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Welcome to our Articles section where you can find and learn all about the history of tea production in Great Britain and Ireland. Discover the history of tea blending in the Barry family, the techniques they use when testing tea, find out where it is grown and much more.
The History of Tea
Tea is one of the most popular drinks around the world and has been drunk for many centuries. We take you through it's development in The History of Tea.
About Tea
History tells us that tea has been in use by the Chinese for many thousands of years. One early reference to tea drinking dates back to 2737B.C.
Antioxidants
It's a known fact - tea is good for you. One of the elements that make tea so healthy is known as an antioxidant.
Apricot Tea Bread Recipe
This recipe will give you the perfect Apricot Tea Bread, ready for eating at lunchtime along with a cup of Barry's! It tastes fantastic straight out of the oven, and it only gets better with some real butter and preserve.
Assam Tea
The discovery, in 1823, of the Assam tea plant is attributed to Robert Bruce who spotted the plant during a trade visit to the hills around Rangpur, then capital of the Assam region.
Bailey's Irish Cream Recipe
Make the perfect Bailey's Irish Cream with our traditional and simple recipe!
Bergamot Oil
Bergamot Oil is taken from the from the Bergamot Tree (Citrus bergamia), which is named after the Italian city of Bergamot where it was first grown.
Camomile Extract in Tea
Camomile is one of nature's wonders. It is renowned for it's calming and soothing benefits, as well as it's ability to treat illness.
Clippers
As the popularity of tea grew with the British public the search was on for a faster means of getting the tea, as well as eastern silk and porcelain, to London faster.
Cutty Sark
On the 22nd of November 1869 a beautiful tea clipper of 963 tons gross was launched from Dumbarton on the Clyde River, Scotland.
DIY Decaf
This is a handy way to remove most caffeine from standard tea if that is all you can get your hands on.
The East India Company
The East India Company played a central role in the introduction of tea to the British Isles and also to the British colonies in America. At it's peak the East India Company was extremely powerful.
Full Irish Breakfast Recipe
In Ireland we really do like our breakfasts fresh and large, they are the best way to start your day!
Green Tea
There is a difference between black tea and green tea, which is brought about in the processing stage of manufacture. Green tea is made from the same tea leaves used to make your typical cup of black tea.
Green Tea Health Benefits
Scientific research has proven the many health benefits of drinking green tea regularly.
High Tea
There's the Queen, The Tower Bridge, Harrod's, Regent's Street, Polo and High Tea. All are very English but High Tea has become the epitome of all things Anglican.
History of Barry's Irish Tea
The company was founded in 1901 by James J. Barry, grandfather of the present chairman, Peter Barry. From the outset, the company specialised in high quality tea and in 1934.
The History of Earl Grey Tea
Earl Grey was traditionally a blend of black teas from China which were then combined with the natural oil from Bergamot.
Iced Tea Recipe
Barry's Iced tea is just perfect for those hot and sticky summer days! Refresh with a cup of Barry's Iced Irish Tea using our iced tea recipe, guaranteed to please!
Indian Tea
Barry's Tea uses a blend of Kenyan, and Indian Assam tea to create that perfect, full-bodied taste sensation. Assam tea is grown in the many tea plantations throughout India, one of the world's top exporters of tea.
Ireland and Tea
Tea and Ireland are synonymous with each other. It is a well know fact that tea is the favoured drink by some distance in Ireland, challenged only by Guinness.
Irish Coffee Recipe
Round off your dinner party with a hot Irish Coffee, perfect for sharing with friends.
Irish Tea Bread Recipe
A perfect accompaniment to a fresh brew of Barry's Irish Tea! Also ideal for eating along side a main course such as Shepherd's Pie or Irish Stew.
Kenyan Tea
Kenya is known as the tea capital of the world, exporting more tea than anywhere else in the world including India, China and Sri Lanka.
