Irish Breakfast

Wow, this was like a punch in the face. After it melted the paint off the walls I noticed a fruity taste. It smelled malty but I didn’t notice it in the taste. This is what I thought Irish Breakfast was supposed to taste like. Yeah! Thanks ashmanra. I couldn’t drink this often but I like it.

In the [comedic] words of Robin Williams: Irish men will kick each others ass and then sing about it afterwards. That’s kind of how I feel about this tea. It kicked my ass, no question.

Tea of the afternoon…..

I was at the eye doctor today with my son. They happened to have this as a wrapped bag along with hot water, so I thought I would give it a go. It was pretty good. I don’t think I steeped very long, and the water was out of one of those office type hot water dispensers. I am surprised to read it is 100% Assam. I seem to have it in my head that Assam is bitter and over the top, but this one certainly was not. I did probably steep for about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, so as long as I do my Chinese blacks for sure. Hmmm. I may have to consider this one!

Another tea I picked up from Harney, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away by this but I do enjoy a good Irish Breakfast tea every so often.

I steeped this for only 3 minutes and I was glad. It’s a fairly brisk and hefty assam with a bit of astringency and a winey-like aftertaste. I definitely needed milk and sugar with this one but that’s about what I was expecting. I don’t really think this is any better than the Twinings brand I can get in the grocery store but it is certainly acceptable to me. I managed to sleep for 11 hours last night and I’m happy about that! Definitely going to try avoiding coffee today…

Starting my day off with this yummy tea. I let it steep a little too long so it seems very heavy to me. Almost like a fine Irish Stout (which is awesome because I can’t have any beer anymore!) really malty and rich. I didn’t add any milk to it, because we’re out and I thought the soy milk I do have wouldn’t do it justice! But I did add a hint of agave which made it taste just right. I need to stop forgetting this one is in my collection.

And this was our 2nd tea of the day at work today.

A basic breakfast tea. Strong, holds sugar well and I imagine it takes milk well also. A nice kick to the day and what I think of when I think of “Irish Breakfast tea.”

Well this is my #500 tasting note, and it was supposed to be something special (probably my second jasmine pu-erh toucha from Chicago tea garden), but I don’t have the time, energy or attention span today to do it justice. Sooo, Harney & Son’s Irish Breakfast it is. With Bailey’s. Because it’s that kind of week. Again.

(NOTE: This note refers to the bagged version.)
I usually drink Twinings decaf Irish Breakfast, so this is plenty strong in comparison. Malty and slightly sweet already, it tastes like it was made for Baileys! My hubby usually drinks this tea, but I recently learned (3/4 through the box) that it gives him headaches (although coffee and yerba mate don’t. Weird!) So he’s drinking it less and I decided to go full caf today since decaf is always a bit flat. Besides, mixing caffeine & alcohol feels edgy now that all those boozy “energy” drinks have been recalled…

My first loose leaf tea. Rich, smooth, and malty. The flavor is similar to Twinings Irish Breakfast, but stronger and more intense. When I first tasted the tea after steeping, I wondered whether I put enough tea in the filter, but the flavor deepens and comes out even more as it cools. I almost think I am drinking coffee. Thanks, K S, for sending me this tea!

A kinder, gentler Irish Breakfast tea. Excellent with milk and sugar. Tastes like a very good quality Assam should.

I had a bagged version with a little addition of milk along with breakfast. It’s a pretty strong tea that stands up to milk, but not the strongest Irish Breakfast. Decent morning cuppa, but if I’m buying myself a breakfast tea from Harney&Sons, I would opt for the Keemun based English Breakfast.

I’m generally not a big fan of black tea, specifically those title “breakfast” teas, but I don’t know. I was feeling festive (a week early).

It’s not awful. And I’m sure the fact I steeped it a tad too long is why it’s slightly bitter. But I can’t complain much. Considering black tea isn’t my favorite, I guess it means something that I’m not ranting about my hatred for it.

Maybe some day I’ll find a black tea I actually like.

Two cups of this in the morning have replaced my 7 am coffee. It’s a good transition from coffee to tea, partially because it is so good with milk and sugar. On its own, the tea is bold, full bodied, and astringent. Definitely smacks you in the face. The milk adds a smooth, creamy taste that calms the tea down. With milk and sugar, you can better appreciate the DELICIOUS malty taste so characteristic of Assams.

This is definitely for the black tea lover. It’s nice and simple no-bullshit black tea to provide a gentle pick me up in the morning.

Interesting how my tastes have evolved. Although I had tried this in a tea bag quite a while ago and thought it was tasteless, I thought the loose version was pretty good when I first got my Breville. I think I have been spoiled by good single estate assams now, though, and find this one a bit boring.

I have a post-it note stuck to the tin of various adjustments I’ve made to the brewing, each one saying that the tea was a bit bland. Decided to give it one more try today – 2 gently rounded tsp/cup, 212, 5 minutes. More flavor than the Golden Moon Irish Breakfast I just tried, but still not much complexity. It has a typical “strong black tea” flavor but no maltiness, not much interest. There was a little bitterness that went away with the addition of some milk but then the tea tasted a bit blah. Unfortunately I have a 1 lb bag of this that we will never drink :( Lesson learned there…..

Going to try my new Upton GFOP assam blend to see how it compares.

After an unpleasant confrontation with Citrus Blend, I wanted something to soothe my palate and reassure my stomach that everything was going to be okay. This gentle Irish Breakfast with the addition of milk and sugar was just the right solution.

Mild but still flavorful, this is a soothing Irish Breakfast. For a bracing, strong cup, I prefer CTC Assam and that will probably be the Assam I end up ordering a full tin of. This remains a beautiful tea and one I’m happy to enjoy. Refined and peaceful, gentle but not weak.

A little malty, a little spicy, not one of my favorites, but a good breakfast tea.

A strong black base with slight floral or fruity notes, leaves quite a dry feeling in the mouth, had with milk and 1 sugar.

My partner who is much more of a black tea drinker than I said it was her new favourite breakfast tea.

I would happily drink it with a meal, I don’t find it quite tasty enough to have on its own, my partner loved it so much she finished both of our cups.

My youngest daughter loves Irish breakfast tea from A Southern Season, so I thought I would get this for her to try. She likes it quite well. I am not as much a “breakfast tea” person, but I did think this one was good. It is strong enough to be bracing and, shall we say, strengthening in the morning and has quite enough body and flavor to take on milk and sugar if you like to add it. I think I am still partial to the Irish Breakfast from A Southern Season over this one. Don’t brew this one as long unless you want coffee style strength, as the leaf particles are smaller than SS Irish breakfast.

Love, love, love. We buy this by the pound. Goes well with Irish cream.

Blended with Upton Scottish Breakfast. Steeped 3 min. Much better than either alone. Steep 4 min next time.

A favorite in the morning, with a nice amount of CTC Assam in it to give it a hardy boost of flavour and body.