The Ubiquitous Everyday Black Tea from our Friends in the United Kingdom
The enjoyment of tea does not need to be a fancy high society afternoon high black tea affair or an ornate Eastern ceremony with the highest grade matcha and other green teas. It can be enjoyed with simple pleasures of a brisk autumn morning over a sunrise or reading the newspaper. Quality teas ca be found in all economic ranges and availabilities.
PG Tips in the United Kingdom offers precisely that. It is an affordable English breakfast tea that can be found in many nations overseas for abut $10-$12 for 80 tea bags. Breakfast is the definitive operative term as it is a strongly caffeinated tea that has allowed me to bulk up the energy to make a long commute into New York City on nearly a daily basis.
PG Tips is a blend of Assam, Ceylon, and Kenyan teas. Only the two topmost leaves and the bud of each tea plant are selected at the tea fields of which PG contracted farmers and blenders tend. The Assam is a very prevalent leaf in this blend, and will be noticed from aroma through. They now are sold in an eco-friendly pyramid mesh bag made of plant based organic material to reduce paper and plastic usage and waste. The pyramid bags have become a bit of an iconic feature of the brand, though it is not the only tea compay that uses these more ecologically considerate packaging. PG Tips is ethically sourced at Rainforest Alliance Certified tea gardens in East Africa to guarantee the quality tea leaves to blend PG Tips black tea.
PG Tips is a full bodied British black tea that has typically strong flavors, that are also a little smooth and creamy. The flavor is robustly malty and rich, but not overly earthen. The malty richness makes it a good tea to have with or without milk and honey. There is a mildly astringent finish, but it is not overpowering and reducing the bitter notes sometimes common in black teas. This makes it a crisper black tea relative to counterparts in the market. For aroma, it is mostly mild to the point there is not much to note, Ceylon and Assam leaves do give it a little bit of an earthy scent.
For serving, a perfectly brewed cuppa starts by pouring freshly boiled water over your pyramid tea bag inside ones mug. Steep the tea for two to three minutes, letting the tea leaves move inside the roomy tea bag. After steeping, squeeze the bag to release a little more flavor for a stronger brew. Conversely, one can steep it a wee bit longer for a stronger characteristic. One can enhance their tea by adding some sweeteners such as milk and sugar. I like this tea well enough to enjoy straight, but when I want a flavor modification, I prefer honey as a sweetener, and it also makes for a good iced tea in the summer months. Ice brewing is a slightly different technique. I first use a cold brew glass tumbler and add two tea bags since colder teas benefit from the added strength. I let it infuse for four hours, or even longer such as letting it sit in my fridge overnight.
It is ideal for this time of year with a comfy book on a late autumn or winter evening. Enjoy your cuppa, cheers. For other tea posts, please check out the tea section of my blog here.
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