What Is Black Tea?
Black tea originates from China. It lasts a lot longer in storage before losing its flavor when compared to other teas.
Black tea is the most processed type of tea when compared to green, yellow, and white. The final product is more flavored tea due to the higher oxidation levels.
Why have black tea?
Black tea has a wealth of benefits for its consumers. Its antioxidant properties help eliminate free radicals that can damage the cells which cause cancer.
Theaflavins found in tea have been proven to reduce the risk of diabetes, obesity, and elevated cholesterol. The catechins in the tea also help with weight loss.
Top Brands of Black Tea
The consumption of black tea in America has a longer history than most other beverages including coffee. Tea has been a part of American culture long before the nation’s inception as it was the center of American sovereignty through the Boston Tea Party. As a herbal tea, it was recommended by physicians as a cure to a whole host of diseases.
There have been businesses that propped up to meet the demand for black tea in America. Below is the list of the best black tea brands in the USA.
1. Taylor of Harrogate Yorkshire Red
The tea is sourced from India and East Africa. It is then blended to create a balanced flavor that is appreciated by consumers all over the world. The tea is grown and picked with Fair Trade practices in mind. The tea can be used to complement a hearty breakfast or used as a pick-me-up on a lazy afternoon.
Consumers appreciate the rich flavors associated with the tea. This is because the company takes all the necessary care to ensure they do not compromise on the high quality of the tea itself. The consumers like that they can be able to identify this tea on a blind test.
The company has a partnership with the Rainforest Alliance Certified Growers. This non-profit ensures that all the wood that is used to transport the boxes is harvested responsibly to ensure the ecology of the forest is maintained.
The tea has 20 teabags straight from the box. One tea bag can be served with or without milk delivering a rich flavorful experience for the consumer regardless. It is also rich in antioxidants and can taste better by adding some milk or even lemon.
2. Assam Black Tea
This tea is a product of the most popular tea-growing region in India. The tea company was formed around 1823 and has grown to serve over 83 nations all over the world winning a lot of awards along the way. The tea can be consumed as iced tea, chai tea, hot tea and even more recently to make Kombucha tea.
The company borrows from the long legacy of tea drinkers in India to present one of the most flavorful brands of tea on the market. It makes a great gift as they can enjoy the many health benefits of tea like the elimination of free radicals that can cause cell damage. The brand is often cited as the best brand of black tea.
This tea brand is very future-oriented given that the packaging is both carbon and plastic neutral. All the tea is grown and harvested following Fair Trade practices while 1% of all the revenue is funneled into the education of the growers. The process of getting the tea to the final consumer is following the highest ethical standards.
3. Bigelow Earl Grey Teas
The tea is made of a black tea blend of loose leaf tea and the pure bergamot oil from Calabria in Italy to give it a citrus undertone. It is a good choice to start the day. It is however versatile and can be used as hot tea, ice tea, masala chai, and kombucha tea.
In the box, there are 100 tea bags. Each of the tea bags is wrapped individually with foil bags to ensure that the flavor is maintained until it gets to the end consumer. The tea is kosher certified and great for those allergic to gluten or who are looking to lose weight.
The brand comes in a variety of flavors ensuring there is the right one for you. The tea is packed and blended in the USA and has been since it was created in 1945. The brand has a lot of consumer trust as it is completely family-owned since it was founded ensuring the integrity of the product.
4. Lipton Tea Bags
These tea leaves have been packed with high regard to ensure the consumer gets the highest quality tea leaves to ensure they get the highest quality as possible. All the tea bags are certified by the Rainforest Alliance to allow them to be as sustainable as possible.
The tea is packed in a box that contains a total of 100 tea bags. The high-quality picking and pressing allow the teas such as lapsang souchong to maintain a naturally smooth taste. The tea can be blended and can be consumed piping hot or as ice tea depending on your preference.
The box is packed in sturdy and secure to maintain the integrity of the tea inside. Each tea bag is wrapped to ensure the flavor and the aroma all stay intact. The tea is a great complement to your meals.
