China

Chinese-style tea houses serve a plethora of hot and cold tea concoctions. They also serve tea-
friendly and tea-related snacks. At the time, the most common method of making tea was to boil
both the water and the tea leaves at the same time. The water was heated in a brazier-mounted
cauldron to the first boil level, which was described as "fish eyes," and appropriate salts were
added to the water to enhance the flavor of the tea.
Prior to the Ming Dynasty, tea was typically made from tea bricks after harvesting, the tea leaves
were either partially dried or thoroughly dried and ground before being pressed into bricks, and
the pressing of Pu-erh is likely a remnant of this process. Tea bricks were also sometimes used as
currency.
The texture of the tea powder suspension could be enjoyed in dark and patterned bowls when
using ground and whisked teas at the time. The best of these bowls, glazed in patterns like oil
spot, partridge-feather, hare's fur, and tortoise shell, are now highly valued. The patterned
holding bowl and tea mixture were frequently praised in poetry of the time, with phrases like
"partridge in swirling clouds" or "snow on hare's fur." Tea was enjoyed for its patterns rather
than its flavor during this time period. The use of powdered tea is still seen in the Japanese Tea
ceremony, or Chadō.

 Japan
During afternoon breaks, many businesses serve green tea. When on vacation or on business,
Japanese people frequently buy sweets for their coworkers. These snacks are typically paired
with green tea. Tea will also be prepared for visitors arriving for business meetings and guests
visiting Japanese homes. As an accompaniment to bento, a thermos of green tea is a must-have
on family or school outings (box lunches).  Families often bring along proper Japanese teacups to
enhance the enjoyment of the traditional drink.

India
Tea is widely consumed in India as a breakfast and evening beverage. It is commonly served as
masala chai, which includes milk, sugar, and spices like ginger, cardamom, black pepper, and
cinnamon. Almost all tea consumed is black Indian tea, specifically the CTC variety. When
making tea, the tea leaves are usually boiled in water with milk added. In Indian homes, offices,
and places of business, it is customary to offer visitors tea. Tea is often consumed at small
roadside stands, where it is prepared by tea makers known as chai wallahs.

Thailand
Thai tea is a beverage made from strongly brewed red tea with added anise, red and yellow food
coloring, and sometimes other spices. Thai tea with pearls is a popular bubble tea flavor. This tea
is chilled and sweetened with sugar and condensed milk. To add flavor and a creamy appearance,
evaporated or whole milk is typically poured over tea and ice before serving. When ordered take-
out, it is poured over crushed ice in a clear (or translucent) plastic bag and served in a traditional
tall glass. At more westernized vendors, it can be made into a frappé. Green tea is also very
popular in Thailand, giving rise to numerous variations such as barley green tea and rose green
tea, lemon green tea, etc. Thai green tea, however, is not to be confused with traditional Japanese
green tea. Thai green tea tends to be very heavily commercialized and the taste is sweeter.

Germany
When there are visitors to an East Frisian home or other gathering, strong blends of Assam tea,
Ceylon tea, and Darjeeling (East-Frisian Blend) are served, as well as with breakfast, mid-
afternoon, and mid-evening. The traditional method is to add a Kluntje, a white rock candy sugar
that melts slowly, to an empty cup (allowing multiple cups to be sweetened), then pour tea over
the Kluntje. To the tea "water," a heavy cream "cloud" ("Wölkje"—a diminutive of "cloud" in
Frisian) is added, and sugar represents "land." It is served without a spoon and is traditionally
drunk unstirred, i.e. e. in three stages: first, the cream, then the tea, and finally, the sweet taste of
kluntje at the bottom of the cup. Stirring the tea would combine all three tiers into one and ruin
the traditional tea experience. The tea is typically served with small cookies during the week and
cakes on special occasions or on weekends as a special treat. Apple strudel, black forest cake,
and other cakes flavored with chocolate and hazlenut are some of the most popular traditional
cakes and pastries served with tea.

Russia
The podstakannik, or tea glass holder (literally "thing under the glass"), is an important part of
Russian tea culture. In Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and other CIS and ex-USSR countries, a
Russian tea glass-holder is a traditional way of serving and drinking tea. Traditionally, the tea is
very strong, with the strength often indicating the degree of hospitality of the hosts. The samovar
was the traditional tool for boiling water for tea (and sometimes it still is, though usually
electric). Tea is a family affair that is typically served after each meal with sugar (one to three
teaspoonfuls per cup) and lemon (but no milk), as well as an assortment of jams, pastries, and
confections. Black tea is widely used, but green tea is gaining popularity as a healthier, more
"Oriental" alternative. Teabags are not used in the traditional Russian tea ceremony, only loose,
large-leaf black tea. In Russian prisons, where alcohol and drugs are prohibited, inmates often
brew very strong tea known as 'chifir', in order to experience its mood-altering properties.
Great Britain
The British are the world's third-largest per capita tea consumers. Tea is typically black tea
served with milk and, on occasion, sugar. Strong tea served in a mug with milk and optionally
one or more teaspoons of sugar is commonly referred to as builder's tea due to its association
with builders and, more broadly, the working class. Tea drinking is not always the delicate,
refined cultural expression that the rest of the world imagines—a cup (or, more commonly, a
mug) of tea is something that is consumed frequently throughout the day in the United Kingdom.
This isn't to say that the British don't have a more formal tea ceremony, but tea breaks are an
important part of the working day. The term is frequently abbreviated to 'tea,' implying a break.
This term spread to the game of cricket and, as a result, to the majority of the former British
Empire's countries. Tea gardens and tea dances grew in popularity as tea spread throughout the
United Kingdom and through the social classes. These would include watching fireworks or
attending a dinner party and dance, followed by an evening tea. After WWII, the tea gardens lost
their value, but tea dances continue to be held in the United Kingdom. Afternoon tea may have
evolved as a means of increasing the number of hours laborers could work in factories; the
stimulants in the tea, combined with sugary snacks, would provide workers with energy to finish
the day's work.