UK DLer's: Is there an actual difference between English, Irish, Scottish and Yorkshire Breakfast Tea?

^^And a preemptive "Oh Dear" on the apostrophe

No offense to anyone, but Google has a much broader knowledge base than Data Lounge users do.

I typed in "English vs Irish breakfast tea" and got an immediate, thorough answer.

[quote] Irish breakfast tea also has a strong Assam component, giving it a robust, malty flavor and reddish color. It is stronger than English breakfast tea, but not quite as strong as the Scottish variety. Because of the important role of the dairy industry in Ireland, it is usually served with milk. However, some Irish tea drinkers choose to take their breakfast tea plain, or with sugar only.

You can really taste the Assam in the Irish Breakfast. Gives the tea a crisp, bold sparkle. English and Scots Breakfast are bland, in comparison. Then there's the on-going war between Dublin and Cork as to who makes a better cuppa. I've tried Barry's Irish Breakfast (Cork), Bewley's Irish Breakfast (Dublin) and Thompson's Irish Breakfast (Dublin) and they're all much of a muchness, can't really taste any difference.

Yorkshire tea is one of the many strong regional teas, of which there are many. A matter of personal taste really, though if you're looking for a good, strong cuppa, Typhoo, Thompson's Punjana and Builders stand out from the crowd.

I've yet to try Glengettie tea from Wales.

Typhoo tea is properly taken cut with a knife and fork, then chewed thoroughly.

Take it you haven't tried Builders. Their blend includes tea from Rwanda. The spoon stands up in the cup by itself.

Correction R5: Malawi, not Rwanda

Scottish tea seems to have even more Assam than Irish and tastes "maltier" (more malt-like) to me. I think English is strongly Keemun, which is Chinese, and tastes "brisk" or "clean" or "sharp" to me. I prefer English tea. Yorkshire is a variety of English tea. Yorkshire Gold is very good. I have been told Twinnings markets an inferior version of their teas in the US.

What about Welsh Breakfast Tea? Why is Wales always forgotten?

R8 See the last sentence in R3.

R8 You ask why the Welsh are always forgotten but don't even mention the Cornish! What about Cornish breakfast tea?

[quote]A matter of personal taste really, though if you're looking for a good, strong cuppa, Typhoo, Thompson's Punjana and Builders stand out from the crowd.

Typhoo? Strong? It's piss-weak and flavourless. Snip open a teabag and watch dust fall out. Not a single recognisable piece of leaf to be seen. Most of the brands, including the supermarket own-label teas have a "strong" variety. Otherwise, throw two bags into a cup if you want your teas poon to stand up in it.

(I was joking but it turns out it's actually a thing.)

Oi! What about Dorset tea???

I hope there's no Liverpudlian tea. Liver + pud + tea sounds disgusting.

[quote] Otherwise, throw two bags into a cup if you want your teas poon to stand up in it.

R11 Did that with PG Tips, Tetley's Strong and Marks and Sparks Strong. Tea was way too bitter. With Builders and Punjana I only need one tea bag.

And before anyone starts off about bags versus loose, my days of cleaning tea stains out of tea pots are over. A bag will never be as good as loose, but it does save time and effort.

It seems you are talking about strength as in flavor. Is there a difference in the caffeine? Are any of them more stimulating than others?

Good idea for a thread OP.

It is said that cold brewing greatly reduces the level of caffeine in tea. Clueless about caffeine amounts in tea. Mr. Google will obviously know.

[quote] Are any of them more stimulating than others?

Good question. There has to be more to the stimulation than caffeine. I can drink coffee at any time of day and feel OK and sleep fine. A little tea goes a very long way for me, though, and it can make me extremely shaky and light headed at times, and if I drink tea after noon, I am up all night with a racing heart.

What about West Midlands Breakfast tea?

R18 I'm the exact opposite. Two cups of coffee first thing in the morning is my limit. The rest of the day, I drink tea until bedtime and have no problem getting to sleep.

Any East End tea? Where do they grow the plant there?

R20 I have a severe allegic disorder called mast cell activation syndrome and it's possible I may be allergic to tea. The racing heart and light headedness and urinary urgency can be signs of anaphylaxis. My morning coffee just wakes me up and stimulates a nice morning poo.

+1 R20 -- I cannot drink coffee past around 10AM or it keeps me up but tea is fine.

The Scottish teas grown on the banks of Loch Lomond are the finest in Europe, I think, rivalled only by the limited quantities produced on The Queen’s tea fields at Braemar.

[quote]The Scottish teas grown on the banks of Loch Lomond

And early in the morning, just before dawn, Nessie comes out of the Loch to piss and crap on the tea bushes. Gives them that special "Scots" flavor.

Nessie can walk? As far as Loch Lomond?😉

The different kinds of breakfast tea are named as blends, not origin, right? The manufacturer gets the teas from the usual places (China, India, Sri Lanka, etc.).

If you want a really strong brew, go for Assam. I love it. But I usually have a few cups of Yorkshire Gold in the morning, plain. I prefer the non-Gold variety, but it's harder to get where I am in the U.S. I don't know what the difference is really supposed to be, but to me it's stronger and harsher, which I like.

I haven't had pure Assam for quite a while. You've given me an idea, R27. I running low on my Yorkshire Gold.

#Team Assam. The best.

Assam is an obscene sounding name for tea.

Then you should try Assman.

^I wish, unfortunately around here you're more likely to find cuntea.

I can't start my day without this.

So, I went on Amazon Prime and used up my points to buy Harrogate Assam, Twining's English Breakfast, and Peet's Big Bang coffee.

All free!

Punjana is a blend produced in Northern Ireland. It is a good all round strong tea. I think it too has a good bit of Assam in it. I always bought Punjana tea when I lived there but it isn’t as easily available in my current neck of the woods.