Tea Blog

As someone who prefers tea without milk, I consider myself an impartial observer in the long-standing debate over how best to combine tea and milk.

As a brief aside, while researching this topic I came across the phrase “have you milked your tea?”—a quaint expression dating back at least to the late 19th century. Despite sounding somewhat agricultural, it simply refers to the act of adding milk to tea (or tea to milk, depending on your preference).

Modern debates often point to scientific reasoning. For example, this report on a Royal Society of Chemistry study about adding milk to tea concluded that adding milk first may help prevent protein denaturation caused by exposure to very hot tea.

However, this is far from a settled matter. The same publication also hosted a reader discussion on milk-first versus tea-first traditions, highlighting just how divisive the topic remains.

Historical perspectives offer further variation. In his well-known 1946 essay on tea, George Orwell argued strongly in favor of adding tea first, stating that this method allows for greater control over the amount of milk added.

Even mathematicians have entered the debate. Ronald Fisher’s famous “lady tasting tea” statistical experiment explored whether someone could reliably identify whether milk or tea was added first—turning a simple preference into a classic probability problem.

Social history also plays a role. Some accounts suggest that adding milk first became common among those using delicate or lower-quality china, which could crack if exposed directly to hot tea. In contrast, wealthier households—with sturdier teaware—could safely pour tea first.

There are even claims that Queen Elizabeth preferred the tea-first method, though such details are often anecdotal. Writer Evelyn Waugh is said to have referenced this divide with the phrase “rather milk in first,” using it as shorthand commentary on class distinctions.

The origins of mixing milk with tea date back centuries. A French aristocrat is often credited in the late 17th century with popularizing the practice, though earlier English records suggest it was already known. For instance, tea merchant Thomas Garraway noted in the 1660s that tea could be prepared “with milk and water,” as documented in this historical account of early tea preparation in England.

Ultimately, whether you add milk first or tea first may come down to personal preference, tradition, or even the type of cup you’re using.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles in this archive of tea history and commentary.

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