PG Tips Decaf 160: Brew Time, Milk and the Big Box

PG Tips Decaf Black Tea 160: The Quick-Brewing Evening Box

Speed has always been the point of PG Tips, and that is exactly why its decaf holds up so well. A blend built on fast release rather than deep malt has less to lose when the caffeine comes out, so this box behaves like the daytime one, just without the lift.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

PG Tips Decaf Black Tea 160: The Quick-Brewing Evening Box, in summary: A fine-cut decaf, drinkable at two minutes and complete by three. The box holds 160 bags in 464g, roughly 2.9g each, for a house that drinks decaf most evenings. It is not caffeine-free: a trace remains.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in September 2026.

Speed has always been the point of PG Tips, and that is exactly why its decaf holds up so well. A blend built on fast release rather than deep malt has less to lose when the caffeine comes out, so this box behaves like the daytime one, just without the lift.

Why a fast blend survives decaffeination

The leaf in this box is cut fine, so colour and flavour leave the bag quickly. Decaffeination is done to the leaf before it is blended and bagged, and it always takes away some aromatic top note and a little brightness. A heavy, malty blend feels that loss more keenly. A brisk, quick-releasing one like this has less riding on its top note, so the cup stays recognisably PG Tips.

Expect a medium body, a light dry snap and very little rasp. It takes milk cleanly and usually needs less of it than a heavier Yorkshire-style blend does. The smell is clean and light, not deep and bready, and because the fine cut releases it so fast it also fades sooner once the mug stands, so drink it while it is hot.

Brewing times, and the forgotten bag

Pour on freshly boiled water and allow two to three minutes. At two the mug is already a real cup; at three it is complete. Because the fine cut has done most of its work by then, a fourth minute makes it stronger rather than bitter, which matters in the evening, when tea tends to be made while you are busy with something else.

Do not bother reusing the bag: a fast-releasing cut gives up almost everything the first time. Milk goes in after the bag is out. And be clear about the word on the box. The process takes out the bulk of the caffeine but not every trace, and the residual level depends on the method, which is a figure for the current pack to state.

Choosing the 160 box, and what to dunk

This is the household size. At 160 bags in a 464g box it works out at about 2.9g of leaf a bag, and it suits a kitchen where decaf is the default after supper and three or four mugs go between dinner and bed. For a smaller household, or anyone still deciding whether decaf is for them, we also stock the seventy-bag PG Tips Decaf Black Decaffeinated.

A medium-bodied evening mug likes a biscuit with some character. Ginger Nuts give a hard, gingery snap that survives a quick dunk, the dark chocolate Hobnobs set less sweet chocolate on a sturdy oat base, and the Gluten Free Original Hobnobs mean anyone avoiding gluten can share the same plate. Keep the dunks short; this is a tea you drink hot.

The packs we stock

PG Tips Decaf Black Tea 160, 464g (barcode 8720608036806)

What to eat with it

McVitie's Ginger Nuts Biscuits, 250g: A hard, gingery biscuit that stands up to a quick dunk in a medium-bodied decaf.
McVitie's Hobnobs Dark Chocolate Biscuits The Oaty One, 262g: Oats and dark chocolate give the lighter evening cup something substantial to sit beside.
McVitie's Gluten Free Original Hobnobs Biscuits, 150g: The gluten-free Hobnob, so everyone at the table can share the plate.

Elsewhere in the PG Tips range

The full range is on the PG Tips brand page.

FAQ

How much caffeine is left in a cup? A small amount. The residual figure depends on the decaffeination method and is printed on the current pack; for none at all, choose a herbal infusion.

What happens if I forget the bag? Not much. Bitterness stays low, so a fourth minute gives a stronger cup rather than a spoiled one, though two to three minutes is the aim.

Does it take milk well? Yes. The body is medium, so a modest splash rounds it out; add it once the bag is out.

Can I reuse the bag? No. The fine cut gives up almost everything in the first brew.

How much tea is in each bag? About 2.9g, worked out from 464g across 160 bags.

Curator's note: This is the box to leave by the kettle for the evening, when nobody is timing anything. It forgives a forgotten bag, and after dinner that counts for more than any tasting note. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: PG Tips Decaf Black Tea 160: The Quick-Brewing Evening Box

Field	Detail
Brand	PG Tips
Packs we stock	464g
Category	Everyday Tea Bags
Caffeine	decaffeinated
Brew	Two to three minutes, milk after
Best with	Ginger Nuts or a dark chocolate Hobnob
Occasion	Every evening, for the whole house