Stapley should know better. Earlier this year the chemical engineer from Loughborough University released what was billed as the definitive study on how to steep the perfect cup of tea. It’s an age-old question in a country where residents swill an average of three cups a day. The project’s sponsor, the Royal Society of Chemistry, commissioned the three-month study to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of writer George Orwell, a heavy tea drinker who set out his own views on tea-making in a 1946 essay.
Not surprisingly, Stapley’s 10-point guide has sparked a raging debate on topics ranging from whether to pour the milk in the cup before the tea (Stapley says yes, Orwell said no) and how long to steep it. Here’s what we think:
TEAPOT: We agree with Stapley on this one. Always use a preheated ceramic teapot. Make sure water is fresh from the tap: if previously boiled, it will have lost some of the dissolved oxygen needed to bring out the full flavor.
TEA: Choose loose Assam tea from India. Tea bags slow down the infusion process.
STEEPING PROCESS: Stapley’s research suggests that the tea should brew for three minutes before pouring. This will draw out the essential tannins that give the tea its taste and coloring. But many believe that is far too hasty. “Leaving the tea for a full five minutes is the heart and essence of the English afternoon tea,” says Edward Bramah of the Bramah Museum of Tea and Coffee in London. Otherwise, he argues, there’s no time for conversation to develop. Tip Sheet agrees. You can’t rush perfection.
ADDITIVES: Adding milk or sugar is optional, but either will rob the tea of its natural astringency. Lemon is a better bet, though some add honey, which Tip Sheet considers vile. (We prefer a generous splash of whisky to brighten up the day.)
If you must add milk, always pour it into the cup before the tea. Its natural proteins are more easily “degraded” if poured directly into boiling tea. That creates a stale taste.
Of course, even Stapley agrees that it’s all a matter of taste. Absolute rules, he admits, will always be hard to square with personal preference. “Once you have developed a taste for something, that’s how you will prefer it.” In the end, tea-making may be more art than science.
