Down to a tea: The perfect cuppa

10:24 16 June 2011

Most of us may think there's a knack to making a perfect cup of tea, but apparently brewing the ideal mug is all down to science.

A team of university researchers has come up with a mathematical formula for the perfect cup of tea, which shows that it's best drunk precisely six minutes after it was brewed.

They group also came up with the perfect brewing time, which is two minutes, and the ideal amount of milk is said to be 10ml.

The perfect drinking temperature of 60c is then achieved six minutes later.

After 17 minutes and 45 seconds however, the tea is ruined as it will have fallen below 45c.

The scientists at the University of Nottingham have even come up with a formula for the perfect brew for all those hard-core tea lovers out there.

It's said to be: TB [tea bag] + (H2O at 100 degrees centigrade) 2mins BT [brewing time] + C [milk] (10ml) 6mins BT [brewing time] = PC [perfect cuppa] (at OT [optimum temperature] 60 degrees centigrade)

For the research, commissioned by milk company Cravendale, the team spent 180 hours in the lab, testing tea-making methods and a panel of volunteers tasted 285 cups of tea.

Senior lecturer Ian Brown said:

"Our findings show that 10ml is the preferred amount of milk for our cuppas, due to its ability to balance natural bitterness and allow a smoother taste sensation.

"Waiting six minutes for tea to reach 60 degrees centigrade avoids the risk of scalding, yet still allows us to enjoy the full flavours and aromas in our cuppa."

The research also found that 165million cups of tea a drunk every day in Britain.