Milky Tea - before or after?

Question

When do you add milk into a cup of tea? Before or after the tea bag is removed?

Answer 1

Before! Otherwise how do you really know how strong the tea is?! Oh, you can guess, but this can lead to tea disasters ...

There have been too many occasions when I have had a cup of insipid tea-flavoured milk from those who put the milk in either before the hot water or after the bag has been removed (too much milk usually).

The only way to obtain the perfect colour (therefore strength) is to be patient and wait for the tea to infuse in the hot water alone. THEN you can add the milk, whilst teasing the bag until you get the perfect colour.

It is completely logical to do it this way round, and some kind of madness to put milk in either before the hot water or after removing the bag.

The danger of a weak cup of tea is just too great to have aires and graces about removing the bag first.

If someone is that fussy, they should brew in a teapot!

Answer 2

After

Answer 3

Purists will say after - but then the cold milk cools down the tea. People who really like hot tea usually put the milk in the cup first so that the hot tea (brewed in a teapot that has been warmed before the boiling water is added to the tea) warms up the milk, not the other way round. I prefer to drink tea without milk and let my guests add their own milk.

Answer 4

Before the teabag is removed!!!!!!!!!
I would definitely do it after that and when pouring tea from a teapot into a mug, I generally tend to add the milk afterwards, I feel I can judge the quantity better that way. My friend however adds the milk before the tea when pouring from a teapot, his reason is that it mixes the milk and tea together, therefore the drink does not require stirring.

Answer 5

I grew up putting the milk in after the tea bag was removed, but now I sometimes put the milk in while the tea bag is steeping to save time. It seems a little icky though.

Answer 6

Don't add milk before the boiling water has infused the tea bag for four-five minutes. The water temperature will cool as soon as you add the milk, so this should be done last, after the tea bag has been removed.
Only use fresh water from the tap, not water previously boiled.

Answer 7

I add milk after the tea bag is removed.

Answer 8

Definately after taking the tea bag out. If you put the milk in too early the water loses it's heat and the tea bag stops infusing.

Answer 9

You add the milk after if you are making a single cup of tea with the tea bag in the cup....but if you are making a pot of tea, the milk goes in first.....the Queen told me that!!!

Answer 10

After Ive removed the tea bag. Then I add milk til its the right colour.