English Breakfast Tea: The British Essential
English Breakfast tea, is a traditional blend of black tea, that has been treasured all around Britain and Ireland for centuries. The tea is usually a blend of strong black teas, typically Assam, Ceylon, and Kenyan teas. The more luxurious blends often contain Keemun tea as well.
The taste of english breakfast tea is robust and full-bodied. To soften the taste, milk and sugar are a traditionally added.
Table of Contents
The history of English breakfast tea
The origins of English Breakfast tea can be traced back to the 18th century, at least. Back then this tea was still just called breakfast or morning tea. At the time, tea was still an expensive luxury item that was only consumed by the wealthy.
As tea became more affordable, it quickly became a popular beverage across all social classes, and breakfast tea gained popularity with it. Soon after, tea had become the national drink of England, and the tradition of drinking breakfast tea began.
When did the term 'English breakfast tea' originate?
The term "English breakfast tea" originated in New York, where a British immigrant, sold a mix of black teas under this name. The blend became very popular and soon other tea companies began to sell “English breakfast tea” as well.
Initially, English Breakfast tea was made using only black tea from India and China. However, as tea production spread to other regions, tea merchants began blending more different teas.
Today, the tea is typically a blend of several black teas. There are no exact rules and the blends vary a lot depending on the producer.
How does English breakfast tea taste?
There are thousands of varieties of English breakfast tea out there, each with its unique taste profile. But not every black tea blend out there can also be labeled as English breakfast.
There are two main properties of English breakfast tea that really stand out:
Ability to take on milk.
Strong and rich flavour.
The tea is known for its robust and full-bodied flavour, that reminds of coffee. It has a slightly malty and astringent taste. It is usually brewed for a few minutes and served with milk and sugar to soften the flavour.
English breakfast tea can sometimes have flowery or sweet undertones, but they never dominate the blend. It is a great choice for people who enjoy strong and flavourful teas to wake them up in the morning.
Ingredients
As mentioned above, English breakfast tea is a blend of different black teas.
Typically the blend includes:
Assam tea - for its strong taste
Ceylon tea - to add smoothness and freshness
Other black teas such as Kenyan or Keemun tea.
|
Tea |
Flavor Profile |
Origin |
|
Assam |
Malty, Full-bodied |
India |
|
Ceylon |
Bright, Citrusy |
Sri Lanka |
|
Kenyan |
Bold, Earthy |
Kenya |
|
Keemun |
Sweet, flower notes |
China |
Kenyan tea often adds richness, while the addition of Keemun tea can add sweetness and floral notes to the blend.
Should you drink English breakfast tea with milk?
English breakfast tea is traditionally consumed with milk and sugar. This helps to mellow out the strong flavour of the tea.
But there is no right or wrong really, and how you consume your tea is eventually matter of personal preference. Plenty of people prefer to drink it black, while others add sugar, honey or lemon.
Ultimately, whether to add milk or not is up to you.
Benefits
The potential benefits of English breakfast tea are mostly related to its caffeine, antioxidant, and L-Theanine content.
|
Benefit |
Details |
|
Boosts Energy |
The caffeine in English Breakfast tea can help improve alertness and concentration. |
|
Improves Heart Health |
The antioxidants in tea may help reduce the risk of heart disease by improving blood flow and lowering cholesterol levels. |
|
Maintain good mental health |
The L-Theanine found in in black tea may help promote mental health and help reduce anxiety. |
|
Aids in weight loss |
The caffeine in tea can help you be moreenergized and burn more calories. |
|
Reduces Inflammation |
The antioxidants in tea may help reduce inflammation and improve overall health. |
These benefits are not guaranteed and can vary between individuals. Drinking English Breakfast tea is not a replacement for medical treatment or advice from a healthcare professional.
When do you add the milk?
When you prepare English Breakfast tea, the general rule is: first you pour the tea in your cup, then the milk!
There are several reasons to do this:
1. Adding milk to the hot water can cool it down too quickly, preventing the tea from properly brewing and releasing its full flavour.
2. By adding milk after the tea has been steeped, you can better control the strength and flavour of your tea.
3. At a certain point in history, it was probably also a sign of class to add the milk after you poured your tea.
There is a historical debate though about whether that last point is true.
A question of class?
