Brewing Guide
So just how do you make quintessentially English tea? Everyone has their own way of doing things, but here the Taylors of Harrogate tea buyers are about to reveal their secret to brewing the perfect cup of tea.
Teapot method
- Run the faucet a little to ensure the water you use is nicely aerated.
- Always use freshly boiled water that’s never been boiled before. Repeatedly re-boiled water loses its oxygen and builds up a concentration of impurities.
- Warm the teapot first by swilling boiling water around inside. Leave it in while you fetch some cups – china or porcelain cups are best.
- Pour the water from the teapot into the cups to warm these too. Don’t forget to pour this away before serving your tea!
- For a standard sized pot of tea for two, we recommend two teabags or two rounded teaspoons of loose tea. However, our tea buyers like it strong and use three or four.
- Put the tea bags in so they lay flat at the bottom of the pot.
- Pour boiling water into the pot, stir twice clockwise and leave to brew. Brewing times vary from tea to tea, so check the back of the pack for exact times.
- If the tea is served with milk, add milk to your cups before the tea. Whole, reduced-fat or low-fat milk are best – some of our tea buyers think you may as well drink tea black rather than add fat-free milk!
- Relax and enjoy a delicious and refreshing cup of Taylors of Harrogate tea.
Cup method
Though we always recommend using a teapot, if you prefer to make tea in a cup, use the same method as above, except do not add the milk first as it lowers the temperature and makes it difficult to judge the strength.
Iced tea
To make iced tea, brew exactly as in the method above, however brew it at double-strength, allow to cool, then add plenty of ice and sugar and lemon to taste.
Storing tea
Ensure your tea is stored in an airtight container at room temperature and away from any strongly flavored or scented foods.
