What Is The Best English Black Tea

The world is waking to tea! Oh wait, what I mean to say is we are drinking tea more and more. The desire for tea is growing. One of those teas is English Breakfast teas. Thought to have gotten its name from a salesman in the 1800s. English breakfast tea is more than a breakfast tea. It’s a cup of pleasure and enjoyment. Dark, deep, and smooth! The health benefits that surround a cup will make you swoon!

What is English Breakfast Tea

English teas are rich and dark. English Breakfast tea is one of the most popular traditional teas. They are black teas that are full-bodied and robust. I love the sweet honey taste that finishes the blend. Where did the name come from? It’s rumored that in the year 1843 an English tea merchant came to New York City. He sold the blended tea for 50 cents a pound. Hence the name English Breakfast Tea. I’m not sure that’s “gospel” but in our tea world, we love our tea stories. Do you know what English Breakfast tea is called in England? It’s called “tea”.

Black tea is fully oxidized. The oxidation and fermentation of tea leaves give the leaf a caramel color and that deep rich brew. Black teas contain 20-40 mg of caffeine and are steeped for up to 4 minutes. I brew mine a bit less and steep my leaves at least 2-3 times.

If you are looking for the original English Breakfast Tea look towards India or Sri Lanka. The leaves are picked smaller and a combination of leaves can be added from areas like China or Africa. While English Breakfast is a black tea most often it is not a single black tea. A combination of black teas is used to create a special flavor. Those teas are generally Assam and Ceylon teas. Not all English Breakfast teas will taste the same but they will hold true to their characteristics.

Some of the best English breakfast teas do not even come from England but from:

India – India makes a lighter version of Breakfast tea. Using Assam black teas from the beautiful foothills of the Himalayas. Leaves are picked in the prime of harvest. These teas offer a fruity muscatel and malty flavor.

Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka is formally known as Ceylon. Ceylon is the name of the tea that is used to create Sri Lanka’s English Breakfast tea. Harvested at an elevation of 800 meters. These teas offer up a fruity bold tea with hickory following.

China – Yunnan makes this tea from China purr. An English Breakfast tea from China is grown at high altitudes yet dense in the forest. Give these teas a mellow, sweet raisin flavor. Mild with a deep infusion sometimes red in color.

Kenya – Kenya brings us the black tea that is most often part of a mixture with other varieties of teas to make English Breakfast tea. The black tea from Kenya is bold, malty, and strong. Produced in South West Kenya.

Benefits of English Breakfast Tea

Black teas contain flavonoids that are beneficial for the health and well-being of the consumer. Black teas are one of the most fermented teas. Once that tea hits the hot water the levels of antioxidants rise.

Cardiovascular – The flavonoids in black tea in regular consumption work to help reduce the risks of heart disease. These include lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Flavonoids are a form of antioxidants that work to promote heart health. These antioxidants, like theaflavins and thearubigins, cause blood sugar to lower and insulin to increase. That lowers cholesterol. There are studies that have shown that black tea lowers the risk in people who drink it often. 

Dental Issues – While black tea is a culprit of staining teeth there is actually good news about it. The College of Dentistry at the University of Illinois found that black tea helps suppress the growth of bacteria that cause cavities. Black tea also fights back at plaque bacteria. The researchers found that as long as those being tested kept up with normal dental hygiene. The British Dental Association also backs up this study confirming that both black and green teas help fight against plaque build-up.

Cognitive – This amino acid called L-theanine is a nutrient that helps increase alertness (with the caffeine included). The improved focus and attention cause for an increased cognitive value. This is also more beneficial for coffee drinkers. The effects of caffeine in tea cause fewer jitters and a smoother transition as the caffeine leaves the body. The caffeine effect is stable and steady.

Cancers – Tea drinkers can also benefit from cancer protection. Tea will not rid your body of cancer nor is it a cure. Black tea contains polyphenols that are thought to reduce the spread and growth of cancer cells.

