There is nothing more enjoyable than drinking a fine cup of tea. I have previously ventured into Hanover in pursuit of the finest cup of Earl Grey tea, and now I return to Hanover’s coffee shops and bakeries in search of an excellent cup of English Breakfast tea.
Before we resume our quest for the best tea, I would like to share some brief thoughts on English Breakfast. This particular blend has been one of my favorites for quite some time.
In high school, I would drink English Breakfast at any time of the day. In fact, I would even, quite blasphemously, drink English Breakfast — rather than a softer tea like Earl Grey or Lady Grey — after dinner. As a result, I always alternate between a caffeinated and decaffeinated version. While the English Breakfast flavor is always appreciated, sometimes the caffeine isn’t very practical. Indeed, a warm cup of the latter would regularly accompany me during my study sessions into the early hours of the morning. I drank imported Taylor’s of Harrogate English Breakfast until my freshman year of college, when a good friend of mine gifted me some Twining’s and a lovely Dartmouth mug, for my birthday. Regardless of the blender, English Breakfast tea holds a very special place in my heart.
My ideal cup of English Breakfast tea: I typically like a strong, robust, full-bodied cup, with moderate bitterness that is precisely tempered with milk. The most memorable cups always have a pleasant finish and the complex profile lasts on my palate long after I drink the last drop.
Umpleby’s: 2/10
I headed to Umpleby’s first, where they served what appeared to be their own fannings in a large, rectangular, pillow-style tea bag. I generally have quite a good experience with tea at Umpleby’s. However, this visit was markedly underwhelming. I requested an English Breakfast tea, with a little bit of milk on the side. However, what I received was more resemblant of a latté than tea.
Indeed, after letting it cool for no more than a minute, I had the insatiable urge to drink it through a Cadbury Spira: a wonderful chocolate that can occasionally double as a straw. One should never drink actual tea through a straw. It tasted like an even milk to tea ratio, which is far from desirable. After letting the tea oversteep for roughly 15 minutes and stirring to the point of creating a massive vortex in the cup, I finally was able to taste the actual tea. This blend had a moderate aroma and a very mild strength. It was hard to determine the intrinsic body of the tea given the amount of milk in the cup, but the pleasantly complex flavor profile was still detectable.
I was able to discern a little bit of finish — the lingering aftertaste — which certainly salvaged the cup. On the bright side, their service is always lovely and their Aussie pie, with seasoned beef and onion filling, was truly fantastic. I really enjoyed the pie, and am very likely to have it every time I return to Umpleby’s.
The Works: 4/10
The next stop was The Works, where the Harney and Son’s English Breakfast came in a pyramid tea sachet. At The Works, I was able to pour my own hot water and milk, so I was able to evaluate the tea with greater detail. Prior to steeping the tea, the leaves had a mild to moderately-strong aroma.
After steeping the tea in hot water, the leaves opened up and produced a reasonably strong cup with a decent flavor profile and a decidedly pleasant finish. However, it was very light-bodied. It was neither too bitter nor astringent, so it really didn’t need much help at all. Interestingly, it still benefitted from just a few drops of milk. Overall, this cup of tea was ok, but I would rather drink a more full-bodied cup of the Assam loose-leaf tea that I have in my dorm.
Dirt Cowboy: 6/10
My last stop was Dirt Cowboy, where they served their own tea fannings in a large, pillow-style tea bag. The tea came in hot water and milk was available with other fixings for customers to enjoy. Initially, the tea had a moderately strong aroma. I then let the leaves steep for a bit, and they opened up beautifully.
This blend had a unique and complex flavor profile: mildly bitter and not too astringent. While the tea had a light body, I still added milk, which helped capture the tea’s flavor. The scone I had to accompany the tea was also quite good. This was a pleasant visit, and I will definitely be back to make my way through their extensive tea collection.
Final Thoughts
As a disclaimer, my notes on the tea are taken from just one visit and of only one cup of tea. Further, I ranked the teas based on my preference towards strong, robust and full-bodied tea. Hanover’s finest cup of English Breakfast tea was from Dirt Cowboy. My second favorite was The Works’, which was followed by Umpleby’s. Fewer coffee shops and bakeries serve English Breakfast tea, which is why staples like Still North and My Brigadeiro are missing. The coffee shops in Hanover certainly have their strengths, but I believe there are better places to acquire English Breakfast tea. Given my specific preferences, the best option is a British imports store, like Best of British Imports in Concord, Massachusetts. The shops in Hanover are great for a casual cuppa with a scone or pie — but perhaps choose a different blend.
