A Perfect Cup of Tea: The Golden Rules

At Hope and Glory we think that making a perfect cup of tea is a very personal experience but, historically, tea drinkers of Britain have shown a vibrant interest in doing it ‘the right way‘ and certain advice pops up time and time again.

Always use freshly drawn, cold water every time you fill your kettle.

• The oxygen in the water is vital in producing a lively, bright brew. It’s important you don’t over-boil your kettle – this can change the taste of the water and the appearance of the tea.

Make sure your tea pot is clean and warm your teapot first by swirling a small amount of boiled water in it.

This ensures the water temperature remains hot when poured.

• If you prefer teabags, use two or three per pot depending on how strong you like your tea to taste.
• If you prefer loose tea, allow one teaspoon per person and one teaspoon for the pot. It’s entirely up to you – add as much or as little to make it to the strength you like.

Use boiling water for black teas and herbals, and a touch cooler for more delicate greens. 

If you have temperature controlled teapot then 80°C is perfect for these lighter teas, or simply leave your boiled water to cool down for around 5 minutes before using.

Leaving the tea to brew under a tea cosy is a no-no!

This extends the brewing time and can make the tea bitter and stewed.
A removable infuser or decanting the tea into another pot can help to get round this problem.

A perfect cup of tea starts with top quality tea.

Tea absorbs moisture and kitchen smells so to keep your tea fresh and avoid spoiling the flavour, keep in a sealed container like our Hope & Glory tins.
Go whole leaf for the finest flavour.

Our entire range of teas are all whole leaf grade (no pekoe dust in our bags!), so whether you opt for our pyramid bags or loose tea sachets you can be sure of the finest flavour in each and every cup.