Over half of people in Belfast (56%) surveyed said a cup of tea gets them going in the morning.
That’s according to a survey carried out by experts at the UK Tea & Infusions Association.
If you think you know all there is to know about the nation’s favourite beverage, pop the kettle on and think again — as we celebrate International Tea Day on 21 May.
There are so many questions: How many cups of tea are consumed every day? What’s Belfast’s favourite brew? And do we put the milk in first or the tea?
As a result, the tea experts at the UK Tea & Infusions Association (UKTIA) have published the first ever Tea Census Report to provide the answers to common tea questions borne out of real-world research data.
We import around 100,000 metric tons of tea every year and consume more than 100 million cups of tea every day in the UK and according to the UKTIA’s Tea Census report our favourite brew is the humble cuppa – black tea – derived from the Camellia sinensis plant – and almost one in four people (22%) adds milk or sugar BEFORE adding the teabag and hot water.
According to the Tea Census Report nine in 10 people (89%) in Belfast drink black tea, with or without milk.
Dr Sharon Hall, head of the UK Tea and Infusions Association (UKTIA) says: “If there’s something the people do well, it’s popping on the kettle and brewing a good cup of tea. It’s a tradition that dates back to the 16th century when Charles II married the Portuguese princess and tea lover Catherine of Braganza.
“Most people in Belfast think black tea comes from India (39%) or China (33%) but most of the tea drunk in the UK actually comes from Kenya, although it is often blended with other teas such as Assam tea from India, Ceylon teas from Sri Lanka and black teas from Rwanda and other east African nations.
“True tea from the Camellia sinensis plant is grown in more than 60 countries and can be processed in a variety of ways to make black, green and oolong teas to name but a few, all from the same plant. As a result, there are hundreds of different types of tea to try.”
And the range of choice doesn’t stop there. Around 300 different plants and over 400 plant parts including leaves roots, bark, seeds, flowers, or fruits are used in herbal and fruit infusions. Peppermint and chamomile are the most popular infusions with 41% and 39% of respondents drinking them at least twice a week.
Take a break
Although tea can be a real thirst quencher as well as a means of socialising, our love of tea runs far deeper as many respondents turn to tea when they’re emotional and cold according to the Tea Census report.
Dr Sharon Hall notes: “Tea is a hug in a mug, a loyal friend, and a calming aid…there’s just so much going on when we take time to make a brew.”
Real world research detailed in the UKTIA’s Tea Census Report reveals four in five people in Belfast (78%) see a tea-break as an important time-out and 67% say it helps to recharge their batteries. Over two-thirds of people in Belfast (67%) have a biscuit with their brew, with 22% of tea drinkers dipping into the cookie jar for seconds.
Dr Sharon Hall adds: “Half of people in Belfast (50%) see their tea break as a time to chat with work colleagues, 39% to catch up on social media, 17% enjoy doing a puzzle on their tea-break and 6% use the time to just sit and think.
“Most of those surveyed were familiar with blends such as Earl Grey and English Breakfast, but Darjeeling and Assam black teas from India were less well known, as were Gyokuro green tea from Japan, Long Jing (also known as Dragon Well) green tea from China, or Oolong tea, which is sometimes described as the ultimate tea if you think you don’t like tea.
“Oolongs, traditionally from China’s Fujian province and Taiwan, are semi-oxidised teas ranging from light, fragrant greenish oolongs to dark brown leaf oolongs which yield liquors with deeper, earthier flavours as well as hints of peach and apricot.”
Brews and moods
And according to the UKTIA Tea Census report the brew we choose depends on our mood, with six in 10 people in Belfast (61%) confirming feelings are a factor in our choice of tea or infusion. Our all-purpose pick is black tea, which we sip when we’re feeling hungry, lonely, nostalgic, bored, sad, angry, motivated, or happy.
Dr Sharon Hall notes: “A third of people in Belfast (33%) turn to chamomile when they want to de-stress, and a fruit infusion is a popular choice when feeling dreamy (11%).
“If we were told we couldn’t have tea for a day, 61% of people in Belfast said they would be upset, angry or saddened and four in 10 (44%) would miss it terribly.”
Nearly six in 10 people in Belfast (56%) surveyed for the Tea Census report told us a cup of tea gets them going in the morning and 44% say a brew helps them fact a difficult conversation or email.
How to make a perfect brew
Want to know what makes the best brew? UKTIA’s Dr Sharon Hall has put together a few simple steps to help ensure you make the best brew this International Tea Day and beyond:
- Use a good quality tea bag or loose-leaf tea and store your tea in a cool, dry place.
- Avoid storing tea next to strongly flavoured or perfumed foods.
- Always use freshly drawn water and consider using a water filter. Dr Sharon Hall explains, “In some parts of the country the tap water is hard or soft and this can affect the taste of the tea.”
- Use one tea bag or one rounded teaspoon of loose tea for each cup or mug.
- Smart boil. Using your mug, measure out the water you need for one or two cuppas and just boil that. Dr Sharon Hall notes; “This will help save on energy costs and will ensure a good flavour tea which develops best when made with freshly boiled water. The lack of oxygen bubbles in re-boiled water can give the tea a flat taste.”
- Allow the tea to brew for the recommended time before pouring, always read the instructions on the pack and if you’re brewing tea from a bag in a mug, adding milk last is best.
- Most black teas should be brewed for three to four minutes, while Lapsang Souchong black tea tastes best after four to five minutes. Brew green tea for three to four minutes and oolong tea for three to five minutes, depending on your strength preference.
- Remove the bag after brewing, before adding the milk.
- Put your feet up, relax and enjoy.
To discover more about different types of tea and the countries where they are grown? Tune into Around the World in 80 Teas series at YouTube.com/UKTalkingTea.
