How much do you know about British tea culture?

Why does British tea be drunk in the afternoon, not in the morning? Why do the British people only drink black tea and not green tea? Why do they like to drink Assam tea and Daji Ling tea? When did black tea drinking begin in the Western world? With these questions, let us unveil the mystery of British afternoon tea for you.

British Tea Culture History

• Why is British afternoon tea only drunk in the afternoon？

It is said that this is because the Duchess of Bedford in the 18th century felt that the time between lunch and dinner was too long and that there was too much leisure time, so she started to eat biscuits, drink tea, and get together with a few of friends in the afternoon. Nobles gradually began to have the habit of drinking afternoon tea. As a result, afternoon tea has become one of the characteristic cultures in the UK.

In 1662, Princess Catherine married King Charles II of England. Because she liked to drink tea so much, she brought the tea to England. At that time, the British aristocrats who loved drinking ale and wine discovered that Princess Catherine was drinking tea. They were shocked. So it was very trendy for the royal palace nobles, and it immediately became popular in the life of British nobles.

According to statistics from the UK Tea & Infusions Association, an average of 60 billion teas are drunk in the UK every year. Some Britons even drink eight times a day because of their deep love for tea. There are many types of tea in the UK. What kind of tea do authentic British people drink? Let’s learn how to brew a charming and romantic English afternoon tea!

British tea types

• Single origin tea

Pure tea named after the place of origin, such as Darjeeling, Assam, Ceylon

The biggest feature of single-product tea is that it has not been processed and flavored. The flavor of the tea will change with the local terroir, climatic conditions, and the craftsmanship of the tea roaster. The quality of this kind of tea is relatively simple, and people’s acceptance is relatively high. Whether it is drunk alone, with milk or sugar, it can meet the public’s taste.

• Blended tea

The tea produced by mixing two or more single-origin teas is called mixed tea. The more well-known English breakfast black tea, Irish black tea, Irish breakfast, and afternoon tea afternoon blend, each brand will launch exclusive tea styles to attract consumers and create brand characteristics.

• Flavored tea

Flavored tea is a type of tea that is based on tea from the place of origin and is seasoned with fruits, flowers, herbs, spices, essential oils, and other different elements during the tea-making process. For example, Earl Gray tea is one of the classic flavor tea representatives of British tea.

Extended reading: Discover the elegant of British tea culture

How to drink authentic British afternoon tea?

How to brew the perfect cup of black tea for British afternoon tea? The specific brewing method is divided into the following seven steps:

1. Boil hot water to 100 degrees
2. Warm the teapot body with boiling water first, then pour out the hot water
3. Add the appropriate amount of tea leaves into the teapot according to your personal preferences. It is recommended that one serving is 3g of tea leaves.
4. Let it sit for 3-4 minutes
5. Those who like to add milk can add milk into the cup first
6. Add hot black tea to the cup
7. If you like to add sugar, please add sugar cubes at this time.

British tea brand

• British century-old classic brand—Whittard of Chelsea

• The affordable representative of the public— Twinings

• The British royal family’s tea—Fortnum & Mason

Essential ceramic tea sets for British tea