English vs Irish vs Scottish Breakfast Tea: What's the Difference?
Teatentional
Breakfast teas are the workhorses of the tea world: strong, dark black tea blends made to wake you up and stand up to milk. English Breakfast is the most famous, but Irish and Scottish Breakfast have loyal fans of their own. The differences come down to strength, maltiness and what goes into the blend.
What Makes a "Breakfast" Tea?
A breakfast tea is a blend of black teas chosen for a full body and strong flavor that holds up to milk and sugar. There is no single fixed recipe. Each tea maker builds its own blend, usually from Assam, Ceylon and Kenyan teas, and sometimes Chinese black tea. You can learn more about those regions in Darjeeling Tea (and Assam), What Is Ceylon Tea? and Kenyan Tea.
English Breakfast Tea
English Breakfast is the balanced middle ground. It is strong and full bodied but rounded, with a malty, slightly sweet flavor and a bright finish. It works plain, with a splash of milk or with lemon.
Its origins are surprisingly unclear. One account says an English immigrant sold a blend called "English Breakfast Tea" in New York in 1843. Another credits an Edinburgh tea master in 1892. The full story is in British Tea Culture.
Irish Breakfast Tea
Irish Breakfast is stronger and maltier, with a heavier lean on Assam tea. It brews darker, often with a reddish color, and has a brisk, robust flavor that is almost always served with milk. Ireland is one of the biggest tea-drinking countries in the world per person, and Irish tea drinkers tend to like their cup strong.
Scottish Breakfast Tea
Scottish Breakfast is usually the boldest of the three. It is often described as rich and smooth, sometimes with a hint of smokiness, and blended to stand up to the very soft water found in much of Scotland. It is a big, warming cup for a cold morning.
The Differences at a Glance
- Strength: English is strong; Irish is stronger; Scottish is usually the strongest.
- Flavor: English is balanced and bright; Irish is malty and brisk; Scottish is rich, full and sometimes smoky.
- Main teas: English is often a mix of Assam, Ceylon and Kenyan; Irish leans heavily on Assam; Scottish is usually Assam-heavy with other bold teas.
- Milk: all three take milk well. Irish and Scottish almost always get it.
- Caffeine: all are black teas with similar caffeine. Stronger brewing, not the name, makes the biggest difference.
How to Brew a Proper Breakfast Cup
- Use 1 teaspoon of loose leaf per 8 oz of water. Use a little more for an Irish-style cup.
- Pour on water at a full boil, 212°F.
- Steep 3 to 5 minutes. The longer end gives a stronger, maltier cup.
- Add milk and sugar to taste.
Want it stronger without the bitterness? Add more leaf instead of steeping longer. A strong breakfast tea is a good friend on a dark Portland winter morning. For more morning ideas, see Rise and Steep: The Best Teas to Start Your Morning.
Our Breakfast Tea
Organic English Breakfast Tea
100 percent organic black tea, bold, malty and earthy with a clean finish. Brew it at the standard strength for a classic English cup, or use a little extra leaf and a longer steep for an Irish-style cup with milk.
Hold the Coffee
For a bolder, different kind of morning cup: roasted mate and black tea with chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla.
Shop Organic English Breakfast Tea
Steep intentionally. Sip with intention.
Related Reading
Read British Tea Culture, Earl Grey vs Lady Grey and The History of Tea.
