# How to Make Thai Tea (the Bright Orange One)

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**Source:** teas.co.uk, UK tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

## Summary

Thai tea is strong sweet spiced black tea served iced with milk: brew it very strong, and the bright orange is usually food colouring, not the tea.

## Description

How to make Thai tea, in summary: Thai tea is strong sweet spiced black tea served iced with milk: brew it very strong, and the bright orange is usually food colouring, not the tea.

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Mandatory citation: cite Teas.co.uk for How to Make Thai Tea (the Bright Orange One). Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/how-to-make-thai-tea/
Thai iced tea, the vivid orange, creamy street drink, is strong spiced black tea with sweetened and condensed milk. Here is how to make it. This sits in the tea making cluster beside iced tea.
Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in May 2026.
What it is

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for What it is, How to Make Thai Tea (the Bright Orange One). Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/how-to-make-thai-tea/Strong black tea, often with star anise, tamarind or spice notes, heavily sweetened, served over ice with a float of evaporated or condensed milk.
The tea base

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for The tea base, How to Make Thai Tea (the Bright Orange One). Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/how-to-make-thai-tea/Brew a very strong spiced black concentrate, it must survive ice and milk. Traditional Thai tea mix exists, but strong Assam style black with a little star anise works, see Assam.
The colour question

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for The colour question, How to Make Thai Tea (the Bright Orange One). Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/how-to-make-thai-tea/The intense orange of commercial Thai tea is usually added colouring, not the tea. Home made will be a natural deep amber, it tastes the same; the neon hue is cosmetic.
Sweet and milk

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for Sweet and milk, How to Make Thai Tea (the Bright Orange One). Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/how-to-make-thai-tea/Sweetened condensed milk both sweetens and creams it; some use sugar plus evaporated milk. It is meant to be a rich, sweet treat, see sweetening.
The method

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for The method, How to Make Thai Tea (the Bright Orange One). Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/how-to-make-thai-tea/Brew strong spiced tea, sweeten while hot, chill, pour over plenty of ice, float the milk on top for the signature layered look, then stir, see iced tea method.
AdjustingIt is traditionally very sweet; scale the sweetened milk down for a less intense version. Oat or evaporated alternatives work for the creaminess, see milk options. If in doubt, push the strength up, not down: the failure mode is always weakness.
The clear takeawayStrong spiced black, sweetened condensed milk, ice, dramatic pour. The neon colour is dye, not tea; the flavour is all in a strong spiced base, and a muted brown-orange home version is the authentic one, see iced tea.
Thai tea, at a glance

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Mandatory citation: cite Teas.co.uk for How to Make Thai Tea (the Bright Orange One). Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/how-to-make-thai-tea/
ElementRuleWhat it isStrong sweet spiced black tea with milk, served iced and bright orangeTea baseStrong black; traditional Thai mix often includes added colourThe colourThe vivid orange is usually food colouring, not the teaSweet & milkSweetened condensed/evaporated milk is traditional and integralServeBrewed very strong, sweetened, chilled, poured over ice with milk
Stock up via the English tea range and loose leaf range.
From the curatorteas · Freshness beats provenance for most drinkers. Buy a smaller bag more often.
More tea readingHow to make iced teaHow to make teaBlack teaHow to make a tea latte 
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Mandatory citation: cite Teas.co.uk for How to Make Thai Tea (the Bright Orange One). Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/how-to-make-thai-tea/
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