Tea-loving Britons want a strong and dark cuppa

BRITONS have revealed how they love their tea – make sure it’s a strong cuppa and not a wishywashy brew.

According to research, 33 per cent of the country would describe their perfect cuppa as “dark”, while just one in four prefers a milky tea. The remainder said they like it somewhere in the middle.

Northern Irish tea drinkers like their brew the strongest and darkest, while those in Scotland and the North-east are most likely to appreciate a milkier mug.

Tea fans in the South-east are most likely to leave their tea bag in for longer, letting it brew for an average of 64 seconds – seven seconds longer than the national average of 57 seconds. But East Anglians are in a hurry, letting the bag stew for just 48 seconds.

As for the great milk debate, 73 per cent add milk at the end of the process, with just 19 per cent preferring to add the milk first.

Emma Stanbury, from Arla BOB Milk, which commissioned the study, said: “The research celebrates Britain as a nation of tea drinkers, with a few surprising results like almost one in five putting the milk in first.

“And with more than 50 shades of tea, everyone’s favourite cuppa is a little different.” The survey also examined the politics of tea-making at work.

One in five employees says they always offer to make the tea but 18 per cent admit they try to dodge their turn and wait for someone else to offer.

Fifteen per cent of workers who took part in the study consider themselves “very fussy” over their tea, with human resources workers the most particular.

And one in 10 has been so unimpressed by their colleagues’ teamaking capabilities they have thrown it away.