What is the historical origin of Hong Kong-style milk tea?

After the British ruled Hong Kong in the mid-19th century, the British custom of “afternoon tea” was also brought to Hong Kong. However, the tea drinking habits of the British and Hong Kongers are different. The British are used to drinking tea and taking a short break between lunch and getting off work, usually around 3:00 p.m.

Ceylon was ruled by the United Kingdom, and the local black tea produced in Ceylon was delicious and cheap, which attracted British people who also like to drink black tea. Therefore, the tea produced in Ceylon was shipped to Hong Kong, and subsequently, Ceylon black tea became very popular. What’s more, the British people are used to adding milk and sugar when drinking tea, which makes the black tea more fragrant and smoother in the mouth. Hong Kongers gradually accepted the British way of drinking black tea, which became the basic form of Hong Kong milk tea. This is the most original Hong Kong-style milk tea, which has continued to evolve to this day to become the Hong Kong-style milk tea we know.

Who is the original creator of Hong Kong-style milk tea?

It is said that the original creator of Hong Kong-style milk tea is Mr. Lin Muhe of Lan Fong Yuen Tea Restaurant. Mr. Lin Muhe usually uses a special white cloth bag to brew black tea; but now most people use a cotton gauze as a filter bag, and then attach the bag to a metal frame, which makes it easier to handle hot water and control the flow of tea. In this way, it will be more convenient to replace the damaged cotton yarn filter bag.

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How to choose the tea leaves of Hong Kong-style milk tea?

The tea used to make Hong Kong-style milk tea in tea restaurants is generally Ceylon Highland black tea, which can be divided into two types: coarse tea and young tea. By adjusting the ratio of coarse tea leaves to young tea leaves, the aroma, colour and concentration of the brewed milk tea can be changed.

Basically, most tea restaurants use one or two types of crushed black tea as the main ingredient, depending on the degree of brownness and strength, and then match it with higher-grade Lipton Ceylon black tea to bring out the tea aroma.

Why is Hong Kong-style milk tea called ” stocking milk tea”?

“Hong Kong-style milk tea” is also known as ” stocking milk tea”, because when people make Hong Kong-style milk tea, they pour boiling water into the filter bag containing the tea leaves, and pull the filter bag up and down to speed up the filtration of tea. After the cotton gauze mesh is soaked in black tea, the colour of the cotton gauze filter bag will be dyed into a tea-brown colour, which is close to that of nylon stockings, and the appearance of the filter bag is also similar to that of stockings. Diners jokingly called the milk tea prepared in this way ” stockings milk tea”, and hence the name.

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How is Hong Kong-style milk tea made?

1. Place the Hong Kong-style milk tea bag in the filter bag

Brewing Hong Kong-style milk tea will require a filter bag, because in addition to filtering the tea dregs, the filter bag can also make the black tea more flavorful, smoother and fragrant. When making Hong Kong-style milk tea, it is recommended to use at least two large teapots of the same capacity. In the stage of brewing tea, first put the adjusted amount of black tea leaves into the filter bag, and then put into the large teapot. The tea leaves should be fully immersed in hot water, and the frame of the filter bag should be hooked to the edge of the large teapot, so that the filter bag can be taken out later.

2. Pour the black tea into the evaporated milk cup

Pour the prepared black tea into a cup containing evaporated milk, and optionally add two teaspoons of white sugar according to your preference.

Stew tea in hot water for a few minutes, then pour the black tea into another teapot, a process referred to as “Jú chá” in Cantonese. When the filter bag of tea leaves is lifted from the teapot, the remaining tea can be poured from a height into the filter bag with the tea leaves from before, and the tea that has passed through the filter bag will flow into the original teapot.

The action of pouring tea into a filter bag from a height is called “cracking tea”. This step needs to be done several times until this procedure can fully extract the tea leaves, which increases the concentration and aroma of the tea, and prevents the tea from being too bitter after soaking for a long time.

3. Completing the Hong Kong-style milk tea

Finally, pour the black tea into a cup containing evaporated milk. If the milk fat concentration is sufficient, the milk tea will condense into a brown colour on the surface, adding thickness to the texture, also known as “hanging cup of milk tea”. Then, the customised Hong Kong-style milk tea is ready!

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