According to some, in the past, only wealthy people could afford high quality porcelain. Poor people, on the other hand, had lower quality porcelain that was much more likely to crack when the hot tea was poured in. So adding milk in first, was something that poor people would do, to protect the teacup from cracking.
But there is a problem with this theory. People in England consumed tea without milk for more than a century, before adding milk became common. Apparently cracking teacups was not very common even then.
It is likely that pouring tea first, and then adding milk, became a sign of social class much later in history. Probably around the beginning of the 20th century.
Is English breakfast tea the same as Earl Grey?
No, English Breakfast tea is not the same as Earl Grey. While both teas are black teas, they differ in their taste and origin.
English Breakfast tea is a blend of black teas that typically includes Assam, Ceylon, and Kenyan teas, while Earl Grey is flavoured with bergamot oil. This gives it a distinctive citrusy flavour.
If you are looking for a black tea with a citrusy flavour, Earl Grey is the better choice. On the other hand, if you prefer a stronger and fuller tea, English Breakfast tea is the way to go.
How to brew English breakfast tea?
|
Step |
Action |
Details |
|
1 |
Boil Water |
Use fresh, cold water and bring it to a rolling boil. |
|
2 |
Prepare Tea |
Add one tea bag or one teaspoon of loose leaf tea per cup of water. |
|
3 |
Steep Tea |
Let the tea steep for 3-5 minutes, depending on desired strength. |
|
4 |
Remove Tea |
Remove the tea bag or strain the loose leaves. |
|
5 |
Add Milk and Sugar |
Add milk and sugar to taste. |
Brewing English breakfast tea is easy. Here is what to do:
Ingredients:
1 tsp loose leaf tea (or 1 teabag)
1 cup of water
Milk and sugar (optional)
Instructions:
Step 1: Start with fresh, cold water and bring it to a boil.
Step 2: Add one tea bag per cup of water in a cup or teapot. Alternatively, if using loose leaf tea, add one teaspoon of tea per cup of water to your teapot.
Step 3: Once the water has boiled, let it cool for a moment to allow the temperature to drop slightly. Water that is too hot can burn the tea leaves and result in a bitter taste.
Step 4: Pour the hot water into the teapot or infuser and allow the tea to steep for 3-5 minutes. A longer brewing time results in stronger tea with more caffeine.
Step 5: After the tea has steeped, remove the tea bag or strain the loose leaves to prevent over-brewing.
Step 6: Pour the brewed tea into a teacup and add milk and sugar to taste.
This is it. All you need to do to prepare a delicious cup of English breakfast tea!
Nutritional information
|
Nutrient |
Plain Black Tea (8 fl oz) |
Black Tea with 1 oz (30 ml) Milk, 1% Fat |
Black Tea with 1 oz (30 ml) Milk, 1% + 1 tsp Sugar (4.2 g) |
|
Calories |
2 |
13 |
29 |
|
Protein |
0 g |
1.03 g |
1.03 g |
|
Fat |
0 g |
0.3 g |
0.3 g |
|
Carbohydrates |
0.5 g |
2 g |
6.2 g |
|
Sugar |
0 g |
2 g |
6.2 g |
|
Sodium |
1 mg |
13 mg |
13 mg |
If you are interested what happens to the nutritional value if you add whole milk instead of milk with 1% fat, or honey instead of sugar, check out this source.
Other uses
English breakfast tea is a versatile ingredient with many uses beyond the regular cup of tea. It can be used in baking, ice cream, as a marinade, in cocktails, and in skincare, to name a few.
|
Use |
Description |
|
Baking |
English Breakfast tea can be used to add flavor to baked goods. |
|
Marinade |
Steeped tea can be used as a flavorful marinade for meat. |
|
Ice Cream |
Infused into cream or milk to create tea-flavored ice cream. |
|
Potpourri |
Dried tea leaves can be used in a potpourri mix for a pleasant aroma. |
|
Skin Care |
Tea bags or brewed tea can be applied topically to soothe skin. |
|
Cocktails |
English Breakfast tea can be used as an ingredient in cocktails to add flavor and depth. |
So next time when you have guests, feel free to surprise them with English breakfast tea scones, brownies, or an innovative cocktail.
Key takeaways
English Breakfast tea is a popular and flavourful tea blend that has been enjoyed for centuries in England and around the world.
Its robust and full-bodied flavour pairs well with milk and sugar.