# British Tea



## Hyacinth (Feb 4, 2007)

I have been buying PG Tips for years since the local grocery stores carry it. Lately it seems like just hot water with milk and sugar; no flavor. Maybe Unilever uses different tea for the US side.

I wonder if any of the UK/Irish folk have suggestions for a more robust tea. If you have an online retailer, that will be helpful too. Appreciate your help!


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## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

For teabags - the one, the only:










For loose leaves, this:


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## Kingstonian (Dec 23, 2007)

Red Label anything.

Probably Lyons Red Label for overseas markets; but Sainsbury or Tesco Red Label at home. Or anything strong on special offer. In hotels, just choose Assam or English Breakfast. Darjeeling is not strong enough for me.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Builder's_tea


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## style417 (Jun 28, 2014)

These are not British teas, but I drink a lot of Barry's Irish Breakfast Tea. There's one specialty market I can buy it in around here and I think it's available online in the US too.

Another that I enjoy but cannot get in the States is the French Lipton Thé D'or, which is a black Sri Lankan tea with some florals. I try to bring a couple of boxes back with me when I'm in France. The American Lipton tea is just too weak.

I drink my tea without milk and sugar so there has to be some flavor!


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## Il Signor Crispone (Jul 18, 2014)

How much do you want to spend? Shaver's recommendation of Twinings English Breakfast is an excellent one - Twinings in general is very good.

However, if you really wish to experience the full glory of these wondrous leaves, I'd suggest splashing out at Fortnum's.

At the moment we have their Royal Blend, which is a kind of good all-rounder, the Breakfast blend, which gives you a good wallop to get the day going (that's the one you want for strength), and their Earl Grey, for a more delicate and aromatic option. All of them are superb.

I also use their peach tea to make a fabulous ice tea. The key is not to brew it too long - 5 minutes is the absolute maximum, just under 5 is I think ideal, but it will depend on your taste. Too long and the strength turns to bitterness and overwhelms the peach. I've found the best sugar ratio is an extra spoon for every 4 cups - so if you're making a pot that holds four cups, use 5 tea spoons of sugar. Put it in the fridge overnight to thoroughly chill (so you don't have to dilute it) and it's divine.



Obviously, you would never think to add sugar to the other teas. That would be a crime against man, justice, natural law and Almighty God.


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

Taylor's is good; they have two different blends in the ordinary range, one for particularly hard water, My current tea bag of choice is Tetley's Original, for everyday occasions. Whichever tea you use _*must*_ be made in a teapot and *must* be made with properly boiling water.


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## al128 (May 1, 2014)

1+ for twinings


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## Wolfshield (May 25, 2014)

Twinings I buy at the supermarket when I am running low.

Otherwise, I purchase my tea from Upton Tea Imports:
www.uptontea.com


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## Mr Humphries (Apr 5, 2013)

And yet another for Twinings, especially their Earl Grey. In fact I'm off to the ancestral seat of Earl Grey this weekend, afternoon tea beckons.


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## Balfour (Mar 23, 2012)

Shaver said:


> For teabags - the one, the only:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Seconded.

Earl Grey also, but not for a 'robust' tea.


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## racebannon (Aug 17, 2014)

Duke of Coburn is a brand I haven't seen in years.


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## ksinc (May 30, 2005)

Adagio teas.

https://www.adagio.com/black/english_breakfast.html

https://www.adagio.com/black/irish_breakfast.html


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