English Breakfast is a strong black tea blend. Earl Grey is black tea flavored with bergamot oil.
Both are British favorites but serve different purposes. Breakfast tea pairs with milk, Earl Grey is often taken plain.
What English Breakfast Tea And Earl Grey Have In Common
Both teas are made from black tea. They are high in caffeine, and they are the most popular brands in the United Kingdom and Ireland. English Breakfast tea and Earl Grey tea are in fact intertwined with the food and drink culture of both countries.
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English Breakfast Tea Vs. Earl Grey: The Differences
There are, nevertheless, differences. One is the aroma. The scent of bergamot is distinct from Earl Grey tea.
Earl Grey can be made with only one variety of tea leaves. English Breakfast tea is always a blend.
English Breakfast tea has a stronger flavor. Earl Grey is milder in taste and smoother in texture.
English Breakfast tea tends to have a bit more caffeine in it than Earl Grey. A drop of milk is almost always required to moderate the strength of English Breakfast tea. Earl Grey can be drunk without any condiment. If you liked this post, you might also be interested in our Lipton Tea vs. English Breakfast Tea guide.
The Features Of English Breakfast Tea
English Breakfast tea has a very strong flavor. It is a blend of two or more black teas, without any flavored additives.
The black teas used differ from season to season. Assam, Ceylon, Keemun, and Kenyan are some of the tea leaves used to make English Breakfast tea.
The Features Of Earl Grey Tea
Earl Grey tea has a milder and softer flavor with a citrus fragrance—bergamot orange. The extracted oils from bergamot are what go into Earl Grey, endowing it with its distinct scent and taste.
Almost all Earl Grey tea is made from black tea leaves. At present, Ceylon leaves from India are the most popular leaves used by manufacturers. It is a mellow black tea that does not normally require milk to moderate its flavor and taste.
Who Should Drink English Breakfast Tea?
If you like your tea strong with a great deal of caffeine, then you should drink English Breakfast tea. It is also the tea of choice for those who take milk with their tea and coffee. If you are someone who cannot have a hot drink without the addition of milk, dairy, or non-dairy creamers, then English Breakfast tea is perfect for you.
On the other hand, if you do not like dairy or non-dairy condiments in your hot drink, you may find the bitterness of English Breakfast tea untakeable.
You might also enjoy our round-up of the best Earl Grey tea brands.
Who Should Drink Earl Grey Tea?
Those who like fruity teas in general will like the taste of Earl Grey. Although it does not have a strong fruit taste, the citrus overtones will make drinking the tea—with a squirt of lemon—a pleasant experience.
Not all Earl Grey tea has the same taste. You should try different brands until you find the one you like.
The Bottom Line
Here’s the practical takeaway after researching and testing this extensively:
Theory is great, but real-world application is messier. We’ve found that understanding the ‘why’ behind coffee science helps you troubleshoot when things go wrong—and they will. Your water, your beans, your grinder, and even humidity levels create variables that no guide can perfectly account for.
Start with the fundamentals in this article, but don’t be afraid to experiment. Some of our best cups have come from “mistakes” that turned into happy accidents. Coffee brewing rewards curiosity.