To assist Australians in brewing the perfect cup of tea, Lipton has teamed up with Stuart Sanders, one of four Silver Tea Masters in Australia, to compile the Tea Connoisseurs Guide. Designed for lovers of tea, the guide features Stuart’s insider trade secrets and a step-by-step guide to perfection.

“Most tea drinkers have been brewing tea for many years and feel they can already make a great cup of tea. However, how we learnt to make tea in our early years is not always the best method. The Tea Connoisseurs Guide dispels popular tea-brewing myths and shows you how to brew the perfect cup of tea,” Stuart Sanders said.

Many Australians (as well as the rest of nations) steep tea in a pot believing this will create a richer taste. However, over-brewing will only create a tannic, bitter effect. To get the ideal aroma, colour and taste Lipton recommends brewing its Quality Black Tea bags for three minutes. Adding milk before water is also a popular habit. Stuart believes this practice draws bitterness out of the tea bag leaving an unpleasant after-taste. He advises turning the kettle off as soon as it reaches boiling point, then adding milk. Water any hotter than 100°C will burn the tea leaves.

As for now, there are no details on what format the Guide is in (print, digital or both), as whether it’s planned to be released in other countries.

Lipton has been pioneering quality tea since 1890, when Sir Thomas Lipton set sail for Ceylon from Scotland in search of the finest tea leaves. Since that time, Lipton has been instrumental in creating the popular tea bag and more recently, was the first tea company in Australia to source its tea from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.