What is Breakfast Tea? 

Breakfast tea is such a ubiquitous term, but have you ever wondered; what is breakfast tea? Well in this blog we aim to answer that question, share the origins of this tea and all the different types we offer at the The Tea Makers of London. 

Breakfast tea is a type of black tea that is typically robust and strong, designed to be enjoyed in the morning as part of a hearty breakfast. It is often blended to be bold in flavour and can be served with milk and sugar, though it can also be enjoyed plain.  The leaves used are typically smaller, broken pieces, to get a strong, intense flavour that can withstand milk and sugar without losing its flavour. However, there is no fixed definition of a breakfast tea.  

In this blog we will discuss the historical origins of breakfast tea, where the tea so synonymous with British culture actually comes from, and the different types there are to enjoy.  

Where does Breakfast tea come from? 

The term Breakfast tea and the style of drinking this tea originated in Western Europe; however, the tea leaves themselves come from much farther away.  

Here at The Tea Makers of London, all our Breakfast teas are single-origin; that is to say, they only use tea leaves grown in one specific region, to reflect the heritage and offer the best tasting tea. 

Breakfast teas usually blend leaves grown in different regions of the world, for both cost effectiveness and flavour consistency. However, this can destroy the authenticity of our cup. By mixing regions, you run the risk of diminishing the intrinsic flavour of the tea and removing the natural ties to the land where it has been grown and nurtured.  

Here are the primary tea growing regions;

China  

The largest producer of tea in the world. The majority of the tea grown in China is actually green tea, not black tea. This is because most of the tea grown in China is consumed domestically, it being a tea-loving nation. However, of the black tea they do grow, the most famous is Keemun, which is often used in Breakfast tea blends. 

India  

India is the world’s second largest producer of tea, and the nation loves its black tea. Most of tea grown in consumed domestically as Masala Chai, which is drunk with breakfast and all-day round. The most common Indian black tea used in Breakfast blends is Assam, which creates a robust and full-bodied flavour, as can be found in our Assam Breakfast. 

Sri Lanka  

Commercialised tea production was brought to Sri Lanka by European colonists, where the crop thrived. Due to Sri Lanka’s tropical climate, tea is grown all year round. Sri Lanka is famed for its Ceylon tea (derived from the country’s colonial name) which is often used in Breakfast blends, such as our own English Breakfast.  

Kenya  

Kenya produces more tea than any other African country, although most of what is grown is then exported to be used in tea blends in foreign markets. Tea was first introduced as a commercial crop at the beginning of the 20th century, and Kenya is now the third-largest producer in the world.  

When did people start drinking Breakfast tea? 

Breakfast tea might be the most common way Brits like to start their day, but its history goes back several centuries, back to when tea first began to arrive in Britain, and how its popularity spread throughout the island.  

One sugar or two? 

From early on, sugar was added to tea. This was partly conspicuous consumption – only those with money could afford either tea or sugar and drinking both together showed off status and wealth- but also to counter the bitterness of tea.  

As prices for both goods fell throughout the 1700s, it began to be consumed by the middle-class, and tea drinking went from an aristocratic indulgence to a respectable middle-class staple. Tea became increasingly affordable for the masses due to new sources and trade routes, so that by the start of the 19th century tea had transformed into a daily necessity and was consumed by all walks of British society.  

For labourers, tea was associated with work. The caffeine in tea served as a stimulant and the sugar provided a much-needed energy boost in the morning.  

Splash of milk? 

The origin of adding milk to tea is less clear (although Mongolians had been adding milk to their tea for centuries). Some have suggested that milk was added to cover up poor quality tea, which had been mixed with other ingredients or improperly stored on its long journey over.  

Another theory is linked to porcelain. Supposedly, the heat of boil water would break poorer quality porcelain, and so milk would be added to protect it.  

Whatever the initial reason, milk in tea likely became popular for the same reasons people enjoy it today; adding milk reduces the natural bitterness and astringency of black tea, and the extra calories would have been much appreciated by labourers.  

With it being a natural stimulant due to the caffeine, and a calorific drink with the addition of milk and sugar, it was only natural that people in Britain turned to a cuppa for their first drink of the day.