Irish Breakfast Tea - Loose Leaf

The Irish Breakfast Tea blend from English Tea Store is a stout robust blend of February Kenya BP1 and 2nd flush Assam. A superb color and a very full-bodied tea.

It may surprise some to learn that the people of Ireland drink more tea per capita than any other population on Earth. The Irish prefer what some might call a sturdy cup of tea. So in order to provide the Irish with strong blends, Assam teas are picked from the top production of the Second Flush, a period of high growth in the month of June. The Kenyans selected are usually those produced in either February or August when the most flavorful seasonal quality leaf is grown. The Assam component of this Irish blend gives the cup a strong, deep malty character with heavy layers of astringency that dry the mouth, feeling almost as if you could chew the tea. (This is similar to the way a very dry wine can make you pucker.) The Kenyan teas provide a bright coppery color with profound floral notes that add a complex depth to the cup.

As with most teas, the longer you brew this tea the stronger it becomes. If you're Irish, you‟ll let this tea brew a good long time and then add a wee splash of milk. Milk, in the case of a tea this strong cancels out the tannins and diminishes the bitterness that can characterize some strong teas. Debate rages from Dublin to Tipperary as to when milk should be added - before the tea or after? The milk-first camp argues that milk added after the hot tea will scald and should therefore be added first so it can warm as the tea is poured. Milk-last devotees argue that the only way to properly measure the amount to add is to pour it last. (Non-users of milk regard the whole issue as quite silly.)

How to Make Tea

Available in 3 sizes (Please select from the options above):

• Contents loose leaf tea net weight 4 ounces
• Contents loose leaf tea net weight 16 ounces (1 pound)
• Contents loose leaf tea net weight 80 ounces (5 pound)

Irish Breakfast Tea is gluten free, as well as nuts, wheat, crustacea, eggs, milk/dairy, sulfites, and soy lecithin free. This tea is packed at a factory that has nuts on the premises.

Caffeine content: Medium - This tea contains natural caffeine found in the L. Camellia Sinensis family. A cup of black tea steeped in boiled water for 5 minutes will contain between 27 to 35 milligrams of caffeine. An equal sized cup of coffee will contain between 80 – 100 milligrams of caffeine. Caffeine quickly becomes soluble in very hot water. If you wish to reduce the caffeine level in this tea, briefly rinsing the tea leaves in extremely hot water will reduce the caffeine content between 25-50% with only a minor effect on taste.

Antioxidant Content: High - 7.5 – 9.99% polyphenols by dry weight. The longer you steep your tea the more polyphenols will be extracted. (Test results based on 5 minutes steeping time. Polyphenol percentages may fluctuate with lot, grade of tea, testing method, temperature of water and freshness of tea). More antioxidants are extracted from tea (L. Camellia Sinesis) the longer it is brewed. And the more tea is used, the greater the antioxidant benefit.

Nutritional Information: Amount per Serving; Serving size 2.5 grams of loose tea. Makes 8 fluid ounces or 240 milliliters.