Archive for June, 2008

Lyons Tea: A Brief History

June 30, 2008

Lyons Tea is Ireland’s Number 1 Tea
Lyons Tea, Dublin Ireland

Summary
Lyons is one of Ireland’s biggest and best-loved brands. Lyons currently is the #1 tea brand in Ireland. From the jingle every Irish person knows; “Extra quality, Extra flavor, Lyons the Quality Tea,” to Lyons recent innovation of introducing the country’s first pyramid-shaped tea-bag, Lyons is a quintessentially Irish brand. Generations of Irish families grew up enjoying Lyons and seeing it as synonymous with the notion of home and coming home.

History
The J. Lyons family started Lyons Tea in 1902 from a location on High Street near Christchurch in Dublin, Ireland. In 1932, Lyons Tea moved from Christchurch to a new facility at Marlborough Street in Dublin. In 1963, Lyons Tea moved to a new factory in Goldenbridge, Dublin.

By the late 1970s, Lyons Tea changed to round tea bags. The move to round bags was so successful Lyons captured over 65% of the Irish tea market. Unilever purchased Lyons Tea in 1996.

Another milestone for Lyons was the development of the tea caddy style pack. The attractive style and ease of use offered another key point of differentiation for Lyons over competitors.

In April 2004, Lyons introduced pyramid tea bags. Pyramid tea bags acts as small teapots and allow the tea leaves to move more freely, producing a better tasting tea.

In 2007, Lyons launched a new campaign to highlight the fact that tea is a natural product with many health benefits. Today, Lyons tea is produced at a factory in Dublin. Over 2 billion pyramid tea bags have been produced at this factory.

Lyons commercials are a familiar sight in Ireland. For over 26 years, the Lyons’ singing and dancing minstrels entertained audiences. A new advertising campaign was introduced in 2003 and featured 4 bird roommates: Maggie, Pete, Niamh and Tom. To view the Lyons ads, visit the Lyons web site.

Committed to being socially responsible, Lyons Tea is part of the Ethical Tea Partnership, which monitors living and working conditions on tea estates.

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Barry’s Tea: Video Transcript

June 27, 2008

Here is the transcript for the Barrys video.

This video is one in a series on selecting the best Irish tea for you. Now, we focus on Barry’s Tea.

The Irish know tea. In Ireland, more tea is consumed per capita than any other country. So, if you are looking for a good cup of tea, start with Irish tea.

Tea companies in many different countries make an Irish tea. But if you want an authentic Irish tea, pick a tea produced by a company in Ireland.

Barry’s is one of Ireland’s leading teas. Barry’s is the second most popular tea in Ireland behind market leader Lyons. The company was founded in 1901 by James J. Barry. Since its inception, Barry’s Tea was known for providing high quality tea. In 1934, Barry’s Tea was awarded the Empire Cup for tea blending. Until the 1960’s, Barry’s Tea was sold mainly from a shop on Prince’s Street in Cork, Ireland. Since then, Barry’s Tea has expanded to include 30% of the Irish tea market

As with most Irish teas, Barry’s blends tea from Africa and India. Most of the tea used is from Africa, since it works particularly well with the Irish water. This blend works well for Americas, which is why Irish teas are so popular.

If you are going to purchase Barry’s Tea, first make sure to look for freshness. All Barry’s products have a “Best By” date stamped on the side of the box. Make sure you get a box with the “Best By” date at least a few months in the future. If you are shopping on the Internet, make sure the date is provided for you. Make sure you get authentic Barry’s Tea, which are still blended and produced in Cork, Ireland.

Barry’s Gold is the company’s most popular tea. Barry’s Gold comes in a red box and brews a distinctive amber color with a smooth, clean taste. It is available in tea bags or loose tea.

Barry’s Classic is the company’s premium tea and the its second most popular tea. Barry’s Classic comes in a brown color box and has a full-bodied taste with a stronger flavor than Barry’s Gold. It is available in tea bags or loose tea.

Barry’s Irish Breakfast, formerly called Green Label, is a traditional Irish tea. Barry’s Irish Breakfast comes in a recognizable green box and brews a light amber color. It is a subtle blend with a light flavor. It is available in tea bags or loose tea.

If you prefer caffeine-free, Barry’s has a decaffeinated tea. If you tried other decaf teas, many taste weak. But Barry’s Decaffeinated is rich and full of flavor. The product comes in a blue box and is available in tea bags.

