A hearty breakfast isn’t complete without a hearty, full body tea! Think of the well-known English breakfast with baked eggs, sausages, bacon, white beans in tomato sauce and toasted bread and butter. Even the Scottish version with scones doesn’t come without a delicious, strong breakfast tea. But what is the difference between English, Irish and Scottish Breakfast Tea?
What is breakfast tea?
Back in the day people drank breakfast tea during breakfast, hence the name breakfast tea. Nowadays, people drink the tea throughout the day. Breakfast tea is made with black tea blends from Assam and Ceylon tea. In some cases, tea from Africa, Kenya or Indonesia is also used for breakfast tea blends.
What is the difference between English, Irish and Scottish Breakfast Tea?
English Breakfast Tea
English Breakfast is a very popular tea type that often accompanies a rich variety of breakfast foods. The English Breakfast blends are light and sweet teas, often infused with Assam, Ceylon or Darjeeling. There’s a lot of speculation about the origin, from a Scottish tea master to an American vendor, but in the end the tea became popular in England.
Popular brands that sell English Breakfast Tea are: Twinings, Taylors of Harrogate, Pickwick and Clipper.
Irish Breakfast Tea
Irish Breakfast Tea is made with Assam and Ceylon tea. Tea brands mainly use Assam for this blend because of the outspoken, robust flavour. Because it’s quite a strong tea type people often drink the tea with milk and sugar or honey.
Popular brands that sell Irish Breakast Tea are: Bewley’s, Twinings, and McEntee’s.
Scottish Breakfast Tea
The Scottish Breakfast Tea is the strongest out of the three. The tea is made from a blend of Assam and Ceylon as a base. Depending on the tea brand, the blend is then infused with tea from Africa, Kenya or Indonesia. Scottish Breakfast Tea has a strong, malty flavour. Because of the strong flavour people often drink it with milk. It is also the rarest of the breakfast teas.
Popular brands that sell Scottish Breakfast Tea: Edinburgh Tea and Coffee Company and Taylors of Harrogate.
The breakfast blends in a nutshell:
English Breakfast Tea: a full body, light and sweet tea which is made with a blend of Assam, Ceylon and/or Darjeeling tea.
Irish Breakfast Tea: a strong, robust tea which is made with a blend of Assam and Ceylon.
Scottish Breakfast Tea: the strongest blend of the three breakfast teas with a malty flavour. Made with a blend of Assam and Ceylon, infused with tea from Africa, Kenya and/or Indonesia.
Have you found your favourite breakfast tea? Then you need a good teapot! Take a look at our collection of teapots and choose your favourite!