How to find the best English Breakfast Teas

Taste

One English Breakfast tea cannot compare to another on an equal playing field. All teas come from a single source. That source is Camellia Sinensis. From that origin, the teas change. So many different varieties. Those varieties depend upon the location, soil, atmosphere, harvesting, and processing. All those varieties make a tea taste unique.

English tea has a unique aroma and taste, each company gives it its own flair.

Origin

Not all English Breakfast Teas are alike and that is good to know. Some may enjoy the bagged version from the local store. While others need to order theirs from a company overseas. I’m a fan of NON-GMO or organic teas. You have to read labels and make sure of what is in your teas and what regions they come from. It’s important to know the origin of your food and beverage choices.

Packaging

The age-old question about the packaging of the tea leaf. I personally love loose leaf tea. I use bagged teas at work because it’s simple and easy for me. Brewing a loose leaf is not always something you can do. These decisions are something that is personal and helps make the decision on what type of tea you choose.

Company

Every company does things their way. It makes each tea unique and an example or mirror example of the company. Where the company buys the teas is also unique to each company. Some have personal relationships with growers and make their own blends. While others purchase tea created either for them or wholesale.

The Best English Breakfast Teas

 

Adagio English Breakfast Tea

Adagio creates an English Breakfast tea that is full-bodied. The tea used comes as close as possible to the original black Keemun tea from Anhui province in China. This tea presents a smokey flavor and as they say “perfectly on point astringency”.

Enjoy this tea plain or with milk. A popular tea. The leaves are large and the flavor is strong. Strong but lacks the bitterness.

Key Features:

• Close to classic English Tea brew
• Gourmet tea
• Balanced flavors of smokey and sweet

Pros

• High-quality tea close to an original cup
• Sweet without added sweeteners 
• Easy to steep pyramid tea bags

Cons

• Some say the tea flavor varies from year to year

Art of Tea English Breakfast

Key Features:

• Organically Grown
• Supporting small farms
• Fair Trade 

Pros

• Full-Bodied with a malty flavor
• Deliciously blended
• loose leaf

Cons

• The need to order more

Teabloom English Breakfast Heritage

Another full-bodied English Breakfast tea comes from Teabloom.  Rich and bold flavor with a complex malty finish.  Hints of raisin with a deep and fresh aroma. 

Key Features:

• A brisk and stimulating cup of tea
• Rich and Bold
• Perfect any time of the day

Pros

• Bold and inviting in both color and flavor
• Deep rich dark color 
• Kosher Certified 
• USDA Organic

Cons

• None were noted in any review

Vahdam Classic English Black Tea

Sourced by VAHDAM India directly from the tea estate, cleaned & vacuum sealed at source in India, and shipped directly to our fulfillment centers in the US. Teas, as fresh as in the gardens.

Key Features:

• Dark coppery appearance 
• Rich and toasty 
• Full-bodied

Pros

• Excellent quality tea
• Stout tea full-bodied
• Malty mouthfeel

Cons

• Some customers said the tea was milk and dry

The Republic of Tea British Breakfast

Republic of tea shares this 50-count teabag British Breakfast tea. Combination of teas from four tea communities. Black tea from Assam, Ceylon, Darjeeling, and Africa. Delicious and robust with a savory flavor. 

Key Features:

• Certified non-GMO, Gluten-free, and Kosher
• Teas come in a sealed tea tin
• Ethically sourced tea

Pros

• High-quality tea with a robust blend of black teas
• Part of the ethical tea partnership
• Teabags are free of tags, staples, and strings

Cons

• Some customers said the tea was mediocre and bland

Conclusion 

What’s the biggest thing we’ve learned in this article about English Breakfast tea? There are a few things. It’s made of not one but sometimes up to four amazing black teas from various regions and it’s not really an English tea. Thanks to a man in 1800 for selling tea. For creating a great sensation for us to still be talking about it years and decades later.