For a change of pace, Barry’s offers a flavored tea. Barry’s Earl Grey is black tea blended with bergamot oil (the flavor in earl grey). Barry’s Earl Grey comes in a light blue box and is available in tea bags.

Barry’s Tea bags are packed full of tea. Each tea bag weighs over 3 grams. Barrys tea bags are traditional English style tea bags and come 2 together and have to be torn apart to be used. Recommended steeping time is 3 to 5 minutes. The tea can be sweetened with milk or honey. As with most herbal teas, it is best consumed without milk.

Try Barry’s Tea. It is an authentic Irish tea. Get more information on all Barrys Teas at teadog.com.

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Barry’s Tea Video: Selecting a Good Irish Tea

June 26, 2008

Irish Tea is among the most popular category of teas. Here is an original video on how to select the best Irish tea for your taste with a focus on Barry’s Tea. Find out about each Barry’s Tea, how it brews, the color of the box and if it is available in tea bags or loose tea. This video is one in a series.

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Dilmah Green Tea Now Available

June 25, 2008

Many people still looking for a good green tea. If this describes you, consider Dilmah Green Teas.

Over the next day or so, we will be adding 4 Dilmah Green teas to our site: Dilmah Ceylon Green, Dilmah Green Moroccan Mint, Dilmah Green with Ginger and Dilmah Green with Lemongrass.

Try one of the these green teas, you will not be disappointed.

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You dont have to be Welsh to Enjoy Tea from Wales

June 24, 2008

Tea drinkers have more selection available than ever before. But most tea drinkers are unaware of the high quality teas coming from the country of Wales. Although known mostly to those with a cultural connection to Wales, these teas are becoming more popular.

A good cup of tea always has been a traditional sign of hospitality in Wales. Welsh teas closely resemble Irish teas, which are extremely popular with tea drinkers. Both teas are blended for soft waters of Ireland and Wales. Irish and Welsh teas are a blend of tea from Africa and India.

The leading Welsh teas are Welsh Brew tea and Glengettie tea. Both brands are packaged in English and Welsh.

Welsh Brew was an answer to Yorkshire tea and created specifically for Wales. Welsh Brew tea even made an appearance in the movie “The Replacements.”

Welsh Brew tea is the only major tea brand to be packed and blended for Wales. Welsh Brew tea is a traditional blend of teas selected for strength, color and smoothness of flavor. The special blend of quality tea perfectly compliment the waters of Wales, yielding that traditional smooth flavor and color relished by true tea drinkers.

With the slogan “A favorite in Wales for generations” Glengettie Tea is known for its strength of flavor. Today, Glengettie is produced by the same company that makes Typhoo tea, a favorite English tea.

The combination of distinctive flavor and quality has made Glengettie a favorite in Wales since 1952. Originally, Glengettie was sold as a strong cup of tea specifically for miners in Wales.

A premium tea, Glengettie tea has been specially designed to complement the region’s soft water.

Whether in Wales or anywhere, there is always time for a nice cup of tea.

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Barry’s Tea Recipe: Scones

June 23, 2008

In our opinion, nothing goes better with a cup of tea than scones. Scones are easy to make. Here is an easy to follow recipe for making great scones. Best enjoyed with a cup of Barry’s Tea.

Recipe makes about 8 scones.

Ingredients:
8 oz/225g plain flour
pinch salt
1 rounded tsp baking powder
1 1/2 to 2 oz/40-50g butter or margarine
about 1/4 pt/150 ml milk
a little beaten egg or milk to glaze (optional)

Method:
Preheat a very hot oven, 450°F or 230°C.

Sift dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, cut in butter (in small chunks) and rub in mixture until consistency is of fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the center, then add enough milk to make a soft dough, just firm enough to handle. Turn out onto a floured worktop and knead lightly into shape, roll or pat out to about an inch and stamp out rounds with a floured 1 1/2 inch to 2inch cutter, or cut into squares or triangles with a sharp knife.

Lay scones on a floured baking sheet, glaze with a little egg or milk if you like and bake in the preheated oven for about 7-10 minutes, until brown and well-risen.

Cool on a wire rack and serve, while still warm, with jam and whipped or clotted cream. Scones that have cooled completely should be warmed gently before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Barry’s Tea.

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Whittard Tea: Brief History

June 20, 2008

Whittard Tea

Whittard Tea is one of England’s premier tea companies.

Established in the late 1800s, Whittard of Chelsea tea one of the United Kingdom’s best known tea companies. Walter Henry Whittard established his tea company in 1886 in London.