London Tea Auction
The very last London Tea Auction was held on Monday the 29th of June, 1998
Milk
There is a long and very contentious argument surrounding the question of whether milk should be added before or after the tea.
Organic Food Benefits
There is an old saying in Ireland: "You are what you eat!" In today's modern society, that could not be any more true.
Processing Tea
The processing of freshly picked tea leaves into the dried leaves used in Barrys Tea bags is extremely important. Much of the work is done using a tried and trusted combination of hands, nature and machinery.
Product Range
Barry's Tea is a long established name in the Irish household having over a century's worth of blending expertise. Their range of quality blended teas is a reflection of the desire to create the perfect cup of tea.
Proper Tea Etiquette
There is a proper way to conduct yourself when entertaining people at a tea party. As the tea party stems from the traditional English High Tea there are rules as to how one should behave when dining and serving.
Quality Assured
Barry's long established reputation for quality teas offers the reassurance and familiarity of Ireland's leading high quality tea blenders.
Smuggled Tea
In the early days when tea had just been introduced to the British Isles, it was a commodity high in demand but low in supply. As demand could not be met, prices went up and a black market emerged to fill the gap.
Storing Tea
It is important to store your tea properly, whether it is tea bags or loose tea. Tea that isn't stored or packages properly will easily absorb odours and moisture, which in turn will change the taste.
Tea Additions
The main additions to tea are milk, honey, sugar and lemon.
Tea and America
As we all know, tea played a central role in what is now the United States of America. It was a major political decision concerning the tea trade that finally tipped the balance and ignited a revolt against the British.
Tea Bags
A tea bag is a small bag that holds loose tea leaves. Each tea bag usually holds enough tea to brew at least one cup, but there are tea bags that are big enough to use in a tea pot.
Tea Blending
Tea is an agricultural crop, therefore, it is subject to variations from garden to garden (tea estates are called gardens) because of soil, altitude, climate, harvesting and processing. There are approximately three thousand different tea gardens world-wide.
Tea - The Coffee Alternative
Just a couple of reasons why many are switching from coffee to tea.
Tea Gardens
It was the English who developed the Tea Garden after experiencing the Dutch "tavern garden teas". The Tea Garden was to be a place of relaxation and entertainment.
Tea and Health
Tea is renowned for its relaxing properties but research has suggested that it has remarkable health enhancing properties which could include reducing the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
The Tea Lady
The tradition of the 'tea lady' was first introduced in 1666 by one Mrs. Harris, who was the wife of the Housekeeper and Beadle of the East India Company.
Tea Pots
There are 3 different kinds of tea pots available on the market today, ceramic, glass and metal - we outline the benefits and disadvantages of each.
Tea Tasting
Most people have seen wine tasters at work and know it is a highly skilled profession. Tea tasting is similar. At a tasting, tea is made from each sample in separate pots and infused according to the taster's requirements.
Thomas Sullivan
Thomas Sullivan was a tea importer based in New York city who inadvertently invented tea bags in 1908, forever changing the tea industry in the process.
Throwing a Tea Party
A tea party is a brilliant way to invite friends and family around and to enjoy their company in a calm and relaxing environment. With a little care and planning a tea party is a stress-free way to get to know each other.
Traditional Irish Tea Recipe
It's short but it works the very best now and has done for generations of Irish tea drinkers. Follow the 3 simple steps below for the perfect cuppa Irish tea!
The Trans-Siberian Railway
There is nothing else quite like it, anywhere in the world. The famous Trans-Siberian Railway is a mecca for those who enjoy getting there as much as staying there.
Where Did Tea Get It's Name?
As logic would dictate, the word for tea came from the same place that invented the drink, China. In most of mainland China the word for tea is 'cha', but in the Fujian province it is 'tay'.
Why Tea?
Tea is the most popular drink in the world. Tea is a very ordinary drink which many people take for granted. Because it is ordinary it is easy for us to approach it with confidence. |
