A really dumb question

Discussion in 'The Lounge - Off Topic' started by Black Tortoise, Mar 11, 2011.

  1. Black Tortoise

    Black Tortoise Byte Poster

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    Hey guys, I was wondering, whats the best way to make a good cup of tea? and what teas would you reccomend?

    I can never get a good cup of tea right. Any one else who makes it for me it tastes "right" , but whenver I make a good cuppa just tastes like a slightly tea flavour water, sugar and milk.

    I can always get coffee to taste just how I like it, but never tea.

    Thanks in advance for your answers.
     
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  2. dmarsh
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    dmarsh Petabyte Poster

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    Well everyone has their own preference, milk first, milk last etc...

    Tea leaves take a certain amount of time to diffuse, and unlike coffee tea is difficult to burn.

    So the get the best diffusion / brewing you are best with hotter water, most people reccomend boiling water. (The molecules in boiling water have more energy so cause the tea to diffuse faster).

    Ready made tea bags are engineered to brew quickly in under a minute, where as actual leaves can take over 3 minutes.

    Also the hotter the fluid in relation to the ambient temperature, the faster it cools, so adding the milk early or late will effect this.

    So theres a fair amount of physics to do with the thermaldynamics of fluids involved...

    The 'hardness' of the water can also have an effect, so may want to keep you kettle descaled and filter your water.

    Personally I don't like sugar in my tea, I like decent english breakfast tea, skimmed milk, and a nice builders mug, but thats just me ! :)
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2011
  3. Phoenix
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    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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  4. Kitkatninja
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    Try Yorkshire Tea, my wife swears by it. Brew for about 1 min (and stir), then add the sugar and milk (or if you want it smoother - not sure what that means, add the milk first, then the water).

    Saying that I'm not a tea drinker, but people have enjoyed my tea :blink

    -Ken
     
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  5. westernkings

    westernkings Gigabyte Poster

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    I prefer the the one that comes in a blue and silver can. something bull I think it's called. :D
     
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  6. Arroryn

    Arroryn we're all dooooooomed Moderator

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    How long do you leave your teabag brewing?

    Drink Twinings English Breakfast tea. Make it with boiling water, let it diffuse for 2 minutes. Milk, but don't put sugar in it. Philistine. :)
     
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  7. nugget
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    nugget Junior toady

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    How to make a great cup of tea?

    Well, to start you put the billy on over the campfire. Then when the water boils you throw in a handful of tea leaves. Let it boil for 3 minutes and then take it off. Now the important part and you need to get this right otherwise you end up with a boiled arm. You swing the billy around in a circle 3 times (think like bowling in cricket) so the tea leaves go to the bottom of the billy.

    Pour into tin mugs and add sugar. Perfect.

    Edit: Of course you might have a small problem getting the campfire set up on the kitchen floor.
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2011
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  8. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Tea is best made with loose tea leaves without a strainer and hot water n a drop of milk. Only problem with that is you have to stop before the bottom otherwise you get a mouth full of crap.
     
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  9. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    Technically it's down to personal preference, isn't it.

    I know people who like 'builder's tea' that you can stand a spoon up in and that can rot your teeth from 20 paces, whereas others just wave a teabag across a cup of hot water.

    I did read some mumbo-jumbo about it making a difference if you put your milk in first or last - something to do with relative quantities and temperature.

    My gran and in-laws will only ever make tea in a pot - never got the concept of dropping a bag into a solitary cup.

    Now, personally, I don't like tea so my perfect cuppa is coffee...
     
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  10. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    Nice to see you still pop in for the really useful threads. :rolleyes:



    :biggrin
     
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  11. Apexes

    Apexes Gigabyte Poster

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    Tetley extra strong tea bags - absolute belter, love the stuff :D
     
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  12. Arroryn

    Arroryn we're all dooooooomed Moderator

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    I have very limited technical expertise these days. Hot beverages and alcohol, I can still cover. :)
     
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  13. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    stick 20p in the machine and press tea and then strong setting.
     
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  14. BosonMichael
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  15. alexdc12

    alexdc12 Kilobyte Poster

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    You have asked the master now!

    Get cup
    Pull teabag out of caddy/box and SHAKE! (Gotta be PG Tips!!!!!)
    Put it in cup
    Add sugar
    Pour in boilng water
    Stir quite quickly and take the bag out, NEVER LET IT STEW!!!!!!!
    Add milk and stir again

    BINGO you have the perfect cuppa!
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2011
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  16. alexdc12

    alexdc12 Kilobyte Poster

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    Possibly the worst cup of tea going!
     
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  17. Jayton

    Jayton New Member

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    PG extra strong or Tetley breakfast tea for me 8)
     
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  18. Kopite_21

    Kopite_21 Gigabyte Poster

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    Agreed!

    Tetley make the best cup of tea.

    mmm. Time to put the kettle on! :D
     
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  19. Black Tortoise

    Black Tortoise Byte Poster

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    Cheers guys!
     
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  20. nugget
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    Did you get that campfire going? :devilflam
     
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