What’s your cup of tea?

Do you like it rich and malty? Aromatic and calming? Or simply wet?

At Muddy Matches, for once we aren’t asking about your preferences to date family-minded farmers, real country lasses or ‘crazy’ horse girls. Instead, we are talking tea!

Why? Because it’s National Tea Day, and quite frankly, we know rural folk love a brew. Someone once said the nation’s agricultural army are powered by a good cuppa, and we aren’t going to argue with that.

Research shows that nearly half of Brits drink up to five cups of tea a day, but our tea habit is changing.

Gone are the days of it being Traditional English Breakfast – a firm farmers favourite –  that’s brewing in the pot. Now, the British people are swaying towards artisan herbal tea, cold brews, green tea or leaf based varieties like Earl Grey.

Just four years ago, a cup of Traditional English Breakfast accounted for 85% of tea sales in the UK. Now, 55% of Brits surveyed by The Tea Group, say their go-to brew is a herbal blend, with Matcha, Rooibos, Ginger,  Peppermint and Camomile proving extremely popular.

We get It; tastes change. But, we also know from talking to mud lovers who choose to date with us, that there’s still a place for tradition and old fashioned custom. For instance, we are pleased to see that biscuits and cake haven’t been replaced, just yet, as the nation’s favourite teatime partner.

One in five Brits also agreed that the traditional way to take tea is served in a china cup, brewed in a teapot.

We, like many of you working hard out in the fresh air, are just as content with a trusty flask of strong tea, and a sandwich for a moment’s peace in the paddocks and cowsheds.

And we are definitely in the near 30% who reportedly take on board between 6-10 cups of tea to get through a working day. Well, when you are up at 5am, something’s got to keep you going.

So, who’s putting the kettle on?