Secrets to The Perfect Cuppa Revealed!

We all know that there’s nothing better than a good cup of tea. In fact, that first sip in the morning, after a long day at work or when you just get a chance for a quick break, can make all the difference to your mood.

But we also all know that agreeing on how to make the perfect cup of tea can be a nightmare, meaning you often end up with a sub-par cuppa if someone else makes it for you. Luckily, the right way to make the perfect cup of tea has been revealed, which could make it possible to get that satisfying sip every time.

Dr Stuart Farrimond revealed on BBC Two’s Inside the Factory exactly how to brew a cup of tea, as well as what not to do. We can only hope that this puts an end to weak and milky brews!

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Apparently, the key to getting the best brew is leaving your teabag in the water for exactly five minutes. This ensures you get the best flavour, but also a healthier cup of tea, as you’ll benefit from a higher level of antioxidants – which naturally occur in tea – and caffeine.

But it isn’t just the way you brew your tea that makes a difference, even the cup you use can affect the taste of your brew. According to Dr Farrimond, the worst type of cup you can drink tea from is one made out of styrofoam, as the material absorbs the tea’s flavour molecules. This means that even brewing your tea for the perfect amount of time won’t deliver a good cuppa.

When you do use a proper the mug, it turns out that the colour of your cup can even have an effect on how your tea tastes. Research has found that the colour of your mug changes how you perceive the taste of your tea due to a psychological effect. Drinking your tea from a red or pink mug means it will taste sweeter than if you use a white or blue cup.

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Other tips from Dr Farrimond include filtering your water before boiling your kettle if you live in an area with hard water. This will ensure you don’t get residue forming on the top of your tea, which can look fairly unappetising.

The scummy layer is caused by calcium and magnesium, which reacts with the flavour compounds in the tea. This means that not only does it look a bit grim, it actually reduces the flavour of your tea, even if you do everything else right.

The only tip that Dr Farrimond didn’t give is whether you should put milk in first or after your tea has brewed – we’ll leave you to argue about that one!