Maybe it's because of missing March Madness, maybe it's because we didn't really get to celebrate Saint Patrick's day like normal, whatever the case today we have another head to head matchup between Irish Breakfast and English Breakfast; winner take all. Ok maybe not but let's talk about the difference between these two dark malty breakfast blends.
Ask any of the Irish the difference between an Irish Breakfast and English Breakfast Tea and they'll simply tell you the Irish variety is just better. Call it pride or maybe it's the few hundred years of English rule, whichever the case these are two very different blends of tea. A breakfast tea is always going to be a blend of black teas normally 3-4 including Assam, Ceylon, Kenyan, and sometime Keemun in nicer blends. The English of course will take theirs with milk and sugar, but the term English Breakfast actually originated in colonial America at a time where tea was the drink of choice for most colonists. The English Breakfast blend was a ritual, a way to start your morning off on the right foot. Due to the practice of adding milk and sugar, English Breakfast blends although dark and malty will typically be a little lighter and sweeter than their Irish counterpart.
And then we get to the Irish Breakfast Blend. Much like Irish Whiskey to Scotch(Scotch is aged a minimum of 3 years, Irish Whiskey 3 years and 1 day), the Irish must find a way to make bolder and in their words better cup. Irish Breakfast blends will almost always consist of a blend of all dark strong Assam teas. This will lead to a much stronger cup that will give a real jolt of caffeine when consumed. Irish Breakfast tea is often drank straight but it is also common to add milk or sugar but rarely both.
There have also been new additions to the Breakfast tea family including Scottish Breakfast Teas or even Revival Tea Company's own newly popular Northwest Breakfast that we finish with Pine Needles. A breakfast tea whether Irish, English or any other should be a strong cup meant to get you going and keep you going in your day. Just don't ask the Irish or English which type they prefer; you already know the answer to that question.
Cheers,
Revival Tea Co.