Whittard started his tea business during, at the time, the busiest year in the history of the tea business in England. At the time, Whittard offered chests of tea to hotels, cafes and consumers. Tea drinkers of the era favored the specially blended Russian Caravan tea.

Whittard offers single estate, large leaf teas. Whittard selects tea leaves at the peak of the season. Whittard offers tea bags and loose teas in a variety of flavors. Whittard has developed strong relationships with family-owned tea farms and estates. The endless quest for the ultimate in quality is the cornerstone of the Whittard approach.

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Classic PG Tips Commercial

June 19, 2008

PG Tips Tea has great advertisements. From Mr. Shifter to Wallace and Gromit to Monkey and Al, PG Tips ads are really great.

PG Tips is in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest running campaign in TV history. The campaign aired in the UK and featured chimps dressed as humans. This ad, Tour de France, is a classic.

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Welsh Brew Tea in English and Welsh

June 18, 2008

Welsh Brew Tea

Can you read Welsh? Below is the text from a box of Welsh Brew tea in English and Welsh.

You dont have to be Welsh to enjoy a good cup of tea from Wales.

Welsh Brew is the only tea blended and packed for the principality of Wales.

Murroughs Welsh Brew

40 Tea Bags

foil wrapped for freshnes

Welsh Brew is a traditional blend of fine quality African and Indian teas selected for their strength, colour and smoothness of flavor. Welsh Brew Tea can be enjoyed at all times of day.

For best results, place one bag per person into a warmed teapot. Pour in freshly boiled water and leave to brew for 3-4 minutes. Stir before pouring. Store in a cool dry place.

so nice to come home to!

Murroughs Paned Gymreig

40 Cwdyn Te o Ansawdd Gwych

Wedi’i lapio mewn ffoil i’w gadw’n ffres

Mae Paned Gymreig yn flend traddodiadol o de arbennig o Africa ae India. Cawsant eu dewis oherwydd eu cryfder, eu lliw, a blas heb ei ail. Gallwch fwynhau Paned Gymreig unrhyw adeg o’r dydd.

Gwneud Te: Rhowch un cedyn yr un mewn tebot cynnes. Rhowch ddwr berwedig ar ei ben a’i adael am 3-4 munud. Trowch y te cyn tywalt. Cadwch mewn lle sych ae oer.

te i’ch croesawn i’r ty!

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PG Tips Now Easily Available to US Customers

June 17, 2008

Previously, fans of England’s number 1 tea had to try and find their favorite brand. Now, the full selection of authentic PG Tips tea can be found at teadog.com, an Internet tea retailer.

English tea drinkers can get PG Tips in 80- and 240-tea bag boxes, PG Tips Decaffeinated in 40- and 80 tea bag boxes, PG Tips Loose in an 8.8 ounce box and PG Tips Special Blend in an 80 tea bag box. Scottish Blend, a blend of PG Tips created for the soft waters of Scotland, also is available.

PG Tips is one of the United Kingdom’s top brands and still made in Manchester, England. In the UK, 150 million cups of tea are consumed daily with 35 million being PG Tips tea.

PG Tips was formerly introduced in the 1930s and quickly became one of the United Kingdom’s top brands. In 1960, PG Tips in tea bags was introduced. PG Tips Decaffeinated became available in 2004 for tea drinkers preferring a caffeine-free option.

In 2005, PG Tips celebrated its 75th birthday and introduced a special limited edition tea. PG Tips Special Blend Limited Edition Tea was originally intended to be available for a short time. But the tea proved so popular it became a permanent addition to the PG Tips family of tea.

Classic television advertising has made PG Tips an iconic brand. The first commercials for PG Tips started in the 1950s and featured chimps, called the TIPPS family, dressed as humans drinking tea. Airing for almost 50 years, the ads entered the Guinness Book of Records as the longest running campaign of any brand in the UK. The chimps retired in 2002 and were replaced with claymation birds. Today, monkey and Al are seen in ads.

Although commonplace today, PG Tips actually invented the pyramid tea bag. In 1996, PG Tips switched to the pyramid tea bag, which act as small teapots and produce a better tasting tea.

Pyramid tea bags allow 50% more room for tea leaves to move; resulting in a better infusion and superior cup of tea. It took over 4 years to invent the pyramid tea bag. The pyramid bags are made of webbed fibers, which means the water can reach the tea leaves quicker.

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