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If you are serious about your tea, drinking a cup someone else has made for you may not always be an experience you are looking forward to. Most teas will taste good when prepared following the instruction on the packaging, but bad cups may still happen. The host may not pay too much attention to the proper brewing parameters, may use lower-quality tea, or the one you don’t enjoy. Saying no to a cup of tea if you are known as a tea lover is more unpleasant that it seems.

We’ve all been there.

How to improve the flavor of tea

Luckily, there are things you can do to make tea taste better and turn discomfort into a pleasant experience.

1. Ask for honey

   Honey is a much healthier alternative to regular sugar. While white sugar can offer only empty calories, real honey contains many beneficial nutrients. Besides, it goes well with any type of tea – white, green, yellow, oolong, black, dark or herbal.

2. Add fruits

   If you get served some fruits on the side, pop a few pieces into your cup and let it steep for a few minutes. All fresh fruits, not only lemon, may give great flavor to any tea.

3. Drink is while it’s still hot

   The flavor of any tea will change as it cools down. All teas that contain caffeine and tannins will become more bitter and more difficult to drink, especially green tea. Drink it while it’s still hot – take small sips not to get burned.

4. Have flavor drops in your handbag/pocket

   If you are familiar with sugar-free fitness flavor drops, you probably know how versatile they are. The right flavor can turn any boring meal into a genuine delight. The same goes with tea. If asking for condiments makes you embarrassed, don’t leave your house without your favorite flavor.

5. Add sugar and rum

   If you are legally allowed to drink alcohol, sugar and tea and rum, make an interesting pair. A shot of rum into a cup of over-steeped black tea will add a warming wintery note. Mellow it out with a teaspoon of brown sugar.

6. Eat something sweet first

   Eating a sweet cake or dessert will make your tea taste different. Although it’s better to avoid this when drinking high quality teas, if someone offers you a cup of not-so-tasty-tea, it will help alter the flavor.

7. Don’t use your nose

   If any of the above alternatives are not suitable, hold your breath while taking a sip. Although you may feel the flavor with your taste buds, your nose plays an enormous role, too. In fact, studies showed our nose is responsible for the 80% of the flavors we taste [1].

How to prevent drinking a bad cup

Does applying any of these suggestions still make you feel uncomfortable? Try preventing the whole situation before it happens. Gift your host a packet of your favorite loose leaf tea leaves and tell them how you are looking forward to them to try it out. There’s a high chance they will offer you that same tea. And yes, it’s totally acceptable – everyone deserves to enjoy the best cup. The safest bet? Chai black tea, Oriental Beauty oolong or Silver Needle white tea.

Sources

[1] https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/taste-smell-connection/