Best tea for early morning

Best tea for early morning: blends, black teas and beyond

An early morning cup of tea can refresh you after a night’s sleep and help you concentrate on the task in hand, getting up to face the day, but which is the best tea for early morning?

Caffeine from tea passes into the blood-stream slowly, unlike coffee which causes a spike, so enhancing the refreshing nature of tea. Coffee has at least twice the caffeine level of black tea which can be too sharp first thing in the morning. It also has a drying effect which explains why tea is widely considered as more refreshing.

Loose leaf tea has a more all-round, balanced flavour profile and, whilst it takes a few minutes to brew, is easy with an infuser teapot – no tea leaves in your cup! And no messy leaves or teabags to clear away.

Black tea has much more caffeine than green tea so is more popular in the early morning. If you prefer a herbal infusion then Yerba Mate, native to South America, has a high caffeine content and has a slightly bitter, vegetal flavour.

Black teas are generally considered to provide the best tea for early morning. These could include blends such as Russian Caravan or the quintessential English Breakfast. You could explore the latter’s constituent teas such as malty Assams, tangy Kenyan or rich Ceylon Dimbulas. If you are eating your breakfast early, as soon as you have risen then Assams and East African teas such as Kenyans compliment a cooked breakfast and toast well. Historically, before tea was imported from new plantations in the ‘colonies’ of India, Sri Lanka and Kenya, China Keemuns such as Mao Feng were popular teas at breakfast. They just need to be brewed to the strength you prefer. These are known as the ‘Burgundy of teas’ and their richness explains why! You could try Yunnan black teas from south-west China which are noted for their creaminess.

If you prefer more of a builder’s brew first thing in the morning then a higher proportion of Kenyan teas might be to your taste. Smaller leaf grades will also brew more quickly so the tannins will be more evident. Alternatively, for the more adventurous, and instead of black teas you could try a complex, dark oolong such as the famous China Da Hong Pao or Formosa Oolong Poppy.

For those who have a passion for green teas, even though they have less caffeine to help you wake in the morning, try the sweetly savoury Ceylon green or the full-bodied, rich and herbaceous Yunnan Green. Then there’s the famously mellow China green Dragon Well (Long Jing) for a gentle start to the day.

So, is a cup of tea complete on its own, well possibly not! A lovely thick buttery finger of shortbread is my preference to compliment my choice of best tea for early morning. Digestive would be a close-run second.

We at Grey’s Teas focus on large leaf teas as these give the best, most distinctive flavours. They are all unbroken leaf grades, orange pekoe (OP) and above, so ensuring the best start to your day. Have a look at our online store and choose a couple to compare for the best, most refreshing pick-me-up to start your day.

See our teas tagged as good for the morning.