5. Twinings of London
The leaves for this tea are sourced from all over the world to ensure the highest quality possible. They are all handpicked by experts to ensure that the process is as deliberate as possible. The brand has a long history, relying on over 300 hundred years of experience as the tea brand was founded in 1706 in London.
The box has 100 tea bags in it. The flavors are rich, full-bodied, and complex, lending the tea to fit right about any occasion from breakfast to use as an afternoon delight at the garden. For a perfect cup steep the tea bag in hot water for about four minutes, you can add milk, lemon, or honey to add more zest to your cup.
It is exceptionally well-blended selecting the best tea from tea-producing regions such as Sri Lanka. It contains absolutely no artificial ingredients giving consumers as authentic a cup of tea as they can get. The brand builds on the fundamentals of the tea trade that has been in existence for over three centuries guaranteeing customers the very best product.
6. Harry & Sons black Tea
This tea’s heritage can be traced to the tea that was drunk regularly in the 1800s. The brand was started in 1983 by John Harney, driven by his passion he traveled the world to find the best tea. The company gives people high-quality teas while offering them great value.
The tea is sourced from all over the world and expertly blended to give a high-quality cup of tea. The box from which it is bought contains 20 sachets and each wrapped carefully to maintain the high-quality flavors and aroma. The tea bag should be steep in hot water for 4-5 minutes to produce the highest quality cup of tea, you can add lemon or milk depending on your preference.
As a company, it attracts users due to its environment and human-friendly practices such as:
- All people allergic to gluten can enjoy the product without concern
- The tea is blended by experts completely driven by tea and the product they produce
7. Williamson Tea
The brand sources its tea on the slopes of the elevations of Kenya. The company has had experience for over 140 years in the growing and blending of tea. All the tea harvested is organic with no additives.
Tea has a rich and robust flavor that comes from having the tea grown in the suitable climate of the Kenyan highlands. The company is dedicated to sustainability. In an effort to be more sustainable:
- All the tea grown is completely pesticide-free.
- It offers complete transparency of all the processes from the tea bush to the end consumer.
- All the tea is grown ethically.
- The company has made significant investments in the use of solar power instead of carbon fuels.
- The company has put forward efforts into forest and animal conservation in Kenya.
8. Pique English Breakfast tea
Sourced in China, this tea brand is completely free of additives that would mess with the natural flavors and aromas of the tea. The tea is made from a blend of Assam and Ceylon teas for a robust full-bodied flavor. The tea is completely free of any preservatives or additives to maintain the natural flavor of the tea.
Follow in the steps of millions of people over centuries with this tea. The tea has powerful earthly notes that make it very attractive. The smell complements the strong flavor that is enough to give the user a jolt for the day. The tea has a sprinkle of malt to enhance the flavor.
It is great for gut health which is supported even further by the triple screening of the tea for pesticides, heavy metals, and mold. The caffeine also gives the users just the boost they need.
9. Mighty Leaf Pouches
The company borrows from the ancient tea blending technique to produce a cup of tea that has been tested through centuries. In line with the ancient traditions of tea brewing, the tea leaves are in a silken pouch that hosts tea leaves, various herbs, and fruits to create an explosion of flavor from the tea blends.
The pouches would be steeped in hot water for about four minutes to deliver the best flavor to the end consumer. The tea has variations to it, you can consume it with a piping cup of tea, or as an ice tea, you have the option of adding lemon, honey, and other spices for an extra jolt of flavor. Its great flavor and caffeine content make it great for mornings or as a pick-me-up for the lazy afternoon.
The box has about 100 tea pouches all of them sealed in silk bags to maintain the flavor and aroma through the transport process. The pack is about 1.3 pounds in total. The tea is completely kosher.
Conclusion
Black tea has a history older than most nations on Earth. It is a tradition that has not only endured in the east but has found a foothold in right about every corner of the globe. It is enjoyed with breakfast or can just be consumed as a pick-me-up with friends and family.
Teas endurance is not only credited to its flavor and versatility but through its numerous health benefits that we continue to discover. The antioxidants help to eliminate free radicals that could lead to cancer. The tea also helps in weight loss and the prevention of diabetes.
There is a tea brand that could meet whatever specific needs you might have, be it flavor, aroma, or even blend.