When It Comes To Making Tea, Milk Before Water Is Key

For those of us who indulge in a cozy cuppa tea every once in a while, there are certain habitual and personal rules that just aren't broken. Even when science says something that contradicts those rules, well, old habits die hard. According to science, the milk should go into the cup before the tea. Apparently, it's another mistake we might be making when brewing tea. 

If you gasped, horrified, you aren't the only one; the question has been an ongoing debate for years between the "Miffy" camp, or those who prefer milk in the cup first, and the "Tiffy" camp, or those who like their tea in first. Even George Orwell wrote about his opinion on the matter in 1946 (for the record, he was a Tiffy). Alas, Dr. Andrew Stapley of Loughborough University concluded through research that it is indeed better to add milk to your cup before your tea, according to The Guardian.

It all comes down to temperature. Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and most of us probably pull out the milk from the refrigerator. When you pour cold milk into hot tea, it heats unevenly and you risk denaturing, or curdling, your milk. To avoid scalding the milk and potentially causing it to curdle, it's best to add the milk to your mug before the tea. That way, when the hot tea is poured into the milk, it heats more evenly and lowers the risk of curdling. 

Before you scoff, milk before tea was quite common when brewing tea in a teapot and using tea cups. For afternoon tea time, the china was fragile and a direct hit of boiling hot water was liable to crack the cup. Putting milk in before the tea ensured that the liquid would be brought down to a better temperature. However, with sturdier ceramic mugs, that step isn't necessary now. 

Of course, there are some caveats. Most of us aren't making tea in a teapot; we're using teabags. Putting your teabag and milk in your mug before adding hot water may cool down the tea too much, weakening the strength of your brew. To prevent curdling and a bad brew, first pour the hot water and wait for your tea to cool to 150 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit before adding your milk.

To make the perfect cup of tea, you should follow a multi-step process to ensure a proper brew with no curdled milk. If you enjoy tea from a teapot, aim for 2 grams of tea per liter, or around 1 teaspoon per quart of tea. Your water should be soft water, not hard, as it will form a film on the surface and affect the taste of your tea (and coffee). A water filter should do the trick to avoid getting that spotty film on the surface of the tea. After pouring the water into a warmed teapot, wait a few minutes to allow the tea to steep. Add the milk first into the mug, then the tea. If you like it sweet, add sugar. If brewing in a mug, the teabag should go into the cup and the boiling water poured over it and allowed to steep for up to five minutes or less, if you like a weaker cup of tea. Allow the tea to cool slightly before adding milk, and enjoy.

Then again, taste is subjective, so brew your cup of tea however you feel brings you the most satisfaction and joy.