How to make a perfect cuppa

[Blipi]

Opening this for opinion and any grounded evidence if available please...

Going on general advice, why should you pour boiling water on Tea and just off boil for coffee?

Does Tea need that boiling factor?

Will adding boiling water really affect coffee? Same advice of off boil goes with freeze dried instant as well as fresh ground.


Seeking a perfect cuppa...

[Wharton]

I got told that putting boiling water into a coffee burns the beans or something, don't drink coffee so i wouldn't know. The mrs says to put in milk before hand to prevent this, but again have no idea if that actually works.

[Castrol Craig]

Yorkshire tea, milk in last, its the only way, ask Guy Martin...

[grumbledoak]

Yes.

Boiling water for tea, as soon as the kettle whistles. Milk after.

Wait five minutes after the boil for coffee, or you'll harm the flavour and amplify the bitterness (though it should still be a little bitter).

[maxxy5]

Christopher Hitchen's opinion on the matter

[_rubinho_]

Only boil the water once. If it has boiled before, throw it away, refill the kettle and start again.

Pour water in as it is still bubbling.

Leave teabag in mug for 30s and then mash (and I mean mash it) it with a spoon.

Lots of whole milk.

Strong tea which is milky is the best!

[axgizmo]

Coffee & Milk in mug, then boilingwater, stir, then add sugar

[calibrax]

_rubinho_ said:

Only boil the water once. If it has boiled before, throw it away, refill the kettle and start again.

You want to explain the logic behind that one?

[matc]

calibrax said:

_rubinho_ said:

Only boil the water once. If it has boiled before, throw it away, refill the kettle and start again.

You want to explain the logic behind that one?

I don't know the logic with this either, but I never re-boil water, always pour it away and start again.

FWIW I'm a milk/sugar first, then water. I find adding milk last gives you lots of horrible film floating around on the top which then sticks to and stains the cups.

[Council Baby]

These guys are the only normally priced tea (£1.89 for 80 bags IIRC) widely available that won a double gold taste award. Same price as the usual supermarket teas but a world apart in terms of product quality.

http://www.punjana.com/site/Home.aspx

Other than that I chuck in a tea bag, sugar, boiling water, leave it a minute or 2 then milk the bd. But then I'm not overly fussy.

[condor]

Tea - if you're using teabag and mug method, warm the mug first then add teabag and add freshly boiling water. Leave for a couple of minutes then squash bag against sides of cup - then remove bag and either set aside for later use as an eye mask or dump.

Instant coffee - mug of 1/2 milk, 1/2 water into microwave for 2 mins on high. Stir in 2 heaped teaspoons of premium instant coffee - then drink.
Other method is use a coffee machine of some sort

[TonyHetherington]

calibrax said:

_rubinho_ said:

Only boil the water once. If it has boiled before, throw it away, refill the kettle and start again.

You want to explain the logic behind that one?

Apparently, it boils away a lot of the oxygen in the water which makes it taste different.

Ever had a cuppa from a kettle that's sat over a camp fire for a while? It tastes.....manky.

[grumbledoak]

matc said:

I find adding milk last gives you lots of horrible film floating around on the top which then sticks to and stains the cups.

You need a water filter, the Brita things or similar.

[NiceCupOfTea]

I have arrived

[TonyHetherington]

"Nice" is all well and good. We're talking "perfect" here

[NiceCupOfTea]

Life is all about that search for the perfect cup of tea. For now I'll settle for a nice one.

[matc]

grumbledoak said:

matc said:

I find adding milk last gives you lots of horrible film floating around on the top which then sticks to and stains the cups.

You need a water filter, the Brita things or similar.

I'll give one a try and see if it helps. We're not in a particularly hard-water area, but it might make a difference.

My dad has just plumbed in a Brita tap, so that may be a better solution than having to keep a big plastic jug in the fridge.

[y2blade]

Castrol Craig said:

Yorkshire tea, milk in last, its the only way, ask Guy Martin...

Guy puts the milk in first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_i-mtd3JNk

Edited by y2blade on Thursday 25th August 14:26

[NiceCupOfTea]

OK, perhaps not perfect, but for me:

Freshly boiled fresh soft water into a pot of Assam (teaspoon per person & 1 for the pot). Pot has been warmed with boiling water previously. Brew for 2-3 mins, then pour into mug. Add milk (not too much) and 1.5-2 sugars.

If making in a mug, always milk added afterwards.

[TonyHetherington]

NiceCupOfTea said:

For now I'll settle for a nice one.

I have one in my hand as I type this