Brilliant brews

Top tips for making the perfect brew

1. How hot?

For black tea, use only freshly boiled water and do not over-boil. Green tea should just be at boiling point, not over it.

2. Let loose

‘Standard paper teabags have very small particles of tea inside, which brew quickly with a lot of colour and strength but it lacks subtle flavours,” says tea historian Jane Pettigrew. ‘Pyramid teabags are better as they have larger tea leaves, so more flavour and quality comes through when brewing. Loose leaf tea gives you more flavour, more colour and a better taste overall, too, so they are becoming more popular.’

3. Kettle care

The water in your brew can be just as important as the leaves. Oxygen levels make a difference, so use fresh water every time. Brita has a range of kettles with built-in filters, reducing the levels of limescale and heavy metals in water, meaning your teas will have the full flavour and taste as they ought to. The reduced limescale also means that your appliance will last longer.’

4. Milking it

Milk first or second? Traditionally milk first was to protect delicate bone china, so unless you have such exquisite taste, it’s really up to you.