# "Drinking tea without milk and sugar is not civilised." **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 14, 2003, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358 "2003-07-14T12:37:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/21 "2003-07-14T16:30:10Z")
Lipton’s Yellow Label Quality One, (which I used bring back from Asia, but now they stock in my local grocery), …in a proper silver tea service, (plate, used, a little dinged up, but pay no mind), …served, of course, with cup and saucer, …on a tray, every morning with the paper. Now – let’s talk civilized! And, yes, I do put milk and sugar (demmerara) in, and I love it. I always offer tea to anyone who enters my home, and my friends love to have tea at my house. I don’t mind some clear Asian teas but nothings as civilized as a pot of Lipton’s. Actually my very favorite tea, is currently, Boh Tea, orange pekoe, I brought it home in my bag. My favorite clear(ish) tea is Kashmiri tea, made with Cardamom, ginger, saffron etc. Ambrosia, I swear. I got the recipe from the guesthouse I stayed in, brought the tea and saffron home in my bag. Most disappointing cuppa; Darjeeling, India. I nearly wept, my expectations were so high and the reality sooo disappointing. The milk had been boiled and always had a skin on it, and there was always nasty silt in the bottom. I eventually stopped trying, just gave up and left town. I could probably give up a lot of things in my life, but if I had to give up drinking tea it would be a real hardship. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/22 "2003-07-14T16:33:36Z")
Must have honey in tea, plus milk or cream if it is black tea. If feeling ill, then honey and lemon. ---
**Author:** ![lightingtool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/57b2e6/32.png) [@lightingtool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lightingtool)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/23 "2003-07-14T17:11:43Z")
I’ve just gotten hooked on Trader Joe’s Irish Breakfast Tea. It’s great all by itself, no milk, sugar, nuthin. Not to hijack, but is there a connection between people who drink their tea straight and their coffee black? I’ve never added anything to either, if it matters. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/24 "2003-07-14T17:23:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lightingtool \* > Not to hijack, but is there a connection between people who drink their tea straight and their coffee black? I’ve never added anything to either, if it matters. Not true in my case. I really mess up coffee - I add a ton of milk/cream/Coffeemate/whatever and lots of sugar. If hot chocolate had the caffeine kick of coffee, I’d drink that instead. When I buy coffee at a shop, though, I mostly just stick to cappucino or cafe au lait and then dump sugar in - no double-mocha-caramel-espresso with lite soymilk, topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, and white chocolate shavings. I take my tea, as I posted above, with a very occasional touch of honey or sugar, but otherwise straight. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/25 "2003-07-14T17:55:21Z")
I don’t put sugar in my tea at all. If its Earl Grey, I just add a drop of milk. If its Chinese/Japanse, I don’t add anything. ---
**Author:** ![ouisey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc29f/32.png) [@ouisey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouisey)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/26 "2003-07-14T19:52:49Z")
Loose leaf Typhoo with milk and one sugar, thx. I love when I’m making a cup of tea and a co-worker makes a comment on how la-di-dah it is. Typhoo is tea of the masses and I love it. When I need a special treat I go for Yorkshire Gold:) ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/27 "2003-07-14T20:13:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lightingtool \* > \*\* Not to hijack, but is there a connection between people who drink their tea straight and their coffee black? \*\* Not in my case; I can’t stand coffee at all. Favorite teas: Most of the Twinings are nice for everyday drinking: English Breakfast, Ceylon Breakfast, Queen Mary, Prince Edward, the previously mentioned Russian Caravan, and their Jasmine tea. I also like Ahmad’s English Breakfast as well as their Afternoon tea, which is a mild Earl Grey. And I love the Victorian-style artwork on the Ahmad tins. One of the local stores (in Virginia) sells a Rose tea–that is, a black tea with rose petals in it, which has an interesting bitter-sweet tang. I like to collect new teas to try whenever I’m in England. On one visit a few years ago, I found something called “Afternoon Dream Tea” in a little shop in Brighton that was just wonderful, but when I went back again last spring, I couldn’t find it again. Even the shop was gone. ☹ I only drink loose-leaf at home, by the potful, but have to use teabags at work, since a strainer is just too messy to use in an office situation. (I did try!) ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/28 "2003-07-14T21:30:24Z")
