McEntee’s Tea Time Moments - Blog

Ireland has long had a deep-rooted tea culture, built around strong, satisfying brews. Traditionally, Irish tea blends are designed with this in mind—often using Assam-based teas for their rich, malty flavour, and frequently produced using CTC (Cut, Tear, Curl) methods to deliver strength, colour, and consistency in the cup.

In recent years, however, more tea drinkers across Ireland are rediscovering the quality and character of loose leaf tea—seeking out blends that offer greater depth, better ingredients, and a more rewarding brewing experience.

If you’re looking for the best loose te, fill with teaa in Ireland, here’s why it’s worth making the switch.

What Is Loose Leaf Tea?

Loose tea, or loose leaf tea, is made from whole or partially broken tea leaves rather than the fine dust particles or “fanning” commonly used in tea bags. This allows the leaves to fully open during brewing, releasing more flavour, aroma, and complexity into the cup.

The result is a tea that feels fuller, fresher, and more expressive of the blend.

Why Choose Loose Tea in Ireland?

1. Fuller Flavour
Loose leaf tea delivers a richer, more rounded cup. Classic Irish-style blends—often built on Assam teas—develop deeper malty notes and a smoother finish when brewed loose.

2. Higher Quality Leaves
Loose teas typically use larger, more carefully selected leaves. This leads to a more consistent flavour and a noticeably higher-quality drinking experience.

3. Control Over Strength
Irish tea drinkers value a strong brew, and loose tea gives you full control. Add more or less leaf depending on how bold you like your cup.

4. A More Sustainable Option
With less packaging and fewer single-use materials, loose tea can be a more environmentally conscious choice.

Popular Loose Tea Blends in Ireland

Irish tea preferences remain firmly rooted in strong, full-bodied blends, often with an Assam backbone. Popular options include:

• Gold Blend – A bold, full-bodied blend with a rich malty depth for a strong, satisfying cup.
• Irish Breakfast Blend – A strong, refreshing everyday tea with a smooth, balanced finish.
• Irish Afternoon Blend – A rich, malty blend with depth and warmth, perfect for a stronger afternoon brew.
• Master Blend – A strong, citrus, full bodied tea for the tea connoisseur. The perfect balance of flavour and taste, our strongest brew yet, for any time of day.

These teas are crafted to deliver the kind of robust, satisfying cup Irish drinkers expect—whether enjoyed loose or otherwise.

Brassil’s Café in Dundalk, has been delighting customers for over five years with McEntee’s Irish Breakfast Loose Tea. Served in classic teapots and praised for its flavour, the tea has become a highlight of the café experience — keeping customers coming back and helping the café stand out on Dundalk’s High Street.

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Are tea drinkers being ignored in cafe's or are they being given a reason to return?

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There’s something so important about a morning cup of tea. Before the emails, the commute, or the to-do list begins, tea offers a moment to reset and ease into the day. But not all teas and not all timings are created equal. So what is the best tea to drink in the morning, and when should you actually be drinking it?

What Is the Best Tea to Drink in the Morning?

The “best” tea in the morning depends on what you need from your day, but a few clear favourites stand out.

Black Tea: The Classic Wake-Up Call

If you’re looking for a gentle caffeine boost without the intensity of coffee, black tea is your go-to. Rich, full-bodied, and familiar, it helps improve alertness while still feeling smooth and balanced. It’s perfect for easing into your morning without the jitters.

Green Tea: Clean and Focused Energy

For those who want a lighter start, green tea offers a more subtle lift. It contains less caffeine but is packed with antioxidants, making it ideal for sustained focus and a calm, clear head.

Herbal Tea: A Softer Start

Not everyone wants caffeine first thing. Herbal teas like mint tea or chamomile are great if you’re looking for something soothing, especially on slower mornings or weekends. They help hydrate and gently wake the body without stimulation.

Breakfast Blends: Made for Mornings

Blends specifically crafted for mornings, like Irish or English Breakfast teas, are designed to pair well with food and provide a balanced, energising start. They’re strong enough to wake you up, but smooth enough to enjoy daily.

What Is the Best Time of Day to Drink Tea?

Timing your tea can make a real difference in how you feel throughout the day.

Early Morning (7:00 to 9:00 AM): Ease Into the Day
It might be tempting to reach for tea immediately after waking, but your body is still naturally waking itself up. Drinking tea about 30 to 60 minutes after you wake can help you get more out of its caffeine and avoid overstimulation.

