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I'm usually a C2 sort of guy, but through bad luck and (my own) poor performance, I've begun my Sunday morning with a B1. Whilst a bad start to the day, I'm determined not to let it ruin what could be a good Sunday.
Where do you come in on the tea debate?
It's not a linear scale from light to dark. There are three constituents: tea, milk and water. A weak cup of tea with a little milk looks different from a strong cup with a decent amount of milk. This should be a ternary plot.
Thank you. For years me and my siblings have always said it's possible to have a strong and milky tea.
Yeah it's not clear what the axes are in this picture. Looks more like a single scale split in 4
all I could think of when I saw this.
C3, no debate in my mind. I can accept C1 through to D2 though.
This is the correct answer.
The darkness I like isn't even on there.
You heathen!
If I'm in a cafe or something, or feeling posh, I have it with milk, and generally go for C2 onwards. I generally leave the teabag in for as long as possible, including not removing it at all - but if I'm having any milk at all, I'll have quite a bit of it.
If I'm at home/work or otherwise in control of the kettle, I drink it black and leave the teabag in throughout the whole drink.
Controversially, at home on an evening, though I leave the teabag in, I often top up the water a few times, therefore drinking progressively weaker tea as it gets later. The last cup of tea before bed is basically just hot water that remembers meeting a leafy flavour once.
Controversial, but consistent, opinion. At least you know exactly what you like.
Pure Barrys tea is the only reasonable choice and thus everything except D4 (mayyybee D3) should be considered a crime.
5E (a.k.a. E5)
That chart is different to an earlier one I saw. My partner likes C4 but she would turn her nose up at this particular C4. She too said she likes the look of C2 on this one.
Is there a standard tea colour chart to prevent quiet grumbling?
E5 for me. I soak and squeeze the crap out of the teebag.
A tip for everyone to get stronger tee. Put the teebag in a quarter cup of boiled water, then boil it in the microwave for 30 seconds, then add the rest of the water. It releases all the favour in the bag.
That sounds like too much tannin, but if you like that then why not. I prefer to use different tea for a stronger or milder tea flavour. I'm not trying to knock what works for you, if I had a microwave I would at least be willing to try it so I could comment with more knowledge.
You might enjoy using a loose leaf tea if you haven't tried before?
It should be strong enough to stand the spoon up in.
No milk for me, I don't think that's covered by the chart.
I accidentally tried a milkless, sugarless tea from the work vending machine the other day and, you know what? It wasn't half bad.
Somewhere on the c range. I'm not too picky.
D4, but with a shitload of sugar.
...And ice, 'cause I'm a Southerner, not a Brit. 🤪
Before the diabetes diagnosis I used to take three sugars in my tea.
Two years later and I'm not sure I could stomach tea with sugar in it.
@Oneeightnine @grue
As a student I took three sugars. Then I moved into a house with 4 others none of whom took sugar. For everyone's convenience I went cold turkey and never looked back. Now I'd spit out tea with a quarter of a spoonful of sugar.
American here who grew up on southern sweet tea. As an adult I cut the sugar from all tea and never looked back. Although I will occasionally put a little nip of B&B in there.
I say "shitload of sugar" to be funny, but in reality I make my sweet iced tea with a combination of sugar and stevia, and I try to keep the ratio as low as possible. (Can't go all stevia 'cause then you get a weird aftertaste.)
American D1 gang represent
Green tea, but D3 or D4.
Green tea needs a bit of cold water in first, to make sure the hot isn't too hot. Proper green tea blends taste like cat's piss when you over-heat them.
Like in Japanese tea ceremonies, they have to grind the green tea leaves slowly, so as not to overheat them.
Is the implication here "how much milk do you add?" Confused about the colors if that's not the answer. The option with no milk for me (but I also like white and green teas, which are nowhere near that dark color)
B3 to C2 is my preference. C3 or darker and I'm asking if the cows are on strike. B2 and lighter I'll ask if you just showed the teabag to the cup instead of putting it in.
I like my tea to be iced coffee
C1 using whole milk, which is significant if you are only using colour as a measure of tea preference.
I think milk type could be the 3rd dimension to this chart, but that is more likely to be is brew time.
D3/D4 And a small splash of milk to round it off. At most a tablespoon (15ml) to a pint.
"Just the tiiiiiniest splash of milk, please" /gets given builder's tea
C2 as well. it's the sophisticated choice.
Anything above row C is sinful lmao
C1 fight me (C2 is also acceptable)
B2, but I'm a filthy coffee drinking American what do I know.
That really depends in my opinion. For my taste a strong Assam needs a nice dash of fresh cream and a good amount of sugar, so I would say C2. A fine Darjeeling on the other hand should have no milk/D4, while a cheaper Darjeeling should have a small amount of milk as in D1-2. Earl Grey should always be pure, just with or without sugar, to not drown out the Bergamot aroma, so a clear D4. However, when not using loose tea but tea bags it all doesn't matter, since the main flavor component will be the paper bag anyway.
Cheap tea bags have a weird scent, but anything decent quality isn't going to taste like paper.
D4 realised a while back I don't really like the taste of milk, so went darker and darker until now I just drink black tea. Honestly I'm more of a coffee chap (snob)
I’m not seeing any green tea in this list.
Feeling a little left out right now! 😅😂
D row all the way. There should only be a dollop/splash of milk, just enough to cancel out the bitterness. However, if the blend is good enough I'll just have it black (eg Twinings Earl Grey works black, other Earl Greys don't).
D3, no milk.
I like C2 as well! But it depends on the tea for me. Some teas are really nice with milk and a bit of sugar but there are defintely teas where subtlety is lost with the milk. So either c2 or d4 depending on the tea