The Mistake To Avoid When Adding Creamer To Your Cup Of Tea

There's nothing more lovely on a cold day than a warm cup of tea to make you feel cozy. But the more you drink, the more you may want to gussy it up with other ingredients. One of the most popular ways to do so is to add steamed milk and vanilla syrup to Earl Grey tea to make a London Fog. However, you don't need to stick to that; be adventurous and experiment with new flavors by adding creamer to your tea — unless you're drinking a citrus tea. Incorporating creamer can curdle this type of tea.

Milk contains a protein called casein, which forms into groups called micelles. These micelles generate a negative charge that repels other micelles, keeping your milk smooth and creamy. When something acidic is introduced to the milk, such as your delicious citrus tea blend, the once-negative charge from the casein groups becomes neutralized. Once neutralized, the protein groups no longer push each other away but actually begin to clump together. Once enough large clumps are formed, your once smooth and creamy milk becomes an unsightly curdled mess. 

If you pour creamer into piping hot tea, the curdling happens quickly. However, it will still occur in cold or room temperature drinks, though rather slowly. Watching your milk curdle shortly after adding it to tea can be enough to change from tea to coffee in the mornings, but aside from citrus blends, there are plenty of delicious creamer and tea combinations to try.

Adding creamer to your tea may open up a whole new world of flavor experimentation as you navigate ratios to make your tea into a latte or determine which teas you like or dislike with creamer. It's helpful to know how creamer reacts with different varieties of tea so you can make each cup with intention. Black tea pairs well with creamer and tends to have higher caffeine content than other blends. Oolong tea is another one that pairs well with creamer — the addition can enhance the floral notes and reduce the bitterness.

Perhaps the best tea to try with creamer is chai tea, as it can enhance the spices and add a velvety texture that makes chai tea taste like warmth on a winter's day. Floral teas, like jasmine or rose blends, will receive a sweetness boost from creamer. How much it elevates the sweetness will depend on how much creamer you add and how long the tea steeps. Adding honey to floral teas is another way to bring out the sweeter notes. 

One tea to be cautious with if you're adding creamer is green tea. Add a little and taste test before adding more, as too much creamer can mask the flavor of green tea. As you try out different combinations, you may find that flavored creamer, like French vanilla, goes well with certain teas or that you prefer non-dairy milk to dairy. One last tip is that mildly warming up the creamer before adding it to a hot cup of tea will help prevent any curdling from the extreme and rapid temperature change.