Scientist suggests using a short, stout mug and steeping quickly but with plenty of squeezing to create ideal brew
A scientist from the country where you can find tea being made with lukewarm water from the tap claims to have found the recipe for a perfect cuppa.
The secret, according to Michelle Francl, a professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College, is a pinch of salt – and energetic squeezing of the teabag.
Adding a pinch of salt – the sodium ion in salt blocks the chemical mechanism that makes tea taste bitter, especially when it has been stewed.
Steeping teabags quickly but with plenty of dunking and squeezing – to reduce the sour-tasting tannins created by caffeine dissolving slowly in water.
Decaffeinated tea can be made by steeping a teabag for 30 seconds, removing it and discarding the liquid, then adding fresh water and rebrewing for five minutes.
A small squeeze of lemon juice can remove the “scum” that sometimes appears on the surface of the drink, which is formed from chemical elements in the tea and water.
The aroma of tea is almost as important as the taste – so when drinking from a takeaway cup, it’s best to remove the lid.
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