Who doesn’t love a perfectly brewed cup of Black tea first thing in the morning? Considering that Black tea is one of the simplest teas to brew, no wonder it is popular amongst the masses.
There is no right or wrong way to make Black tea, but there are certain steps you can take to enhance the flavor and aroma of your tea. Some like to add sugar to their tea, while others prefer the traditional way.
There are many ways to brewing a cup of Black tea. You can have it simple and plain or add condiments like flower buds, sugar, or milk. From ingredients added to the utensils used all contribute to how Black tea is enjoyed. Use a cup, teapot, or a coffee maker. It all depends on your creativity.
Drinking Black tea with fruits
If you are new to the tea-drinking business, then you might find the idea of adding fruit to your Black tea slightly absurd. But long-term tea lovers will definitely agree that there is no better way to enjoy a plain cup of Black tea other than with fruits.
You can either use dried fruits such as figs, pistachios, mango, or strawberry. Thought adding fresh fruits is often uncalled for. Some do enjoy the taste of fresh fruits in their tea as opposed to dried fruits.
Some examples of fresh fruits which couple well with a cup of Black tea include lemon or orange, these combinations are best enjoyed during the winter months.
Note that the fruit you add to your tea will affect the flavor of the Black tea depending on its temperature. If you add hot mango to your Black tea instead of cold, the flavor profile changes drastically.
You can purchase these fruits in any local supermarket. Most stores carry them in the aisle with the cereals. These fruits will come in dried pre-packed containers.
To get the most flavors out of your fruits, we recommend adding them directly to the boiling water along with the loose leaf tea or teabag. Do not add milk to tea that has fruit added to it. It will ruin the taste.
Drinking Black tea with flower petals
If neither adding fruit nor milk is your cup of tea, try adding flower petals or buds to your Black tea. Not only does it look aesthetically pleasing, but it also adds a great aroma to the plain cup of Black tea.
The most commonly used buds are those of rose flowers. They go well with the malty variety of Black tea. Jasmine Black tea is another popular black tea variety that uses jasmine petals. Some types use cornflower in their blends.
You can also jazz up your Black tea and make it similar to Earl Grey by adding orange blossoms or bergamot buds. Some regions in Japan also utilize cherry blossom petals in the Black tea blend.
To utilize flower petals or buds in your Black tea, first, you simply have to bring water to a boil and add the petals or buds directly into it. On the other hand, you could also add the petals into your teacup and pour the prepared tea over it.
You can purchase these petals at any local tea shop or spice house.
Drinking Black tea with spices
We have all heard of adding milk, sugar, petal, and fruits to our tea at some point in our life. But adding spice to your Black tea is a foreign idea even to the most knowledgeable tea lovers.
Many regions in South Asia, especially India and Pakistan, use spices in their tea to spice up the flavor. This Black tea made with spice is referred to as ‘Chai’ in these regions. Chai can also be made using Green or White tea blends.
There are many more spices that you can add to your Chai, but the most commonly used spice in Chai are cardamom, ginger, black cloves, cinnamon, and star anise. Note that spice tea has a strong flavor and might be too overpowering for some.
Spiced Black tea can also be enjoyed by adding milk to it and sugar as per your liking. We actually recommend adding milk as it will help first-timers enjoy the tea without finding it too strong.
Drinking Black tea with sugar and milk
Though many avid tea drinkers would argue that a perfect cup of Black tea contains nothing and should be enjoyed simply, some vouch for Black tea with milk and sugar.
In many parts of South Asia and The United Kingdom, people enjoy their Black tea with a hint of milk and sugar. To control how strong the flavor of your tea is, you could either add more tea leaves or add less milk.
To prepare Black tea with milk and sugar, you can go about two ways. The first method calls for bringing water to a boil in a saucepan or a kettle. To the same saucepan, you can directly add the milk or sugar.
However, in the case of using a kettle, you will need to add the milk separately to your teacup. The second method also uses a kettle. But, instead of adding milk to your teacup, you can add tea whitener instead.
If you are going to be adding milk to your tea, hold back on the cream. Otherwise, you will be left with a cup of cream with a hint of tea rather than a cup of tea.
Frequently asked questions about how to drink Black tea
What kind of milk can we add to our Black tea?
The type of milk you add to your tea depends significantly on the person’s preference. However, we recommend using whole milk instead of skimmed milk.
At what temperature should you brew your Black tea?
To bring one cup of water to an adequate temperature, you will need to heat it up to 194°F (90°C).
How long should you brew your Black tea before drinking it?
3-5 minutes is the ideal time for brewing your tea and letting it steep before drinking it. However, if you enjoy stronger tea, you can let it steep for more.