How long should you steep English Breakfast tea?

3 to 5 minutes. Three to four minutes to drink plain, four to five if you add milk. Past 5 minutes it turns bitter.

What temperature should water be for English Breakfast?

203–212°F (95–100°C), water at or just off a full boil.

What is English Breakfast tea made of?

It's a blend of black teas, usually Assam with Ceylon and often Kenyan tea. The exact recipe varies by brand.

Do you put milk in English Breakfast tea?

Most people do. The blend is designed to stand up to milk. Add it after brewing, a splash at a time.

How much caffeine is in English Breakfast tea?

Usually about 40–70 mg per 8 oz cup, a bit more than half a cup of coffee, depending on the blend and steep time.

What's the difference between English Breakfast and Earl Grey?

English Breakfast is a plain blend of black teas, malty and robust. Earl Grey is black tea flavored with bergamot oil, which gives it a citrusy, floral aroma.

How to Brew English Breakfast

Steep time: 3m – 5m
Water temperature: 95°C – 100°C

About English Breakfast

English Breakfast is a blend of black teas, not a single tea. Most recipes are built on malty Assam for strength, with Ceylon for brightness and often Kenyan tea for color and body. Some older blends were based on Chinese Keemun. Every company has its own recipe, but the goal is the same: a robust, reliable cup that stands up to milk and a cooked breakfast.

What it tastes like

Full-bodied and brisk, with malty, toasty notes from the Assam and a bright, slightly citrusy lift from the Ceylon. It's strong without being harsh, and has a deep, coppery color.

Step by step

Measure your tea Use about one teaspoon of English Breakfast leaves per 8 oz cup.
Heat the water Bring fresh water to 95°C – 100°C. Water that is too hot will scorch the leaves.
Steep Pour the water over the leaves and steep for 3m – 5m. Start at the shorter time and taste as you go.
Strain and serve Remove the leaves as soon as the steep is done so the tea does not turn bitter.

Brewing tips

Add milk after brewing, not before, so you can judge the strength by color.
Irish Breakfast is usually stronger and more Assam-heavy. Scottish Breakfast is stronger still, made for soft Scottish water.
Try English Breakfast plain once. A good blend has more going on than you notice under milk.

Timer

English Breakfast steeps for 3m – 5m — start the clock as you pour.

English Breakfast

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Other ways to brew English Breakfast

In a mug, with an infuser or a bag

Use one teaspoon (2–3 g) of loose tea or one bag per 8 oz (240 ml) cup and pour water straight off the boil. Steep 3–4 minutes for drinking plain and 4–5 minutes with milk. Take the bag out without squeezing it; squeezing presses out the most bitter, tannic liquid.

In a teapot

Warm the pot with a splash of hot water, add one teaspoon per cup, and fill with boiling water. Cover it, or use a tea cosy, and steep 4–5 minutes. Pour all the tea off the leaves, or use a pot with a removable infuser, so the second cup isn't stewed.

Iced

Brew double strength, two teaspoons or two bags per 8 oz (240 ml) for 4 minutes, and pour over ice. Lemon suits it better than milk when it's cold.

Cold brew

Use about 5 g (two teaspoons) per 8 oz (240 ml) of cold water and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. It comes out smooth and malty, and it stays clear.

Can you re-steep English Breakfast?

Loose-leaf English Breakfast gives a second, lighter cup if you steep it a minute or two longer with fresh boiling water. Tea bags, which use small broken leaves, give up nearly everything the first time.

If your English Breakfast doesn't taste right

Bitter or stewed? Shorten the steep or take the leaves out sooner. Breakfast blends use small leaf that extracts quickly, so leaving a bag in for 10 minutes makes it harsh.
Weak or thin? Use water at a full boil and the full 4–5 minutes, and add a little more leaf. A weak cup with milk usually means too short a steep.
Cloudy? Strong black tea clouds as it cools, especially with hard water. It's harmless tea cream and doesn't affect the flavor.

Ways to drink English Breakfast

Builder's tea

The British name for a strong mug of breakfast tea with plenty of milk and often two sugars. Steep the bag 4–5 minutes.

With lemon

If you don't take milk, a slice of lemon brightens it. Don't use both, since lemon curdles milk.

Irish and Scottish Breakfast

Stronger, maltier blends, usually with more Assam. Brew them the same way, perhaps a little shorter if you drink them plain.