The Conversation (0)
Sinead Butler
May 12, 2021
What’s your favourite brand of tea? People were debating on Twitter.
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We all know us Brits love a good cup of tea.
Around 84% of the British population drink tea and herbal infusions every day with approximately 100 million cups consumed daily – almost 36 billion per year.
That’s a LOT of tea.
So when an American woman on Twitter asked her UK followers “What is the the best kind of British tea?”, she was inundated with responses – and there were inevitably some strong opinions.
Melissa Amateis wanted to know which brand the best and received more than 1,000 replies from people giving their top tea recommendations.
Ok, UK followers, what is the best kind of British tea? I want to start drinking it and need to know what to try.— 🦊Melissa Amateis 📚 (@🦊Melissa Amateis 📚) 1620756387
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The UK tea market is dominated by five brands - PG Tips (owned by Unilever), Yorkshire Tea (owned by Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate), Tetley (owned by TataTeaLimited), Typhoo (owned by the Indian conglomerate Apeejay Surrendra Group) and Twinings (owned by Associated British Foods).
Yorkshire Tea was a common response, with the name trending on Twitter and tea drinkers raved about the brand:
Right and proper. https://t.co/b41k9Eispa— Rich D May (@Rich D May) 1620814564
@WW2HistoryGal Yorkshire tea, can't beat it— 🐾jenny🐾 (@🐾jenny🐾) 1620821777
@WW2HistoryGal In Britain we prefer Yorkshire Tea. The soil and climate in Yorkshire make for perfect tea growing… https://t.co/eqp5oC3T9r— Pastor Alex (@Pastor Alex) 1620816259
@WW2HistoryGal 'Yorkshire Gold' is by far the greatest tea. Nothing else comes close, although regular Yorkshire Te… https://t.co/JkQWXyji38— Harry Sword (@Harry Sword) 1620823308
Earl Grey also trended in response to the question, but of course it’s a different tea blend altogether:
@jurivision i love earl grey also ! earl grey stans assemble— dillon (@dillon) 1620810806
@WW2HistoryGal Earl Grey. Hands down.— Sam Russell-Holmes (@Sam Russell-Holmes) 1620813309
An honourable mention for PG Tips, which seemed to come in close second to Yorkshire Tea.
Yorkshire Tea always (Gold is best), PG tips is a decent second.....Tetley needs to be in the bin https://t.co/CNyphW3BDe— Beth 🎨 Commissions Open (@Beth 🎨 Commissions Open) 1620802303
@WW2HistoryGal Lots of tea snobs will point you towards Yorkshire Tea, but everyone in Britain really knows that Co… https://t.co/nisoYnCBao— Martin Sansom (@Martin Sansom) 1620824003
@WW2HistoryGal PG Tips (with oat milk!)— Billie (@Billie) 1620809395
People also provided very specific details when it came to describing how to brew a cuppa.
@WW2HistoryGal You need warmed teapot NO tea bags. Yorkshire Tea is a good brew. Also Ringtons breakfast loose. Fre… https://t.co/jTxObC1vC9— Alison Hopkins (@Alison Hopkins) 1620758731
@WW2HistoryGal As important as the tea is how you brew it! It must be with boiling water - rolling boil, cup / pot… https://t.co/LJgFGsJXqt— Steve Murphy (@Steve Murphy) 1620797951
Some noted Melissa was asking a very divisive question:
@WW2HistoryGal You could start a civil war with this one question. 🙂— BJ (@BJ) 1620763961
@WW2HistoryGal Are you trying to start a civil war? Haven't we suffered enough already??? Have a heart, Melissa...… https://t.co/UJdGlQH9As— James Archer #I Don't Believe You (@James Archer #I Don't Believe You) 1620818568
And others took the chance to ensure everyone understood the meaning of the term “builder’s tea”:
@will_ah Caffeine free would be the best! Thank you! And what does "builders" cup mean?— 🦊Melissa Amateis 📚 (@🦊Melissa Amateis 📚) 1620756601
@WW2HistoryGal Hard to explain without it sounding bad out of context. But if you went to someone’s house and they… https://t.co/zZxqZciKe9— William (@William) 1620756845
Many noted that tea originated from China, and the beverage became popular in the UK during the 17th century:
What is British tea? https://t.co/sNAAno9E1U— Priyamvada Gopal (@Priyamvada Gopal) 1620812943
@WW2HistoryGal The tea is not british, only the brands 😉— Ana G. (@Ana G.) 1620818273
@WW2HistoryGal The best tea is the one you prefer, drunk the way you prefer it (strength can vary, with/without mil… https://t.co/dc1shoM3VK— Anne Hulbert 💙 🇪🇺 🕯️🕷️3.5% (@Anne Hulbert 💙 🇪🇺 🕯️🕷️3.5%) 1620804291
So what choice did Melissa go for in the end?
Yorkshire, of course.
Thanks to everyone who responded! I couldn’t keep up with all the responses so apologies if I missed you. I ordered… https://t.co/pseU0Eny3d— 🦊Melissa Amateis 📚 (@🦊Melissa Amateis 📚) 1620780263
Don’t know about you – but we’re off to make a cuppa.