It’s no secret that the Brits drink a lot of tea, and that PG Tips is one of the most popular tea brands there. As it happens, during the 150+ years that Britain ruled over Hong Kong, a special technique of making tea was developed that eventually became beloved by everyday folks there:

The story began with the establishment of British colonial rule in Hong Kong in the 1840s. While the British put milk in their tea, the flavour was too mild for Hong Kong indigenous inhabitants who were used to drinking robust, heavy roast and fermented traditional Chinese black tea and Oolong tea. Thus, the English way had been considered a pretentious luxury that only served in western restaurants and hotels. It was until the 1940s that the owners of some cafés (茶餐廳，“tea restaurant”) started to adjust the recipe and method of making English milk tea to cater for the tastes of local Hong Kongers.

Now known simply as “milk tea” elsewhere, there are many ways of preparing this tasty beverage today, but most adherents will tell you that the best teas for it typically include varieties like Assam and/or Ceylon.

Alongside Kenyan tea, those two blends are exactly what you’ll find in PG Tips’ Premium Black Tea — so in a way, history has come full circle. As far as boxed tea bags go, this stuff makes a surprisingly strong, full-bodied cup of tea that holds up well to a hefty dose of milk, without being overly bitter or astringent for it.

It’s the daily morning choice of tea lovers the world over, and for good reason. Even if all you want to do is throw in a splash of milk and maybe a dash of sugar, you won’t be disappointed.

A pack of six 40-count boxes (240 teabags total) is less than $12 on Amazon, which is a crazy good deal if you ask me.

Posted By Chris Gonzales