Fans of a robust cup
You’re looking for a black tea with plenty of character for breakfast, and want to follow precise brewing times and temperatures.
Who is this choice for?
Daily tea drinkers looking for simplicity
You prefer easy-to-prepare tea bags and a pack size that suits how often you drink tea.
Shoppers who check ingredients and caffeine
You want to check the ingredients and avoid guessing the caffeine content from the flavour description. According to Anses, tea naturally contains caffeine, and its effects vary from person to person.
What should you look for?
When choosing a robust black tea for breakfast, start with the instructions for that particular blend, then check the tea bag format and ingredients list. The word ‘robust’ doesn’t, on its own, provide a way to compare products.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Strength in the cup | Check the blend’s ingredients and the brewing instructions for the product you choose. Twinings France recommends brewing its Thé Original English Breakfast for 4 minutes at 95 °C for a more robust cup. | I want a cup with plenty of character at breakfast, without relying on the word ‘strong’ alone. Around 50% of consumers are thought to prioritise strength in the cup. |
| Everyday convenience | Compare the number of tea bags and the net weight, then check the storage instructions on the box. | Having a simple brew each morning matters more to me than the size of the blend. Everyday convenience is thought to be the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and caffeine | Read the ingredients list; don’t use the word ‘robust’ to guess how much caffeine is in a cup. | If caffeine is a factor in my choice, I want to distinguish the ingredients from the character promised in the cup. Ingredients and caffeine are thought to be a priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes to avoid
-
Assuming all English Breakfast teas have the same strength
Brewing instructions vary between products. Twinings France recommends brewing its Thé Original English Breakfast for 4 minutes at 95 °C for a more robust cup, while Tetley’s product information gives a brewing time of 3 to 5 minutes at 100 °C for its blend.
Start with the instructions on the product you’ve bought, then adjust the brewing time to suit your taste.
-
Confusing a robust flavour with caffeine content
The word ‘robust’ describes the flavour, not the amount of caffeine in a cup. Anses points out that tea naturally contains caffeine and that its effects vary from person to person.
If caffeine content is important to you, look for product-specific figures rather than trying to interpret the flavour description.
-
Choosing a large box without planning how to store it
A pack of 50 tea bags may suit regular tea drinkers, but the number of bags doesn’t tell you how strong the tea will be. Lipton and Tetley product information recommends storing their tea in a dry place.
Choose a quantity that suits how you drink tea, and follow the storage instructions on the box.
Brands to know when choosing
Twinings
Twinings France describes its Thé Original English Breakfast as a blend that includes teas from Kenya and Assam.
- The brand recommends brewing for 4 minutes at 95 °C for a more robust cup.
- The ‘robust’ character described by the brand isn’t a measure that lets you compare this blend with others.
Lipton
Auchan France lists Lipton English Breakfast as 25 tea bags weighing 50 g, with a blend of 80% Kenyan tea, 15% Assam and 5% Ceylon.
- The product information recommends brewing for 2 to 3 minutes at 100 °C.
- Describing the leaves as ‘robust’ doesn’t provide a measure of the tea’s strength in the cup.
Tetley
Auchan France lists Tetley English Breakfast in a box of 50 tea bags, weighing 100 g.
- The product information recommends brewing for 3 to 5 minutes at 100 °C, giving you a guide to preparing this particular blend.
- The larger pack size and ‘strong’ description aren’t a measure that can be compared with the strength of another tea.
Carrefour Classic'
Carrefour France lists its English Breakfast Classic' as 25 tea bags of 2 g each, with an ingredients list stating 100% black tea.
- The ingredients and quantity per tea bag are specified.
- Check the instructions on the packaging to see how to brew it to your preferred strength.
Bio Village (E.Leclerc)
E.Leclerc lists an English Breakfast weighing 36 g, with 20 tea bags. It’s made with organically grown black tea, with India given as the main country of origin.
- The ingredients and pack size can help you decide whether this product suits your needs.
- This information doesn’t establish that it will make a more robust cup.
POUCE (Auchan)
Auchan France lists its POUCE English Breakfast in a box of 25 tea bags, weighing 42 g.
- The number of tea bags and the net weight help you assess the pack size.
- If strength in the cup is important to you, check the ingredients and instructions on the packaging.
Morning black teas on Joybuy
These two tea bag options are suited to anyone looking for a black tea to enjoy at breakfast. Their names and pack sizes can help you choose a box; if you’re after a robust cup, also check the brewing instructions for each product.
Image unavailable
DAMMANN Breakfast Black Tea, 24 sachets, 48 g
If you’re looking for a black tea in bags for breakfast, this box contains 24 tea bags and weighs 48 g. Check the instructions on the packaging to brew a cup to your preferred strength.
Image unavailable
Twinings English Breakfast Black Tea, 25 sachets
This box contains 25 tea bags for an English Breakfast tea at breakfast. Check the brewing instructions for this particular product: instructions published for another Twinings blend shouldn’t automatically be applied to it.
Frequently asked questions
How can I make a more robust cup without changing my black tea?
Start by following the instructions for your product, then adjust the brewing time to suit your taste. Twinings France recommends using 200 ml of water at 95 °C and brewing for 4 minutes for a more robust cup of its Thé Original English Breakfast. Tetley’s product information recommends brewing its English Breakfast for 3 to 5 minutes at 100 °C. These timings shouldn’t automatically be applied to other products.
Does a robust English Breakfast tea always contain more caffeine?
No. The word ‘robust’ doesn’t tell you how much caffeine is in a cup or allow you to compare two products on that basis. Anses says that tea naturally contains caffeine and that its effects vary from person to person.
What should I look for on the label of packaged black tea?
Check the ingredients list, net quantity, best-before date and any allergens listed. The French Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control states that labelling information for consumers in France must be clear, accurate and written in French.
How should I store a box of black tea bags?
Follow the storage instructions for the product you’ve bought. The Lipton product information viewed by Auchan France recommends storing it in a dry place at room temperature, while Tetley recommends a cool, dry place.