If it’s one thing Yorkshire folk love, it’s a good ol’ brew. We must get through at least 80% of the county’s supply of Yorkshire Tea, which as we all know is grown on the rolling hills of Huddersfield. But, have we been making a brew the wrong way all this time? According to Science, yes we have.
One expert has caused havoc in the tea making world as he asserts that pouring milk on a teabag before adding boiling water is the tastiest way to make a brew. If you haven’t lobbed your phone out the window in anger at this piece of information, here’s his scientific reasoning.
It seems that adding the milk first helps counteract hard water, which is an issue that affects half of Brits. Professor, Alan Mackie of non-other than Leeds University says that people living in hard water areas should pick up this method of making a brew for better results.
Research done in conjunction with INTU, who manufacture boiling water taps, found minerals in hard water inhibit flavour compounds forming. The milk proteins lower the mineral content of the water and gives the brew extra flavour according to Professor Mackie.
Professor Mackie said, “Flavour by and large is produced by the different compounds in tea including tannins in particular,’ Professor Mackie says. The more minerals present in water the more difficult it is for these compounds to develop the flavour – resulting in the dull cuppas you get in hard water areas.
“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.
“But, if the milk is added at the start of the steeping process then its proteins can bind to the tannins and other minerals in the water – preventing them from turning solid – which in turn gives you a far superior flavour.’
“[This] prevents them from turning solid, which in turn gives you a far superior flavour.”
Kieran Taylor-Bradshaw, Managing Director of hot tap manufacturer INTU Boiling Water Taps, also said: “A decent cuppa brings joy and brightens the day, but for too many it remains a distant dream, with hard water to blame.’
He says that INTU is “delighted to be able to bring an end to the misery that blights millions of lives”.
Will you be picking up this new brew-making technique?
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