Black tea is not just the strongest of the teas, but also one of the most popular. It is drunk by millions of people all around the world. It is not as simple as just calling it black tea, however. It comes in dozens of different blends, and a good wholesale tea supplier can ensure you have all the ingredients you need to produce dozens of types of black tea.
English breakfast Tea
A few teas are as well-known as English breakfast tea, traditionally drunk with the bacon and eggs of a full English breakfast. To stand up to that hearty fare, it has to be rich and robust. Milk and sugar are often added. The exact blend of leaves in English breakfast tea can vary, but the most common additions include Assam and Ceylon. A more unusual ingredient is the light and smoky Chinese Keemun.
Irish Breakfast Tea
English breakfast tea is drunk in Ireland, but the Irish also have their own blend. It is not dissimilar to English breakfast tea, using Assam and Ceylon to produce a strong, robust flavor that is usually moderated with milk. Other ingredients that may be used to modify the taste include sugar and honey, although sometimes it will just be drunk black. Despite the name, it is not exclusively a breakfast tea and can be drunk throughout the day.
Earl Grey
Sharing its name from a British Prime Minister, historians disagree over whether Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, was actually the first to create this popular blend. What is certain is that adding oil of bergamot, a type of orange, as a flavoring, has made for a delicious and highly sought-after tea that is drunk throughout the day, with and without food. It can use any black tea as its base, from Kenyan to Keemun, as well as the ever-popular Ceylon and Assam, but the citrus note adds a brighter zing to these sometimes heavy flavors.
Masala Chai
India is one of the world’s great tea producers and masala chai is one of its most distinctive and recognizable blends. Chai is a Hindi word meaning “tea”, whilst masala is a spice mix. Masala chai takes black tea, most commonly Assam or Darjeeling tea, and then blends it with spices, including ginger and cardamom. Other popular additions include cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and black pepper, but it can vary. Western adaptations sometimes use allspice, but this is not an Indian tradition.
How a wholesale tea supplier can help
Wholesale tea suppliers can connect you not just with different types of tea leaf, but also all the additional spices, herbs, botanicals and other seasonings that can be used to make new and interesting blends. Whether you want to create your own black tea blend or just provide the option for your customers to make their own, this is a valuable way to enhance your catalog.
When it comes to blending tea, the only real limit is your imagination. The combinations of different leaves and other ingredients is practically infinite. With that said, there are certain black tea blends that have proved enduringly popular, and with which you should be familiar if you want to satisfy your customers.