English Breakfast Tea… a proper cup of tea to start the day. There’s no doubt that drinking tea is one of the most recognisable traditions in this country, with the UK Tea & Infusions Association stating that we consume a combined total of 100 million cups a day. That’s an incredible amount of clicking kettles, stirring spoons and clattering saucers for one relatively small island!
It’s fair to say that of all the different varieties, flavours, and tea experiences available there is none more famous, and popular, than breakfast tea. In this article, we’ll explore where breakfast tea comes from, how to brew it properly (whether loose leaf or in a bag), and what makes it such a cherished part of British mornings. Whether you’re a seasoned tea drinker or simply curious about the best way to enjoy a full-bodied black tea, you’ll find tips, history, and flavour insight to help you pour the perfect cup.
But why is it called breakfast tea?
The story of our obsession with breakfast tea is a royal tale of two Queens that lived almost 200 years apart. Queen Catherine of Braganza is widely credited as introducing the tea drinking craze to England over 350 years ago. It was first enjoyed as a status symbol amongst the aristocracy before eventually finding its way into every level of society. However, it was in 1892 that a Scottish Tea maker named Robert Drysdale is credited with the idea of making a stronger brew that could be enjoyed in the morning as an energy boost for the day. With a spark of inspired marketing, he called this Breakfast Tea. On a trip to Balmoral, Queen Victoria was so enamoured with this new blend that she took a box home with her, and English Breakfast Tea began its journey into kitchen cupboards all over the world.
Where does the best black tea come from?
Many people naturally associate tea with its historic roots in China, India, and Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) – the great cradles of tea cultivation. Birchall Tea’s story, too, begins in this part of the world over 150 years ago, when Captain Birchall George Graham, a British officer posted to India, invested his savings into planting tea in the lush hills of Darjeeling. Our full brand story is available to read here if you’d like to explore more.
While Darjeeling remains renowned for its delicate, floral teas, other regions like Assam (India) and Uva (Sri Lanka) are equally respected for producing strong, full-bodied black teas. In China, the birthplace of tea itself, provinces such as Yunnan and Fujian are known for their diversity of styles – from smoky Lapsang Souchong to robust Dian Hong. Meanwhile, Kenya and Rwanda have emerged as vital contributors to the global tea market, thanks to their high-altitude estates, fertile volcanic soils, and favourable climate conditions. In fact, East Africa is now one of the world’s leading tea-exporting regions (and the home of Birchall’s black teas)!
Best tasting black tea
When ingredients exclusively sourced from Kenya’s Great Rift Valley estates are combined with five generations’ knowledge and experience of production, the result is the perfect breakfast tea – bursting with a bright, bold and brilliant taste. So much so that Birchall Great Rift Breakfast Blend has received honours at The Guild of Fine Food’s Great Taste Awards for a record breaking 14 years in a row – more than any other breakfast tea, making it the UK’s most awarded tea for taste*!
Loose leaf or tea bags? Finding the right breakfast tea.
Once you’ve chosen your perfect breakfast blend, the next question is whether to go for loose leaf tea or tea bags. Loose leaf is often considered the gold standard for brewing a full-bodied, flavour-rich cup, while others prefer tea bags for their everyday convenience. At Birchall, we believe there’s room for both – which is why we’ve created a range that offers the same best-tasting breakfast tea in multiple formats. You can choose from loose leaf, our premium biodegradable prism tea bags made from plant starch, or compostable square tea bags for everyday use. No matter the format, you’ll enjoy the same deliciously strong, full-flavoured breakfast tea in every cup.
It’s worth noting that some tea bags have earned a bad reputation over the years, as lower-quality teas were often hidden inside them. But with Birchall, you can be confident you’re getting 100% pure grade black tea – with no stalks, no dust, just quality leaf. Don’t just take our word for it: try opening one of our tea bags and see for yourself! Watch our viral ‘Seeing is Believing’ campaign on YouTube.
A brew that’s right for you – how to brew breakfast tea
Ultimately, though it’s always the flavour that ensures people return to tea as their preferred day-starter. That’s why we feel it’s important to know how to get the very best out of your breakfast blend. While brewing loose leaf tea may appear a little daunting at first, like many of the finest pleasures in life, it’s actually reassuringly simple. For best results, we recommend a Stump teapot with a basket infuser – such as this particular favourite of ours in the striking Great Rift Red colour.
Preparing these hand plucked leaves for your cup with the same care and attention that they were harvested is a small but rewarding ritual:
Creating The Perfect Breakfast Tea
- Get the ratio right. Three grams of loose leaf tea is enough for a standard 180 ml cup so get measuring and add the leaves to the basket infuser in the teapot.
- Let’s get to boiling point. All black teas like Great Rift Breakfast Blend need water of 100°C to brew. Fortunately, the kettle will take care of that for you. Just wait for the whistle or the click and pour the freshly boiled water into the teapot.
- The Steep Step – this is where the magic happens. Let the tea steep and release its rich, full flavour. We recommend brewing for at least 2 minutes, but no more than 5. It’s the perfect moment to pause – we like to take that time to look out the window, breathe in some fresh morning air, or ease into the day with a few gentle stretches!
Once brewed, remove the infuser basket, pour into your favourite cup and enjoy!
The same method applies when using any of our tea bags – to get a perfect morning brew, simply steep the tea bag in 100°C boiling water for 2 minutes, or a little longer if you prefer a strong, full-bodied breakfast tea.
Breakfast tea with milk or without? The age-old breakfast tea debate.
Adding milk to breakfast tea is a personal choice, and there’s no right or wrong way to enjoy it. Some people like how milk softens the strength of a robust blend and gives it a smoother taste, while others prefer to drink it black to experience the full flavour of the tea. It all comes down to what suits your taste best. Serve with milk, slice of lemon, or enjoy just as it is – your perfect morning brew, your way.
* Since 2011, our black teas, green teas and infusions have, between them, scooped 98 prestigious accolades at the Great Taste Awards – the ‘Oscars’ for the speciality and fine food & drink industry, organised by The Guild of Fine Food. We are particularly proud of the fact that our Great Rift Breakfast Blend has received Great Taste honours for 14 years in a row…more than any other breakfast tea! So sit back and relax, knowing you’re enjoying the UK’s finest tasting tea.
