A new survey has revealed the nation's perfect tea colour, with nearly a quarter of Brits agreeing on the ideal colour brew. A study by Tombola created a 'Tealux' chart showing tea colours from 'right' to 'wrong', according to a survey of 1,000 Brits.
The colour Tombola is calling the ultimate shade scored 24 per cent of the votes, meaning nearly a quarter of Brits see this as the perfect tea shade. An equal blend of tea and milk - edging towards a slightly darker shade and a stewed tea bag, was found to be the best way of making a cuppa.
Meanwhile, of those surveyed, only four (0.4 per cent) opted for the shade Tombola is affectionately calling 'The Worst Brew' as their tea colour of choice. This shade is one of the darkest tea options, as you can see in the graph below, with only a dribble of milk to accompany the teabag.
Surprisingly, more people opted for the darker tea shade 'Tar' with 0.6 per cent of the votes. Other findings from the survey revealed builders are indeed the most likely to drink 'Builder’s Tea'.
Up to 15 per cent of the respondents in the building industry selected the 'Builder’s Tea' shade, with those in retail, catering and leisure the second most likely to go for the strong brew. In terms of location, Londoners prefer the weakest tea but East Midlands opt for the strongest brew - three per cent of Londoners would choose 'What’s the point?'.
The tea shade is, essentially, milk, with the teabag placed in the cup for less than 10 seconds. Whereas, the strongest tea drinkers can be found in the East Midlands. Up to 6.85 per cent of residents in the region would opt for the four strongest tea shades for their everyday brew.
Voters also listed the five worst things Brits can do when making a cup of tea.
1. You should never put milk in first
Overwhelmingly, milk first was an unpopular choice for the tea drinkers polled, with people stating that milk should always go after the water and the teabag - not before. Only seven per cent of people said they would put milk in first.
One person stated: "If you're brewing the tea directly in the cup then putting the milk in first, it is an abomination." According to experts, putting the milk in first lowers the temperature of your brew, meaning you won’t get the tea taste you are after due to it not infusing properly.
2. You should always let the tea brew for two minutes
There is some debate on letting the teabag brew and work its magic. However, there is a time for letting your tea brew, which is two minutes.
This gives your tea enough time to take the flavour - any less and you could be looking at a weaker brew than you preferred. But avoid stirring your tea or squeezing it against the side of the cup and let it stew naturally.
3. English breakfast tea should have ZERO sugars
According to the voters polled, 67 per cent stated that a proper English breakfast tea shouldn’t have any sugar at all.
4. Your teacup should have a thin lip for drinking
Every good brew needs a good cup. And, that perfect cup should have a thin lip for drinking so the tea can roll to your tongue easily.
If you are also someone who savours their tea, ceramic or porcelain cups are your best choice as they allow the tea to cool slowly. They also do not hold any detrimental flavours that could affect the taste of the tea you are drinking.
5. Allow tea to steep for three to five minutes in a teapot
If you do serve your tea in a teapot, it’s recommended that you steep it for three to five minutes to allow the tea to infuse. If you are not serving straight away, don’t add the tea as if it stews for too long, the taste can change and quickly become ‘The Worst Brew’.
Tombola surveyed 1,000 people on their favourite tea colour to reveal the UK’s favourite - and worst - tea shade. They were provided an image with 16 different tea shades and asked the respondents to choose their favourite tea colour.
