What’s the tea on tea? by Sharen Nocella

As one of the owners of my family’s business, The Celtic Rose, and a retired communications professional, I’ve always been fascinated by the unique stories, traditions, and characteristics behind the products we source from Ireland and Scotland. I thought you might be interested in them too, so I created Scéalta ón Celtic Rose (“Stories from The Celtic Rose”), a blog to share the history, heritage, and interesting details behind the products we offer. In this article, I explore the address some of the questions we often get about Irish tea.

What’s the tea on tea?

“So what’s so special about Irish tea?” This is one of the many questions about Irish tea that we are asked frequently by our customers at The Celtic Rose. We are also often asked about the flavors, popularity, and differences between the three brands that we carry, all of which are made in Ireland. I prepared some FAQs that might be of interest to you.

Just so you know, I’m not a tea expert. I’m simply sharing what I’ve learned from my own tea-drinking experience and a bit of research, all done on my own without any help from Claude or ChatGPT. 😉

We carry Bewley’s, Barry’s, and Lyons Tea, all imported from Ireland and considered traditional Irish teas. Each brand has a long history and its own take on the classic Irish cup. While all three are known for black tea, their blends vary in strength, smoothness, aroma, color, and character. Since our shop is small, we focus on the more traditional teas instead of carrying every flavor.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t much of a tea drinker before my family bought The Celtic Rose, I was more of a coffee girl. But after trying Irish tea, I’ve really come to enjoy it. The quality stands out, and it just tastes good. Just a heads up: traditional Irish tea is stronger and a wee bit sharper than most American brands, but the flavors are also smoother.

Without further ado, here are some of the questions we’re most frequently asked at The Celtic Rose about Irish tea.

What is the best Irish tea for beginners?

There’s no wrong answer here, just pick one and give it a try. If you’re not sure if you will like a stronger tea, I recommend starting with Barry’s Gold Blend, Bewley’s Gold Blend, or Lyons Original Blend. They’re great for anyone new to traditional Irish tea.

Which Irish tea is best with milk?

Irish tea blends like Barry's, Lyons, and Bewley's are made to be brewed strong and enjoyed with milk. They’re designed for a good splash of dairy, which makes traditional Irish black teas especially good with milk. Adding milk softens the sharper flavors and creates a smoother, creamier cup. I suggest Barry’s Master Blend or a breakfast tea.

Which Irish tea is best without milk?

If you like your tea without milk, your choice really depends on your taste. For a classic cup, try Lyons Original Blend, Barry’s Gold Blend, or Bewley’s Gold Blend.

If you want something more aromatic, Bewley’s Earl Grey has citrus and floral notes from bergamot.

What is the strongest Irish tea?

Irish Breakfast blends are usually the strongest traditional Irish teas. Barry’s Irish Breakfast and Bewley’s Irish Breakfast are great options if you like a bold cup.

What is the difference between the brands and their tea flavors?

This is the question we get most often. The simple answer is to try them all and see which you like best. But to help you out, I’ve put together a quick reference guide below. You’re welcome.

IRISH TEA BLEND COMPARISON

Brand	Blend	Flavor Profile
Barry's Tea	Original Blend / Irish Breakfast	Barry's lightest and brightest blend — brisk, clean, and versatile. Suitable for any time of day; not as intense as Gold.
Barry's Tea	Gold Blend	The brand's flagship and best-seller. Stronger and maltier than Original, with a rich golden color. Traditionally the go-to for afternoon tea time.
Barry's Tea	Master (Classic) Blend	A premium, more intense connoisseur's blend sourced from ten of the world's top tea estates.
Barry's Tea	Decaf Blend	Same rich flavor profile as Gold Blend, with a slightly milder character due to the decaffeination process.
Lyons Tea	Original Blend	Lyons' lightest, everyday cup — bright, clean, and reddish-gold. Good for mornings.
Lyons Tea	Gold Blend	Richer and smoother than Original, made with a higher proportion of fine Assam leaf. Golden color with a delicate floral aroma.
Lyons Tea	Decaf Blend	Same smooth taste and signature aroma as the standard blends, without the caffeine.
Bewley's Tea	Original Blend	Medium-bodied and balanced, with subtle malty and floral notes.
Bewley's Tea	Gold Blend	Bewley's flagship blend — full-bodied with a deep golden color, combining Kenyan, Rwandan, and Assam leaf.
Bewley's Tea	Irish Breakfast	Bewley's strongest, maltiest blend — bold enough for a generous splash of milk. This is the tea served in Bewley's cafés.
Bewley's Tea	Afternoon Tea	A lighter, more delicate blend intended for a gentler cup later in the day.

