Tea Review: Barry's Tea IB

Thirsty Thursday #6

Barry's Tea

Irish Breakfast

Hey, Kirsten, let's try Barry's Irish Breakfast tea this morning.
Ooo, sounds nice.

This box has unwrapped bags.

We'll have to find an empty tin to store them.
They're tagless too.

So we need a longer spoon to remove it.
Check. What makes this different from other teas?
Hmmm, the package just says, "select blended black teas." Let's look online while it steeps.
Okay. I see we're to brew for 3-5 minutes.
I've set the timer for 4 minutes, but just look at the color it already has!

Wow!
(Grace brings laptop to kitchen)
The Barry's Tea site doesn't list Irish Breakfast. I'm guessing from the photos that this is the Original Blend.
Sounds right. The company is from Cork, Ireland. (giggles)
Oh, I see in the tags for this page is "Irish Breakfast." (giggles)
Good.
Says, "We select our Original blend from the Assam valley of India and the gardens of Rwanda and Kenya, but it's the bright freshness of the African leaves that make this tea so refreshing."
Sounds interesting.
How are you doing with the bags?
Okay. I have all the bags in this tin.

Great!
(timer beeping)
Done!
Smells, I can't quite describe it. All I keep thinking is warm and lively.

A beautiful red color to the tea.

But it's not "red tea" like most people call rooibos.
Right.
I like how the red stands out in the cup.

First Taste: Plain
This is good. Robust.

Maybe too robust. (giggles) Would be good unsweetened over ice.

Second and Third Taste: Sweetened
I'm going to use table sugar in mine. I like it. Takes some of the edges off, but leaves the main character.

I'll do honey. Mmm, smooth. Switch!

Oh, I see what you mean. The honey does change the character a bit, but not too much.
The sugar is nice, but I think I still like the honey best.

Fourth Taste: Sweetened with Milk
Time to add milk. (giggling)
Jinx! I like the milk with the sugar. Creamy and robust at the same time.

Milk and honey is a good combination, but I think I like it best without the milk.

So if you are looking for a nice strong tea to start the day, try an Irish Breakfast blend.
And fix it your favorite way. The flavors will stand up and refresh you.

Xyra's Note

Since the Irish Breakfast blend is stronger than standard English Breakfast, do not oversteep. However, you can re-steep.

Happy sipping!