You can brew it!

Settling down with a cuppa is often the highlight of the day.

But did you know that there is actually a science behind brewing the perfect cup of tea?

Follow these top tips from cuppa connoisseur Dr Michelle Francl to achieve the perfect brew – there’s much more to it than you might think! ● Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea by Dr Michelle Francl, available to buy from Amazon 1. Pass the salt

You can easily reduce the bitter taste of your cuppa with just a tiny pinch of regular table salt.

Sodium-ion is a key element of salt, and it interacts with the chemical mechanism that produces the perception of a bitter taste.

2. Size matters!

When brewing your tea, don’t opt for a tall and cylindrical cup. This is because they expose your brew to a greater surface area, meaning your tea will cool down quicker.

If you want to keep your tea hot, choose a short and stout cup instead. This will allow you to enjoy the perfect tasting tea at the right temperature, too.

3. Bitter, not better

While tea tastes great, some of us drink it for a cheeky caffeine fix, too.

Caffeine is hydrophilic, meaning it’s water-loving, so it is released quickly when you brew your tea.

However, the bitter compounds – like tannins – don’t dissolve quickly.

So, don’t steep your tea in hot water, or your brew will be very bitter.

4. The age-old debate

We’ve all heard of letting your tea bag sit for three minutes to achieve the perfect tasting brew – all without squeezing it on the side of the cup.

However, within a minute of steeping, all the caffeine and antioxidants in your tea bag are gone.

So, go against the grain by dunking and squeezing them to get the most out of them while you can!

5. DIY decaffeination

If you want your tea but without the caffeine buzz, take a teabag, add 60ml of boiling water and then let it steep for 30 seconds.

Discard the water, which contains over 80% of the caffeine and re-brew for five minutes in fresh water.