The great milk debate (2024)

Milk in first or milk in last?

It's a debate which has raged for centuries and it's showing no signs of slowing down. But unlike that special list of personal tea preferences (how strong you like it, what colour it should be, whether you take sugar, and so on) this is a question with an answer. A real, objective answer.

So – should you add the milk to the mug first or the tea to the mug first? To use the correct terms, should you be a Miffy or a Tiffy?

When you're brewing in a mug, it's Tiffy all the way. When you add cold milk, the temperature of the water lowers and the tea doesn't brew so well. So that warning people sometimes quote, about how you should never let milk and tea bag touch, is actually good advice.

This is how our tea buyer, Suzy, sees it: “To get the best infusion possible, black tea really needs freshly boiled water (as close to 100°C as possible). When you put milk into infusing tea you lower the temperature of the water so a proper infusion can’t take place. To get the best of your brew in a mug, always make the tea first to your taste and strength and the milk after.”

But what if you’re brewing in a teapot? Well, whether you’re a teapot Miffy or a teapot Tiffy is totally up to you. But there is a reason you might want to add the tea first.

Suzy said: “When using a teapot it’s really up to you as you’re not adding the milk to the infusion- but I think it’s best to pour tea first to judge the strength and add milk last.”

“One of the things I love about tea is how everyone has their own way of making it, which they often feel quite passionate about! But here at Yorkshire Tea HQ it’s our job to make sure that only the best quality tea goes into our blends, so you get the same great brew every time.

“So when people ask me how to make the perfect cup of tea my answer is always simple; use freshly boiled water, brew to preferred strength (we recommend up to 4 minutes for optimum infusion)and add your milk or sugar (if you must) to your taste.

“But ultimately, it’s what’s inside (the bag) that counts...”