Irish Breakfast

About this tea

Irish Breakfast tea represents Ireland's answer to the morning cuppa - a blend even more robust than its English cousin, reflecting the Irish preference for a properly strong brew. Created to complement the hearty Irish breakfast and stand up to generous amounts of milk, this blend has become integral to Irish culture, where tea consumption per capita exceeds even that of Britain.

The blend typically features a higher proportion of Assam tea than English Breakfast, often up to 90%, creating an intensely malty, full-bodied character. Some blends incorporate small amounts of Ceylon for brightness or African teas for color, but Assam's robust character dominates. The result is a tea with remarkable strength and body - locals joke you should be able to 'trot a mouse across it.'

The flavor profile is unapologetically bold: intense maltiness with notes of honey and grain, a robust body that coats the mouth, and a strong astringency that demands milk. The liquor is deep amber to mahogany, significantly darker than English Breakfast. This is not a tea for subtlety - it's designed to wake you up and keep you going.

Brewing recommendations: Use 1 heaping teaspoon (4g) per 250ml cup with fully boiling water (100°C/212°F) and steep for 4 minutes for maximum strength. Always served with milk in Ireland, and often with sugar. The tea is so robust it's nearly impossible to over-steep.

Best enjoyed at breakfast with traditional Irish foods - black pudding, eggs, soda bread with butter and jam. Also perfect for the Irish tradition of 'elevenses' with biscuits. The high caffeine content (70mg per cup) makes it an effective morning energizer. Not recommended for evening drinking unless you plan to stay awake!