How to Make British tea? I’ll show you how my step by step instructions (using British teabags). Although you can use fancy teacups, this is all about everyday tea-making in in a teapot, and using mugs.
As someone who grew up in Scotland drinking tea, and having it for the first time in a baby bottle (think I’m kidding?) I believe I am knowledgeable enough to direct you on how to make a good cup of British tea. Is it good enough for fine china? Sure, but it’s more typical of tea served in a mug (or beaker).
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Let me clarify, this is just an everyday cup of tea, not a fancy, loose leaf, formal afternoon tea tutorial. As in, the type of tea you’d drink if you pop into someone’s house in the UK.
If you’d like a fancier tea to give as a gift, to treat yourself, or for hosting, I would highly recommend Brodie’s Tea from Scotland. It’s a bit more expensive but the flavor is slightly more robust—not to mention the cute packaging (and if you like them, use my code CHRISTINASCUCINA for 10% off)!
My American “tea vs coffee” theory.
I have a theory that from the day of the famous Boston Tea Party, Americans continued their boycott of tea for a very, very long time. Given tea’s association with the tyranny from the “mother country,” this is the reason that I think coffee became the preferred hot beverage in this country. Brits like coffee in their cake, haha! What do you think?
A classic British bake: Coffee and Walnut Cake
Tea is an institution in the UK. Its fibers are woven into the British culture in such a way that it is difficult to describe to a “non-Brit.” I came across this video a while ago and was so awed by the impact a hot drink can have on a country.
FYI to Americans, Eastenders is a popular soap-opera type show in the UK. When the show finishes, most viewers turn the kettle on for a cuppa resulting in a huge surge for electricity!
Here’s a proper scone recipe for you. 😍
British Tea Bags
I put “proper” in quotation marks because this is my version of how to make and everyday morning or afternoon mug of tea. It’s not the “proper-proper” tea that’s made with loose leaf tea, of course.
That’s more for a leisurely afternoon tea, but this is an everyday process with tea bags which is less time consuming. In the UK they say to put one teabag per person and “one for the pot.” However, in my opinion that’s too strong for most people in the US and Canada who are used to a weaker beverage.
If you are using a British brand of tea, which is already much stronger and has a lot more flavor than most US tea brands, you might just want to use a teabag per person. I like Ty-phoo and PG Tips for everyday tea, which are imported from the UK (I buy them on Amazon when I don’t fill up every available spot in my suitcase when I return from a trip 😬).
Three teabags for a 32 ounce pot, not completely filled to the rim (about 4 cups) is perfect for my family, but if you decide to try this brew, experiment and see if you like it stronger, and adjust accordingly.
Get the recipe for Chelsea buns!
How to Make a Proper Cup of Tea
First of all, a proper-proper cuppa is made with loose leaf tea, but most of us don’t have time for that on a daily basis, two or three times a day.
So this is mostly aimed at US households who are used to a Lipton teabag in hot water in a mug. This will be a big change in flavor for those of you.
What do I Need to Make a Proper Cup of Tea?
- an electric kettle
- a proper teapot
- a trivet (optional)
- British teabags
- a tea cosy (optional, but highly recommended)
- china/porcelain mugs (preferably made in the UK/Europe/US) I love Roy Kirkham!
1. Boil the water.
First, bring water to a boil, but do not let it keep boiling. Remove it as soon as it comes to a boil. Hot water will not do. We want the tea leaves to infuse the flavor of the tea into the water, and tepid or hot water will not do this nearly as well as boiling water. I use an electric kettle because we make a lot of tea. One thing the British don’t understand about Americans is the lack of electric kettles in our homes. They simply don’t know how it’s possible to function without an electric kettle in the kitchen! 🤣 Again, I’m not joking!
You will also need a good teapot, preferably a teapot made in the UK (which is sadly and apparently getting very difficult to find.)
However, there are other choices (I stay away from Chinese made, due to history with lead and other chemicals in their products.) My friend gave me this French teapot by Guy Degrenne which is a bit pricy, but oh so chic!
I bought this little melamine trivet at a charity shop in the UK to keep my teapot warm when making tea. I have granite countertops which will cool off the pot more quickly than I want. I like these wooden trivets (if you’re going to buy new) because they are more eco-friendly than melamine.
2.Warm the teapot for the perfect cup.
So, when the kettle is almost boiling, put some water in the pot, just to warm up the teapot. Return the kettle to its base (or stovetop) to make it come to a full boil. Swirl the hot water around the teapot and then drain it out. Make sure to have your teabags ready.
3. Add the tea bags and water to the pot.
I sometimes use a PG Tips and a Typhoo teabag together. This is something my daughter started doing, and we all liked the combination. When the water just comes to a boil, put the teabags in the teapot and immediately pour the water into the pot. Of course, using two or three of the same bag is obviously fine, too.
4. Use a tea cosy (if you have one).
Next, if you have a tea cosy, cover the pot. If not, use a kitchen towel or something to keep the pot warm. You’ll discover that this also makes a big difference in the outcome of the flavor of the brew. It also keeps the tea hot for a longer period of time, making a second cup more desirable.
