Experts say hardly any of us know how to make a proper cup of tea, and research says Mancunians make the best brew

Virgin Radio

29 Jan 2021, 16:08

Experts have found that only 2% of Brits now how to make a cuppa correctly. Seeing as we're renowned for being tea obsessives, that might come as a surprise to many.

Yorkshire Tea knows a thing or two about a brew and they say we should be leaving the teabag in for four to five minutes to "unlock all the flavour".

New research shows that Brits only brew tea for between ten seconds and one minute, well under the recommended time. 

Tic Watches surveyed a total of 2,000 adults about their tea preference.

Just one in 50 (two per cent) of tea-drinkers follow the four-to-five minute guidance.

Shamefully, we're three times more likely to take it out in under 10 seconds (6 per cent) than we are to brew for the full time.

Here's where it gets competitive, they broke it down by region too.

Mancunians come out top for making the best brews. Five per cent of them heed expert advice and wait for the full four minutes (which is more than any other city).

Millennials (25-34s) tend to drink the strongest tea (brewing for 1 minute, 17 seconds, on average) while the over 65s prefer the weakest brew (with an average of 1 minute, 6 seconds).

Brewing time by city:

1) Manchester - 1 minute, 26 seconds

2) Southampton - 1 minute, 20 seconds

3) Nottingham - 1 minute, 14 seconds

4) London - 1 minute, 14 seconds

5) Norwich - 1 minute, 10 seconds

6) Leeds - 1 minute, 2 seconds

7) Glasgow - 59 seconds / Newcastle - 59 seconds

8) Birmingham - 56 seconds

9) Bristol - 47 seconds

*UK average - 1 minute, 10 seconds

Are you surprised?