For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By OCB
#1883214
The instructions on the packet of T something branded tea said I should boil the water to 100oC (oh come on, 85 is better), but to be honest, I usually go for 75oC - mainly because I can.

The end result is much better by doing 75oC water, tea/teabag - then just waiting a bit.

If one thing that being a tea drinker has taught me, it’s not to be so quick off the mark.

I’m sure many of the coffee/non tea drinkers will be unhappy - but us tea drinkers can take months or even years ;)
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1883217
When we moved into our new build 5 years ago we had a Quooker boiling water tap fitted in the kitchen ,
Perfect instant boiling water - ideal for tea bags : no waste or heating up more water than needed .
We still haven’t opened the new kettle we bought for the move . :thumleft:
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By Charles Hunt
#1883224
What are these tea bags of which you speak?

Surely the Empire was built on tea made with freshly boiled water (100 deg C) none of this 75 or 85 deg nonsense. 3-5 minutes to brew.

(I suppose to be properly retro I should have said 212 Fahrenheit.)
Flyin'Dutch', kanga liked this
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1883231
I agree that tea brewed from bags tastes better at 85C. The only reason people went through the rigmarole of warming the teapot, warming the cups, etc, was because of the long time tea took to brew from proper tea leaves and having to have a hot drink at the end of that period. For the mostly powdered tea in tea bags, it's completely irrelevant and you may as well just chuck one in a mug and pour on the 85C water. It'll be hot enough to drink when ready.

What does affect the taste muchly is the water used. Soft water is much better than hard. Tea is better in Wales than it is in Guildford. When I was out in Vancouver I noticed they had really soft water there - and the tea there tasted great. MichaelP has just come back from there and he also made a comment about it. He thinks I should bring a tanker of water down from Wales to supply the tea making needs of Guildford.
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By nallen
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1883232
@Paul_Sengupta A water filter really helps with teamaking in hard-water areas -- transformed my life (at least in beverage terms).
Flyin'Dutch', mick w liked this
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1883234
Not sure I quite understand the need for the tea making rituals as a) the tea in the UK is normally of the stewed variety then destroyed with b) a dollop of milk.

Yuk.

In the name of integration I gave it a good go for 3 months then decided I could hang on to my Dutch tea drinking habit.

Boil water - teabag or loose tea for a few minutes in the pot or mug and ready!
Cessna571, Nick liked this
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1883237
A trip to China converted me to green tea which I enjoy hugely. Has to be fairly weak and not boiling and it's a better caffeine shot than coffee :D
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1883240
nallen wrote:@Paul_Sengupta A water filter really helps with teamaking in hard-water areas -- transformed my life (at least in beverage terms).


Have one.

Welsh water is still better. :D
nallen, AndyR liked this
By Paultheparaglider
#1883242
I like tea from real leaves and never drink it with milk. We have a lot of different types at home which I drink as the mood takes me. I remember visiting a tea plantation in Sri Lanka where they pointed out that only the worst leaves and stalks end up in tea bags.

My Chinese wife uses teabags and adds milk. She should hang her head in shame. :wink:
Cessna571, Nick liked this
By Cessna571
#1883245
I’m drinking a cup of tea right now, from a bag, with a drop of milk to make it ok.

You can’t really drink the tea that comes in bags without milk.

When he was working in China a lot, my brother bought me back some proper tea.

That you made just with hot water and a few leaves dropped in the bottom of the cup, it was exquisite and delicious.

Even when I’ve tried to buy real tea in this country, some if it expensive, (once, properly expensive) it’s never been as good as that bag he bought me back from China.
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By eltonioni
#1883251
Teabags? Hot beverages need according due reverence. No adult should use teabags and the dusty floor sweepings contained within, except in an extreme teamergency. It's a rapid slide from there to making Americano with an espresso topped up with boiling water and milk in a massive mug :shock:
mick w, lobstaboy liked this
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By Mz Hedy
#1883265
On a recent trip to southern Portugal I was introduced to Moroccan mint tea as a breakfast beverage. The production ritual makes even ISO3130 seem like dunk and drink.

I've yet to try to make it at home, but I've ordered the relevant ingredients. Yummy.
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By lobstaboy
#1883269
Tea (and coffee) should be made properly from the best ingredients you can get. Otherwise what is the point?
But to my mind the only actual hanging offence is to put milk in the mug with the tea before taking the teabag out. I shudder just thinking about it...