One of the finest teas we've found in the Nandi Hills of Kenya has to be this superb decaffeinated Irish Breakfast. This particular decaf tea is decaffeinated at the green leaf stage and then processed normally giving it a true malty taste with gold red highlights. Unlike many chemically decaffeinated teas, this one is using CO2. The result is a decaffeinated cup that could fool even the most skilled tea tasters. A Pekoe Fanning (PF) grade blend, Decaf Irish Breakfast brews up the sort of thick, full-bodied cuppa preferred by the tea lovers of Ireland.
Ingredients: Artisan black tea
Origin: Kenya
Brewing Instructions
Water Temperature: Boiling
Water Quality: Best with Spring Water
Amount of Leaf (per 6 fl oz water): 1 tsp. (2.5 grams)
Steep Time: 5-7 minutes
Number of Infusions: 1
We highly recommend brewing your tea in a teapot or mug with a removable infuser so that you can remove the leaves at the end of the steeping time. Leaving the tea leaves in the water will result in an over-infused, bitter tea. If you want a stronger cup of tea increase the amount of leaf rather than the steeping time. If you don't have a removable infuser, you can brew the loose leaves directly in the pot. At the end of the steeping time, pour all of the tea into a warm serving pitcher or pot.
But then again, if you’re Irish, you’ll let this tea brew a good long time and then add a wee splash of milk. As with most teas, the longer you brew this tea the stronger it becomes. Milk, in the case of a tea this strong cancels out the tannins and diminishes the bitterness that can characterize some strong teas. Debate rages from Dublin to Tipperary as to when milk should be added - before the tea or after? The milk-first camp argues that milk added after the hot tea will scald and should therefore be added first so it can warm as the tea is poured. Milk-last devotees argue that the only way to properly measure the amount to add is to pour it last. (Non-users of milk regard the whole issue as quite silly.) Either way, t’is a strong blend. Enjoy in the morning with toast, or a traditional Irish “fry-up!”
