How to Brew Welsh Tea (and Why Your Water Matters)
A strong soft water style Welsh brew: brewed hard and short, finished with milk. Adjusts for hard water with a touch longer in the cup.
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.
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.
Want the background, not just the brew?
Brewed with: Glengettie Welsh Breakfast Tea, 80 Tea Bags 250g
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