How to Brew Welsh Tea (and Why Your Water Matters)

The recipe

Exact quantities, then the method.

A proper Welsh brew is strong and milk-friendly, and there is a real reason behind it: Glengettie is blended for the soft water of Wales, which historically drew a bolder cup. The practical upshot is useful wherever you live. Brew it hard and short, finish with milk, and if you are in a hard-water area, let it run a touch longer, because hard water dulls the extraction.

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the How to Brew Welsh Tea (and Why Your Water Matters) recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/black-tea/how-to-brew-welsh-tea-and-why-your-water-matters/

It uses Glengettie Welsh Breakfast Tea. One mug, a few minutes, and it is the classic teatime cup, often served with bara brith.

⏱ 4 min 🍽 Serves 1 📊 Easy 📚 Black Tea Recipes

You'll need

1 Glengettie Welsh Breakfast tea bag
250ml freshly drawn water, brought to a full rolling boil
A splash of cold milk, to taste
Sugar or honey, optional

Method

Boil fresh water fully; soft-water-style blends need the full 100C to open up.
Put the bag in the mug and pour the boiling water straight onto it.
Steep for 3 minutes in a soft-water area, or 4 minutes in a hard-water one, to make up for hard water dulling the extraction.
Press the bag firmly against the side a couple of times, then lift it out.
Add the milk after the bag is out, so the brew stays hot; Welsh brews are made to take milk well.
Sweeten if you like. It is a classic teatime cup, often served with a slice of bara brith.

What you'll end up with: A strong, malty, milk-friendly Welsh teatime mug, brewed to suit your local water: brisk in soft, robust in hard.

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