Have you got a furry bottom?

Posted in Making A Proper Brew.

Do you live in a hard water area?

Not you personally, of course. We're talking about your kettle.

A furred up bottom inside your kettle is a key indicator that you have hard water. In other words, your tap water contains more calcium and other natural substances than the water that comes out of the tap in other regions. This is nothing to worry about of course, but it does make a difference to a few things - your kettle gets scale on it, your bubble bath isn't as bubbly, and worst of all, your tea tastes different and sometimes gets little floaty bits on the top.

That's where Yorkshire Tea for Hard Water comes in. Since the day we were founded in 1886, we've been tasting tea in different water types to work out which brews better in what, and our Hard Water blend consists of teas that have been specially selected because they work with the mineral content in the water rather than against it. We even work to find teas that don't create that floaty stuff on the top!

But what if you're not sure whether you've got hard water or not?

Well, if those other signs aren't helping, have a look at this map we've created. It's only a rough guide, because your water can often change depending on where it's coming from that day, but it's a good start. If you want to know more, try your local water board.

Hope that all makes sense! If you have questions, let us know.

And don't forget our competition to win a year's supply of tea and a new kettle is open till 7 Feb here.

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