DJ Miles last year and that pretty much took pole position, however, I’m sure the water in different parts of the country can really impact on flavour and strength. Up north, we can brew an average-strength bag and get a proper full-on flavour, but darn sarf we have to faff around to make anything worthwhile.

An order into DJ Miles might well be in the offing …

You make tea in a pot not a mug! 🙄

I normally add freshly boiled water to the bag, give it a good few mashes and remove about 15-30 seconds later when its the right colour. Then a splash of milk.

Guys at work do milk first and then let it stew for 5 minutes…its ok but doesn’t have that fresh taste.

Might give the 3 minute version with no squashing a go this morning 🙂

Sometimes use loose tea in the pot but I think I prefer the teabag method.

Loddrik, why don’t you set a challenge to one of the unhappy tea recipients to convert you to tea. I drink both tea and coffee, I reckon you appreciate each better. Coffee is too strong to drink all day, but sometimes tea is a bit plain. And don’t automatically add a spoon of sugar like you might do with coffee, tea isn’t bitter so why add it?!

Dont repeatedly mash the tea bag! Hate it when folk do that! Jusr one light squeeze on exit from the mug if it HAS to be made in the mug.

Should really be in the pot though, and no stirring at all in there- pour water onto bags, lid on and leave to brew 🙂

I thought proper tea drinkers used loose tea in the pot!

I use spookys method. Never had any tea complaints.

Well I just did a timed 3 minute cup with no mashing, its a nice flavour but a tad weak.

3 minutes? Too much to do to wait that long. Tea bag in. Boiling water on. Count slowly to ten. Squeeze out tea bag. Add milk. Usually fine if the water was really boiling. Unless it’s the weekend of course.

EDIT: That’s with those Tetley’s triangular bags. Does it make a difference, or is it all just hype? Who knows.

Assam is the king, Earl Grey is like a normal cup of tea made with old dish water, urgh.

Might try brewing for 3 mins as i’ve always used Yorkshire tea.

Perfect cuppa = (T + V) + (H20 @ ( 98.5°c) 2mins + S + oSt

Is the Formula i’ve always used (form http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=92708 ) but it does seem hit and miss.

Sugar?