Irish Breakfast Tea: What It Is and How to Brew It

In short: Irish breakfast tea is a strong, malty black tea blend built mostly on Assam, made to be drunk with milk. To brew it the Irish way, use 3 g (a heaped teaspoon) of loose leaf per 250 ml mug, pour on water at a full boil (100°C) and steep for 4-5 minutes. Add milk once the tea is brewed, and sugar if you like.

Few countries take their tea as seriously as Ireland. The Irish are regularly counted among the biggest tea drinkers in the world per person, and the kettle goes on for every occasion: breakfast, visitors, good news, bad news and the evening wind-down. At the heart of it all is a strong, reddish-brown cup of breakfast tea.

What is Irish breakfast tea?

Irish breakfast tea is not a single tea but a blend of black teas chosen for strength, body and colour. Most Irish blends lean heavily on Assam from north-east India, which gives that deep, malty flavour and rich red-brown colour. Some include a little Kenyan tea for briskness, or Ceylon or Darjeeling for a lighter top note.

The aim is a tea that stands up to milk. Without milk, a good Irish blend can taste bold and a little brisk; with milk, it turns smooth, round and comforting, exactly what you want with a cooked breakfast or a slice of brown bread and butter.

Irish breakfast vs English breakfast

The two are close relatives, but there is a clear difference in the cup:

In short, if English breakfast is your everyday cuppa, Irish breakfast is its stronger, bolder cousin. For more on the English side of the family, read our English Breakfast vs Earl Grey guide.

How to brew the perfect cup

Irish breakfast tea is forgiving, but a few details make the difference between a good cup and a great one.

1. Fresh water: fill the kettle with fresh cold water. Water that has been boiled again and again tastes flat.
2. Warm the pot or mug: swirl a little hot water around and pour it away.
3. Measure: 3 g of loose leaf per 250 ml mug, or about 10 g for a four-cup teapot. Add an extra spoon "for the pot" if you like it strong.
4. Full boil: pour on water at 100°C, straight from the kettle.
5. Steep: 4-5 minutes. Under 3 minutes the tea is thin; over 6 it can turn too brisk.
6. Milk last: remove the leaves, then add milk until the colour turns a rich caramel brown. Sugar is up to you.

Brewing in a pot? Take the leaves out or pour all the tea into a second warmed pot once it is ready, so the last cup is as good as the first. A tea cosy keeps it hot for second helpings.

Milk in first or last?

This is one of the great kitchen debates. Milk in first was once used to protect delicate china cups from hot tea. With modern mugs, adding the milk last is the easier choice, because you can see the colour and get the strength exactly right. Either way, use fresh, cold milk; full-fat gives the creamiest cup.

Soft water, hard water

Much of Ireland has fairly soft water in the west and harder water in the east and midlands. Strong Assam-based blends handle both well, but if you notice a film on top of the cup or a dull flavour, a simple filter jug makes a clear difference. Always descale the kettle every few weeks if you live in a hard water area.

Our breakfast teas

All of these are on our black tea shelf and suit a strong morning cup with milk:

• Irish Breakfast: strong Assam with a hint of Darjeeling; malty, velvety and made for milk.
• Assam "Black Beauty" #8: for anyone who wants pure Assam with plenty of body and a sweet, malty finish.
• English Breakfast: a slightly lighter, brisker blend for the second pot of the day.

Loose leaf needs somewhere to brew, so have a look at our teapots with built-in infusers if you usually make tea for the whole table.

How to store breakfast tea

Keep loose leaf in an airtight, opaque tin, away from the cooker, the kettle steam and strong smells such as coffee or spices. Stored well, black tea keeps its flavour for well over a year, though it tastes best within 6-12 months of opening.

Frequently asked questions

Is Irish breakfast tea stronger than English breakfast?

Yes, in flavour and body. Irish blends usually contain more Assam, so they taste maltier and look darker in the cup.

Does Irish breakfast tea have a lot of caffeine?

It is a black tea, so it has more caffeine than green or white tea but usually less than a mug of filter coffee. The longer you steep it, the more caffeine ends up in the cup.

Can I drink Irish breakfast tea without milk?

You can. Steep it for a little less time, around 3 minutes, so it stays smooth. A slice of lemon also works.

How long should I steep Irish breakfast tea?

4-5 minutes at a full boil for a classic cup with milk, or 3 minutes if you drink it black.