Question for my British friends across the pond

ilovestrategy · Post by **ilovestrategy** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:36 am

There's something I've wondered for a long time. Do you guys really drink tea or is that just another false stereotype made in Hollywood?

I've always pictured people in the Victorian era with cups and saucers. How far from the truth is that image?

If anyone could answer I'd be grateful. I'm always curious about how people act in other cultures.

warspite1 · Post by **warspite1** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 4:51 am

I'm English and I drink a lot of tea, absolutely love the stuff [:)]

Formal occasions (weddings etc) apart, I haven't drunk tea from a cup and saucer since I don't know when - big mugs are more my bag!

I think there is a lot of coffee drunk in the UK now, thanks to Starbucks etc - no idea which is more popular though, but would guess its still tea.

Dixie · Post by **Dixie** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:05 am

Like Warspite, I love the stuff.  Can't start the day without a good brew.  The only time I've ever used a cup and saucer was when I stayed in Germany.

JudgeDredd · Post by **JudgeDredd** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:49 am

Definitely a tea guy here. That's why we were so pissed that you threw it all in the river!
 
On top of that, I've just come back from Holland on a 2 week break - and I was amazed at the different types and quantities of coffee available and I had to pretty much hunt for the smallest box of tea tucked away in the corner of the refreshment isle! And the bags didn't really make a nice cup either...the teabag had to sit in the cup for quite some time to get a decent brew out of it.

Dennistoun · Post by **Dennistoun** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:50 am

I like both tea and coffee but as far as my British co-workers are concerned, they love tea! And with milk. My Polish co-workers, however, kind it amusing that we take milk in tea. They also love the stuff.

Perturabo · Post by **Perturabo** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:58 am

I think that tea with milk is more typical for Britain than tea itself. I remember ordering tea in a bar on my first day in London and being surprised that I got served tea with milk.

Is there any place where people don't drink lots of tea?

DampSquib · Post by **DampSquib** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:51 am

Tea drinker as well.
No cup & saucer...in a mug with a biscuit please cheers.

redcoat · Post by **redcoat** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:11 am

Another tea drinker here. At least a dozen large mug fulls a day.

There's nothing like a nice cuppa.

warspite1 · Post by **warspite1** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:03 pm

ORIGINAL: redcoat

Another tea drinker here. At least a dozen large mug fulls a day.

There's nothing like a nice cuppa.

Warspite1

Mmmm...I could do with a nice cuppa right now [:)]

ilovestrategy · Post by **ilovestrategy** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:06 pm

Thanks guys! I never knew Starbucks was in Britain! [X(]

Igard · Post by **Igard** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:16 pm

It's mainly Starbucks and Costa here in the UK. The image of little tea cups and saucers is a stereotypical one, not even my granny drinks like that!

I'm Scottish and I used to always drink black coffee, until I discovered it was making me a nervous wreck!

Now I drink green tea. Not everyone's 'cup of tea' pun intended, but it's the best for relaxing and focussing the mind. It also won't dehydrate like coffee or black tea. It's pretty much the best thing for you after water.

andym · Post by **andym** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 1:09 pm

I love tea,i have at least 4 or 5 pints of it a day.it has to be a particular blend though.When we lived in Germany in the 70's the NAAFI used to sell Brown Label Tea which was nice and strong.Then when in the RN "pussers tea" was lovely.Since leaving the RN i have found only 1 blend that comes close to pussers tea,and thats Rington's Northumberland blend.I dont use Tea bags as they are for amateurs and heathens.The only tea i dont have milk in is Earl Grey.I dont drink Lapsang Suchong as it tastes like burnt wood!

As for coffee,dont get me started,its for Frogs and Colonials and in my mind should be available on prescription only.If i have a cup of coffee i am spinning around like an whirling dervish on speed!I get a cracking headache and shakes along with palpitations.Nasty stuff that coffee.

redcoat · Post by **redcoat** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 1:29 pm

Rington's tea is very good. My sister gets doorstep deliveries from a Rington's man. I will have to ask her to get some Northumbrian blend for me.

Orm · Post by **Orm** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:15 pm

I am having two big mugs of tea right now. I am usually drinkin 4 to 10 mugs of tea a day.

Tea is a popular beverage in Sweden. But most drink it for breakfast. In the afternoon coffee is more popular.

undercovergeek · Post by **undercovergeek** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:37 pm

bring on the tea - i travel a lot with work and there is nothing better than that first cup when you come back to the UK, even the p*** poor one they give you on the plane is just aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh tea

Big mug, let the water (fresh, empty kettle every time for new one) cool down after boiling for a few minutes, pour on Tetleys Extra Strong or Twinings Everyday, get milk from fridge and sugar from cupboard, thats enough for brewing, sueeze bag against side of mug with back of spoon, dash of milk, 2 sugars, half a pack of digestives and the rest of the world can get f***** for 20 minutes!!!!!

rhondabrwn · Post by **rhondabrwn** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:40 pm

Glad to see the traditional British stereotype confirmed... I've always favored tea with milk since I was a child. My parents drank only coffee so I have no idea how tea came to be part of my life. Like the UK posters, I use loose tea almost exclusively rather than tea bags. Prefer black tea over green and ALWAYS drink it in a big ceramic mug!

Cheers... Fellows

I lift my mug to you in tribute!

Orm · Post by **Orm** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:07 pm

ORIGINAL: rhondabrwn

Glad to see the traditional British stereotype confirmed... I've always favored tea with milk since I was a child. My parents drank only coffee so I have no idea how tea came to be part of my life. Like the UK posters, I use loose tea almost exclusively rather than tea bags. Prefer black tea over green and ALWAYS drink it in a big ceramic mug!

Cheers... Fellows I lift my mug to you in tribute!

If you want confirmation on that the British drink alot of tea you can take a look here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... per_capita

Perturabo · Post by **Perturabo** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:43 pm

Apparently Poland is on the ninth place.

7th Somersets · Post by **7th Somersets** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:00 pm

One thing that I find when I travel - other people seem to drink their tea too cold. The water needs to be boiling hot to make a good brew. It may explain why it is less popular abroad?

As for British tea drinking habits - I drink mine from a mug rather than cup and saucer.

The only person that I know that drank tea from a cup and saucer was my grandmother in South Africa, who would also have cucumber sandwiches cut into quarters diagonally with the crust cut off!

sapper32 · Post by **sapper32** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:27 pm

I prefer Theakston old peculier but tea is great nice and refreshing Yorkshire tea for me hot fresh water and drink it as hot as i can mmm

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