The surprising way to make the perfect cup of tea according to science

Friday, 21 May 2021 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The long and heated debate of how to make the perfect cup of tea has now been solved by scientists. This can be a touchy subject for many and comes down to personal preference.

Arguments can break out on whether you let your teabags steep in a teapot or if you should use water from a kettle. Are you a fan of sugar or sweetener or do you enjoy a less sweet cuppa?

This debate has come to an end as Leeds University’s School Of Food Science & Nutrition, Alan Mackie has revealed the recipe for a perfect cup of tea.

The first step is pouring in your milk. Alan found that that the proteins in the milk lowers the mineral content of the water and allows you to lock in the flavour.

The next important part of a perfect cuppa is finding out how hard your water is. Some of us might remember this from our school days but the hardness of water is determined by the amount of calcium and magnesium in it.

Hard water has higher levels of them, combined with other minerals. You are out of luck because the majority of the water in Ireland is hard.

Alan found in his research that: “Flavour by and large is produced by the different compounds in tea including tannins in particular.”

“The more minerals present in the water the more difficult it is for these compounds to develop the flavour, resulting in the dull cuppas you get in hard water areas.”

Unfortunately for those who enjoy a good pot of tea, you are making a mistake.

Alan found that: “Making tea the traditional way – steeping a bag in hot water before removing it and adding milk – results in the tannins turning into solids before they can develop the flavour properly.”

Alan has three decades of experience in understanding the complexities of producing flavour and worked with INTU Boiling Water Taps to share his research.

The Managing Director of the hot tap manufacturer said: “A decent cuppa brings joy and brightens the day, but for too many it remains a distant dream, with hard water to blame.

“But by enlisting the services of the nation’s foremost food scientist, at INTU we’re delighted to be able to bring an end to the misery that blights millions of lives.” (Source: irrishmirror.ie)