5. Steep the tea.
Steep for about 3 to 5 minutes; the longer you leave it, the stronger it will be. (Three minutes in a teapot is rather weak for me.)
6. Pour the tea and add the milk (and sugar, if desired).
Now it’s time to pour the perfectly steeped brew.
If you’re going to add sugar, add it before the milk so that it has a chance to start melting before adding the cold milk. Regarding the whole “milk, or tea first” debate, it used to be that milk went in first to protect the china from cracking, so that’s no longer a reason. Now, I think it’s a personal preference. I like to add the milk after so I can better control the ratio of milk to tea, and you may think I’m crazy, but I say it tastes better, too.
People ask:
What Kind of Milk do British Put in Tea?
Usually, and in the past it’s been whole milk that Brits use in their tea. In the US, 2% milk is passable, but don’t offer me 1% or even talk to me about skim milk. The cream that’s in whole milk adds a lot to the flavor of a cuppa. Just know that you should never add cream to a cup of tea! It’s just not done and will make your tea taste terrible.
Now, enjoy with a piece of shortbread, Bourbon biscuit. Or perhaps an oatcake and some jam?
Or a custard cream or two, and delight in the fact that you have been let in on a bit of British culture!
My friend, Cynthia at What a Girl Eats has a lovely lavender shortbread recipe.
Enjoy with any snack or cake, like this gluten free teabread! The possibilities are endless!
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How to Make a “Proper" Cup of Tea (British Tea, that is)
How to make tea like a Brit.
Materials
- Tea pot
- British tea bags
Tools
- a kettle, electric or stovetop
Instructions
- Boil the water
- Warm the teapot
- Add the teabags and water to the pot.
- Use a tea cosy, if you have one.
- Steep the tea at least 5 minutes.
- Pour the tea and add milk and/or sugar if desired.
Notes
First of all, a proper-proper cup of tea is made with loose leaf tea, but most of us don’t have time for that on a daily basis, two or three times a day.
So this is mostly aimed at US households who are used to a Lipton teabag in hot water in a mug. This will be a big change in flavor for those of you.
Now for your Glaswegian
(Glasgow dialect) Lesson:
Basically, “to blether” means to chat–a lot.
“A blether” is someone who talks incessantly. Gee, I wonder why I have this mug? :)
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Could you describe how to make a proper cup of tea using loose tea leaves? And the proper equipment needed?
Thank you.
Hi Barbara, same as using a tea bag, only when you pour it out, you will need a tea strainer to filter out the leaves. Enjoy!
FYI, not all USAmericans are ignorant of how to make a good cup of tea & not all of us like our tea weak either furthermore some communities of USAmericans in the south continued to drink tea after & everafter the infamous Boston Tea Party but in keeping with separating from the British purchased tea from other places.
I think you missed this, “So this is mostly aimed at US households who are used to a Lipton teabag in hot water in a mug. This will be a big change in flavor for those of you.” Also, I’m pointing out that coffee is the beverage of choice, over tea, in the US. Whereas it’s tea over coffee in the UK.
If I am correct, the tea that is popular in the South is sweet tea and not had with milk. Thanks for your comment.
It’s definitely sweet, and also iced. American Southerners rarely drink hot tea.
Correct, I should have added that. I was thinking iced tea, but never wrote it.
My experience from parents who are from the South, adding mint leaves to ice tea is another favorite.
BTW, really enjoy this conversation on making proper British tea.
I know nothing about the southern iced tea culture, but I did try sweet tea in Nashville (it was way too sweet for me, but am sure there are many variations). I really have to visit the Southern US!!
I grew up in the American South, and drinking (hot) tea was common in my family. My grandfather, who was from England, taught me how to make a proper pot of tea when I was quite young, and I have fond memories of afternoon tea with my grandparents. My grandparents are no longer with us and I no longer live in the South, but I still enjoy a nice cuppa every morning and afternoon.
I see your point, Cat. People often think of Americans as drinking Lipton tea bags in a mug. While many do, I think a lot of people do this out of convenience. We often don’t have time to make a full pot of tea to enjoy 3 times a day. In many places of employ, even a coffee break is seen as a nuisance, whereas in UK, tea time is an institution as much steeped into their culture as their tea in their cups.
I can understand the slight annoyance at being looked at as an amateur for how we make tea. The common irritation is with how hot the water is. Many people just microwave their water in a mug until it boils, and many people mix their flavors or use more than one tea bag to their desired strength as well, but many just stick with the simple portion provided in the bag. Steeping leaves in boiling water is hardly nuanced, and I hardly equate making it in a pretty pot as being more ‘proper’ than someone in a hurry using microwaved water and a mug.
However, when you have the time to actually enjoy pouring everything into a separate pot and making edibles like biscuits and scones to sit down with your loved ones and enjoy a beautifully presented cup of coffee or tea, it’s a lovely experience (if you like coffee and tea). I find more and more people drinking less coffee and more tea, and enjoying the many different brands and flavors offered.
Hear, hear, Nat!
I mean, it’s a blog post on making tea. Chill out.
