Survey Reveals 42% Of People Make Tea This Way

Maybe the English are onto something. Tea is often perceived as coffee's floral cousin, but this leaf-based drink allows your preferences to truly take priority. Opt for a black tea with milk and sugar for a morning jolt of caffeine. Or, brew a pot of herbal tea for a bedtime relaxation ritual. Prefer sweeter flavors to a robust cup? Add a drizzle of honey or even maple syrup. Your day just got a lot cozier.

No matter what kind of tea you choose, you can't go wrong. Though if you're a tea novice, you may want to scan our complete guide to tea before getting your water ready. According to Bon Appétit, all kinds of tea share a similar origin. Tea originates from the shrub Camellia sinensis, which goes through oxidation prior to filling your mug. From this plant, tea diverges into various kinds, including green, herbal, oolong, fringe, black, white, and fermented or aged (per Food & Wine).

The kind of tea you choose certainly impacts taste, but equally important is how you make it. When it comes to preparing tea, the 588 people who responded to Tasting Table's latest survey had preferences as strong as steeped black tea. Nearly half of those surveyed voted in favor of the same, easy way to consume their next mug.

Tea bags topped the list — and topped the majority of mugs. Of those surveyed, 247 people, or 42.01% of voters, were in favor of this common and compact tea brewing technique. As for what kind of teabag to choose, shape matters, though the contents of the bag are entirely up to you.

Trailing behind teabags was loose-leaf. According to MasterClass, brewing loose-leaf tea requires pouring water directly over leaves, and then filtering them out via a strainer or tea ball. Though loose-leaf tea calls for an extra step of straining, it yields a stronger tea, as it utilizes more intact pieces of leaves rather than the powdered form of teabags. More than 18% of those surveyed prefer loose-leaf. This equates to 109 votes.

Next, 105 people, or 17.86% of readers, voted in favor of teabags in a pot. Standard iced tea followed; 79 people, or 13.44% of those surveyed, voted for this refreshing hot-weather drink. Rounding off the list was cold brew, which received 8.16% of the vote, or the preference of 48 people.

So who's up for a tea party?