Irish Breakfast Tea

Irish breakfast tea is a blend of several black teas, most often Assam teas. Irish brands Lyons, Barry's, Nambarrie's, and Punjana are heavily weighted toward Assam. Many tea producers make Irish breakfast tea blends specifically for the United States market.

Because of its strength, Irish breakfast tea is commonly served with milk, but may also be consumed plain or with lemon or sugar. In Ireland, where milk and dairy products are traditionally a major part of the diet, most people drink tea with milk. Irish breakfast tea is often drunk in the morning. Being of black teas, it has a strong flavour and higher caffeine content than green, oolong, or white teas, albeit considerably less than coffee. It is also taken throughout the day and evening due to its smooth and sweet texture.

Generally, the best Irish breakfast tea is in loose leaf form, such teas being taken from the best parts of the plant. When brewed, the tea varies in colour from very dark red to brown. Irish breakfast tea can also be bought in tea bags but with more variation in quality.