Mid-Morning (10:00 to 11:30 AM): Peak Productivity
This is often the ideal time for your first or second cup. Your energy levels are stabilising, and tea can enhance focus without disrupting your natural rhythm.

Afternoon (1:00 to 3:00 PM): Beat the Slump
Instead of another coffee, tea is perfect for that post-lunch dip. A lighter black tea or green tea can give you just enough lift to stay productive without affecting your sleep later.

Evening (After 6:00 PM): Wind Down
If you’re craving a cup later in the day, switch to herbal teas. They help you relax and signal to your body that it’s time to slow down.

Finding Your Perfect Tea Ritual

At the end of the day, the best tea and the best time to drink it is the one that fits naturally into your routine. Whether it’s a strong, comforting cup in the morning or a calming blend in the evening, tea is less about rules and more about ritual.

So tomorrow morning, take a moment. Put the kettle on, choose a McEntee’s Tea that suits your mood, and give yourself a slower, more intentional start to the day.

For a while, tea had an image problem. It felt traditional, dependable, maybe even a little predictable. It lived in kitchen cupboards beside the sugar bowl and the good mugs. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t flashy. It certainly wasn’t trending.

And then something shifted.

Suddenly, tea was everywhere again, but reimagined. On TikTok, in morning routine videos, in “soft life” aesthetics and study-with-me clips. Gen Z didn’t just rediscover tea. They reframed it.

Brands like McEntee's Tea are quietly positioned right at the centre of this shift, not because they changed what tea is, but because culture changed how tea is seen.

The Matcha Gateway

For many, it started with matcha.

Iced matcha lattes in clear glasses. Carefully whisked powders. Calm, clean energy. Matcha became more than a drink, it became a vibe. It symbolised control in chaotic schedules and softness in a hustle-heavy world.

But what matcha really did was reintroduce an idea: caffeine doesn’t have to feel frantic.

That discovery opened the door back to tea in general. Traditional black tea, especially strong Irish blends, offers that same steady focus. It energises without overwhelming. It supports rather than spikes.

And for a generation more aware than ever of anxiety and burnout, that difference matters.

A Reaction to Constant Noise

Gen Z grew up in the scroll. Notifications, content cycles, algorithm shifts, everything moves quickly and constantly. The reaction to that intensity has been a craving for slower rituals.

Tea demands pause. You boil the kettle. You wait while it brews. You pour.

It’s simple, but that simplicity is powerful. Even three minutes of waiting creates a break in the rhythm of the day. It turns caffeine into a ceremony.

A mug of McEntee's Tea isn’t just fuel, it’s structure. It marks the morning. It marks the study break. It marks the wind-down.

In a world that blurs everything together, tea creates gentle boundaries.

Wellness, But Grounded

Gen Z is deeply wellness-aware, but also skeptical of extremes. They’re not chasing crash diets or intense biohacks as much as they’re looking for everyday sustainability, habits that feel realistic.

Tea fits naturally into that mindset. It’s uncomplicated. It doesn’t promise miracles. It doesn’t need a rebrand to feel clean or intentional. It already is.

Strong black tea offers antioxidants and hydration. Herbal blends support digestion or sleep. Sustainable packaging and biodegradable tea bags align with environmental values that matter deeply to younger consumers.

It’s wellness without the performance.

The Shift Away from Alcohol

Another major cultural shift is happening quietly: less drinking.

More young people are embracing sober-curious lifestyles or simply choosing nights that don’t revolve around alcohol. The ritual of having “a drink” hasn’t disappeared, it’s evolved.

Tea has stepped into that space.

An evening mug while watching a film. A cosy brew during a long conversation. A wind-down ritual before bed. It feels indulgent but grounding. Social but soft.

It gives comfort without the consequences.

Rediscovering Tradition

What’s interesting is that Gen Z doesn’t reject tradition, they reinterpret it.

What once felt like something reserved for grandparents now feels authentic and reassuring. In a culture of fast trends and disposable aesthetics, something that has always been there suddenly feels stable.

Irish tea, in particular, carries weight. It’s strong. It’s straightforward. It doesn’t pretend to be anything else. And maybe that’s the real reason tea is making a comeback.

In a generation overwhelmed by choice, stimulation, and noise, tea offers something radically simple: boil water, brew, sit down. No algorithm. No crash. No chaos.

Just a pause and sometimes, that’s exactly what people are looking for. 

ou can now log into your online account to take full control of your delivery schedule, including changing the frequency of your orders and adding or removing products.

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