[Orwell has an opinion](http://www.246.dk/teaorwell.html). ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/29 "2003-07-14T22:05:42Z")
So did Weezer: > [@](#): > > “I ain’t gonna hurt nobody > Ain’t gonna cause a scene > Just need to admit > That I want sugar in my tea > Hear me (hear me) I want sugar in my tea!” (‘The Good Life’) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/30 "2003-07-14T22:16:46Z")
Every morning I have my tea (Twinings’ Irish Breakfast is my favorite) with milk and plenty of sugar. I don’t keep milk at work, though, so I drink it black while at the office. Oddly, with as much of a sweet tooth as I have, I don’t like my tea sweet if it doesn’t also have milk. I also love iced tea, but it **must** have lemon. Again, I’d rather have it plain than with sugar only. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/31 "2003-07-14T22:43:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Myron Van Horowitzski \* > \*\*I should point our that milk will somewhat neutralize the tannic acids in tea, thereby making it more acceptable to a sensitive stomach. \*\* No. Milk itself is acidic, and cannot neutralize another acid. ---
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/32 "2003-07-14T23:15:02Z")
Tea without sugar is called unsweetened tea. ---
**Author:** ![mojave66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mojave66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mojave66)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/33 "2003-07-14T23:19:02Z")
Lapsang Souchong, naked, with a wee dram of Ardbeg. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/34 "2003-07-14T23:52:56Z")
Milk does neutralize the tannic acid in tea though it’s not an acid-base interaction. From [http://www.stashtea.com/tt111298.htm](http://www.stashtea.com/tt111298.htm) > [@](#): > > The role played by milk has long been ascribed to the casein in it. There are in fact four major types of casein which together account for some 80% of the protein in cow’s milk. They form roughly spherical aggregates called sub-micelles, which in turn are held together by calcium phosphate in large casein micelles. What recent research has shown is that when milk and tea are mixed, the tea polyphenols are sequestered inside the casein sub-micelles. The tannin components are thereby protected from interaction with the proteins in the mouth and so the resulting beverage becomes much less astringent. Moreover, the fat component in the milk may act as a barrier cream, partially shielding our flesh from the remaining free polyphenols. -Lil ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/35 "2003-07-15T01:11:23Z")
Tetley’s Earl Gray, nothing added. Dozens of mugs per day. I got tired of being the coffee making monkey at work, so I switched a few years ago. Now I despise coffee. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/36 "2003-07-15T02:14:20Z")
Oh, and I like coffee much better, but if I’m drinking tea, I tend to have it with just sugar. Mental note to try it with milk… -Lil ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/37 "2003-07-15T03:11:07Z")
English Breakfast with milk, no sugar. Anything else, maybe a bit of milk, but usually nothing. Iced tea–no sugar, no lemon, and certainly no milk. though I did work for a man once who insisted on putting coffee cream in his iced tea and insisted he’d gotten the habit during a trip to England. I didn’t see much iced tea when I was in England last, but whatever, he liked it. Coffee has to be seriously drowned and disguised before I’ll drink it. ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/38 "2003-07-15T03:39:54Z")
Typhoo tea with milk & no sugar. I used to take 4 teaspoons as a kid, but gradually cut back to two, then stopped taking sugar entirely. Now tea with sugar in tastes _really_ weird to me. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/39 "2003-07-15T03:42:42Z")
Earl Grey, with milk, no sugar. I’ll drink it black, and enjoy it, if milk is not available but it is not my preference. Cofee, if I drink it, is black. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358/40 "2003-07-15T05:43:03Z")
In any tea or coffee I drink, there is no milk, and about 9 spoons of sugar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drinking-tea-without-milk-and-sugar-is-not-civilised/188358.md?page=3)