TF Tea Cup Championships 2021
Pukka Elegant English Breakfast vs Clipper English Breakfast
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You’ll have noticed that there is a certain amount of footballing shenanigans happening right now. If you’re not all that interested in ball-kicking-based entertainment (or if you are but still have room for other things in your life) then prepare yourselves for an alternative tournament. I will be pitting sixteen different teas together head-to-head in a series of knockout rounds in order to determine the best basic cuppa. (More details here.)
The atmosphere is electric here at Tea Fancier Towers as the crowd* gathers for the first match of 2021’s Tea Fancier Tea Cup Championships.
Using my state of the art random tea-name generator (some bits of folded up paper in an empty tea caddy, natch), I have determined today’s teams are Pukka Elegant English Breakfast and Clipper English Breakfast.
It may come as a surprise to you that Pukka produce proper Camellia sinensis brews. It certainly did to me. I always thought of them as a wholly herbal tisane-focused outfit. This Elegant English Breakfast tea, though, is all black tea with not a chamomile flower or a radish leaf in sight. The tea comprises of Putharjhora Dooars, Darjeeling and Panshagarh teas.
Clipper have gone down a more traditional route with their English breakfast which is a blend of Ceylon and Assam. Clipper teas are well known as one of the first big brand ethical fair trade tea producers. I always thought it was a bit strange, therefore, that they chose ‘Clipper’ as a brand name which brings to mind the East India Company and the tea trade of the 1800s: an endeavour as unethical and unfairly-traded as you can get.
Clipper English Breakfast is a satisfactory sort of affair which, sadly, failed to produce any heartfelt “Ahh” noises which is the usual indicator of a good British cuppa. Pukka’s Elegant English Breakfast, on the other hand, completely hit the spot “Ahh”-wise.
Pukka’s tea might be made with a bunch of more unfamiliar-sounding tea varieties, but if you presented this tea to a houseguest, they wouldn’t be all “What on earth is this?” as they might if you slipped them unsuspectingly a cup of Oolong or First Flush Darjeeling. I imagine they would say “Lovely cup of tea, Em. Cheers.” And that is exactly what we are after.
So, I am happy to announce Pukka Elegant English Breakfast is the match winner and will be going through the Quarter Finals. I bet they’re over the moon.
* I say ‘crowd’. It was just my two elderly cats. And I’m pretty sure they were asleep for most of it.