Note: Lyons doesn’t currently offer a separate "Breakfast" or "Afternoon" blend. The Original is their everyday or breakfast-style tea, while Gold is the richer option.

How do you make a proper cup of tea?

I can barely boil an egg, and I’m not kidding, but I can still make a good cup of tea by following these simple steps.

As mentioned earlier, Irish tea blends are made to be brewed strong and enjoyed with milk. They’re designed for hard water and a good splash of dairy, which is why a cup made the Irish way tastes so different from a weak, quickly dunked tea bag. Here’s the traditional method:

1. Warm the pot or mug. Swirl a little boiling water inside first, then discard it. This keeps the tea hotter for longer once it's poured.
2. Use freshly boiled water. Pour it while it’s still boiling, and don’t let it cool down, since that makes the tea weaker.
3. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes. These blends are meant to be brewed strong, so don’t rush it. Most bland or watery cups come from not steeping long enough.
4. Add milk after steeping. Some people like to put milk in the cup first, and there’s a bit of debate about this even in Ireland. If you want the classic flavor, don’t skip the milk—it balances the malt and tannins in these full-bodied teas.
5. Add sugar to taste, if at all. Many Irish tea drinkers take it plain with milk and no sugar.

Tips for a Stronger, "Builder's" Cup

●        Use one tea bag for each mug. Don’t try to stretch a single bag across several cups.

●        Don’t squeeze the tea bag against the side of the mug. This releases bitterness and tannins, not extra flavor.

●        Drink your tea while it’s hot. These blends taste best right after boiling, not when they’ve gone lukewarm.

●        If you’re using loose leaf tea, use a proper infuser or a teapot that gives the leaves plenty of room to expand.

What is Tea Time?

When I hear the words tea time, I picture Downton Abbey, with rich aristocrats gossiping over tea and nibbling on a cookie. Officially, tea time is a set time to enjoy a cup of tea, often with a snack or something sweet. But what “tea time” means can change depending on the country and culture.

In Ireland, tea time isn’t a formal event. It’s more of a daily social ritual, taking a break for tea, sitting with family, welcoming visitors, or enjoying a cup with a snack.

A typical Irish tea time might include:

●        A pot or cup of strong Irish black tea

●        Milk and sometimes sugar

●        Digestives, biscuits, or cookies

●        Bread, toast, scones, or cake

●        Conversation with family or friends

Tea time can happen in the morning, afternoon, or evening. In many Irish homes, offering someone a cup of tea is a way of saying, “You're welcome here. Sit down and stay awhile.”

Which tea is more popular in Ireland?

Market data shows that Barry's and Lyons lead the Irish tea market. The top five brands, Barry's, Lyons, and Bewley's among them, currently make up about 90% of all Irish tea sales, up from 76% in 2018. 

Bewley's is firmly in third place across Ireland and is especially popular in the foodservice and hospitality sector, supplying tea and coffee to thousands of hotels, cafes, and restaurants. A friend of mine, who grew up in Ireland, told me the same thing.

But when we ask our customers at The Celtic Rose, they usually prefer Bewley’s and Barry’s, with Lyons coming in third.

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We hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful. If there’s a topic you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to get in touch and let us know what you’d like to read about next!

 Sláinte!