Hi, I enjoyed this blog post and just thought I’d add a comment on your technique.
I’m English and tea has always been a huge thing for us here as you know. I can’t actually remember a time in my life when I didn’t drink tea as it’s often seen as a cure for every problem in life, from headaches to nausea to feeling glum!
I’m glad you mentioned that teabags in a teapot are not the “proper” way to make tea and to be honest I tried bags in the pot once out of lazyness thinking making a pot would save me having to get up again to make another cup so soon. I found it quite unpleasant compared to the loose leaf tea which is odd considering I am ok with a teabag in a cup.
You are right that you need to boil and not just heat the water but when you pour the water into the pot, or onto the teabag if it’s in a cup it should not still be boiling as this can scorch the leaves which taints the taste, so basically just wait until it stops bubbling and then pour.
When pouring from the pot there is an order in which to do it. It goes milk first, then tea, then sugar. This is because pouring the tea into the milk means the taste of the milk is not as impacted by the tea as when you do it the other way around. It’s a subtle difference but there you go. To be fair, most of us do use teabags for convenience as we make so many cups of tea per day, often in a hurry and with those you can’t (or shouldn’t) add the milk before the water in a cup as the milk hinders the ability of the tea to infuse by partly blocking the holes in the bag but for the best cup of tea, from the pot, discretely ignoring the bag issue lol, the order that I just listed is the way to achieve the best tea.
Also, if you want an ideal snack to go with it, something about the taste of Jamaican Ginger cake goes perfectly with a cup of tea (as do English style bacon sandwiches but that’s another topic!).
Thank you for addressing “Milk first, then tea.” I had learned that this is the “proper” way to make tea. Particularly in England.
Don’t know how I missed these comments, but this is not the “everyday” way of making tea. I don’t think anyone would have more than a cup a week if this was done daily! Maybe for an afternoon tea at the Ritz, but not in our homes. And as far as the milk first, then tea; I HATE milk first and don’t know why it tastes so different, but it does. If you like it that way, go ahead, but I’ll recommend it the other way around as most Brits do, too.
Yes, all this is correct – if you’re a posh xxxx.
Get a grip Sophia and stop perpetuating the idea of the sophisticated Brit to these Yanks – the majority of us in the UK just chuck a teabag in a Sports Direct mug and have it over with. Sort it out lass.
I took the liberty of editing one word in your comment, but have to leave it because you are spot on! We usually have 2 to 4 mugs of tea to make in my house which is why we always use a teapot. The difference in the UK is better tea bags and the water makes a massive difference, too. Our bag in a mug tastes much different to yours.
I love your site! I spent 10 days in Scotland in August 2018. My heritage is there and my family occupied Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire, for 400 years (Burnett).
I would like to purchase one of your daughter’s tea cozies, please. Please let me know designs and prices. Thank you!
Janet Burnett Miller
Hi Janet, thank you so much! My apologies for my late reply as I’ve been traveling through Europe for the last month. What a great family history! Lucky you!
I will be home later this week and have my daughter send the fabric designs and prices for you then. Stay tuned~ CC :)
[…] different kinds of tea for different occasions. The one that can be drunk with milk is the regular type. A plain tea bag […]
I’m brand new…I’ll check thingfs out and get back with you =-)
Enjoy!
I plan on purchasing Decaf PG Tips from Amazon but first I have a question for you. After reading Amazon reviews, some say along with the new packaging the tea now also tastes different and not in a good way. Have you noticed a difference? I’ve never had it so I have nothing to compare it to. Also, I like your thoughts about why the US has a love for coffee over tea. I tried to pull up the video on the impact tea has had on the UK, but the video is no longer available. Do you know of a new link where it can be viewed?
Hi Mary Louise, I honestly can’t comment on the decaf since I’ve never tried it. I do like the Typhoo because it comes sealed in smaller packages. Regarding the video, I’ve replaced the link, so you can view it now. Thanks for the heads up on that! Let me know what you think about whatever tea you order. :)
Love this post… ever since visiting the U.K. in Sept. 2018 (11 days in Scotland, 10 days in England, 2 days in Wales) I’ve had the overwhelming need to put the kettle on every afternoon! I use your method, but my pot contains 1 bag each of PG Tips, Taylor’s of Harrogate Yorkshire tea and Edinburgh Tea and Coffee Co. Scottish Breakfast tea. It makes a lovely, well-rounded brew.
I adore Scottish food too! Have made shepherd’s pie, mince with tatties and neeps and Cranachan several times. Next on my list are your scones, mincemeat tarts and the haggis, neeps and tatties with whisky sauce, as soon as my Grant’s haggis arrives. I’ve found a local farmer who raises organic lamb and sells the livers and hearts quite reasonably, just need to find sheep stomachs then I’m making my own haggis, I hope!
Oh good for you, Sandi! You’re brave to try making the haggis, but I’m sure it will be amazing! So happy you love Scottish food and have been making so many of my recipes! Thank you so much! If you sign up for my subscription, you can read about the challenge I’m doing this year and you can enter by sending in a photo of a monthly dish. Keep in touch! CC