Afternoon tea is one of my favorite aspects of British culture. And let’s be honest, afternoon tea is a way of life—full stop. Just as I can’t imagine life without tea, I can’t imagine life without the music of four British chaps: John, Paul, George, and Ringo, aka The Beatles. I love them as much today as I did when I first heard them decades ago.
Imagine sitting down for a cup of tea with the Fab Four. There’s nothing like a cup of tea to break the ice and get the conversation flowing. Look what happened when they sat down with the lovely “Rita Meter Maid.” I hope she made the most of the situation.
I had an amazing English tea experience at the Roseate Villa in Bath, England.
If I had the chance to speak to them, I might ask, “Oh hey guys, is there anything you wish you could do over? Was “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” written because of an acid trip? Did you ever regret breaking up (because we, your fans, still haven’t gotten over it)?”
Well, I hope my conversation would be more brilliant than that, but seriously, wouldn’t you like to talk to John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr?
Since that’s not an option, I can time travel through their music and the memorabilia that is everywhere, thank goodness. My friend at British Emporium has loads of Beatles items for sale, including some fun tea/coffee mugs featuring Beatles album covers.
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Tea with The Beatles
So I got the idea of pairing two quintessentially British items, The Beatles—the greatest band of the 20th century—and tea. Shortly after scribbling notes for this idea, I did a quick Google search and found there are all sorts of people interested in, and writing about things like: What was the Beatles’ favorite food? What was their favorite drink? Tea, of course.
If you’re a Beatles fan, let me know if you agree or disagree with my pairings. And if you disagree, tell me why, and what you would pair.
In chronological order of album release date,
Album and tea pairings
Which tea would you pair with Rubber Soul?
Rubber Soul
I must have played this album until it was broken because I know all of the song lyrics for fourteen songs—they are all great!
Rubber Soul was recorded in the studio in 1965. The Beatles released two albums that year after completing their American tour in 1964. I decided they probably drank a lot of really strong black tea to keep going. I chose a British classic, the inexpensive tea bags PG Tips.
Sgt. Pepper’s Loney Hearts Club Band 1967
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is another album that is forever etched in my memories. I love the Indian vibe to many of the songs and the lyrics referring to self-realization, a topic I was really into at the time. I especially like George Harrison’s “Within You Without You. ” Many people thought it didn’t fit the album, but it’s one of my favorites.
I chose Taylor’s loose-leaf Assam Tea for Sgt. Pepper’s because it’s a strong, bold tea, with malty, earthy, and spicy flavors. Assam tea is used to make classic Masala chai tea, and boba teas as well. A boba tea fits well with the more circus show songs, like “For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite.”
Have you tried this tea?
Yellow Submarine 1969
Paired with Taylor’s Yorkshire Malty Biscuit Brew.
I chose this pairing because the lyrics for “Yellow Submarine” are silly, and because Yellow Submarine is not what I think of when I think of The Beatles, just as I don’t think of malty biscuit-flavored tea. Plus the packaging is yellow. “All You Need Is Love” is the best song on the album, but that’s subjective. The song is also featured in the film Love Actually. Also on Yellow Submarine, there’s a song written by George Harrison that mentions tea.
About the tea: Taylor’s is an old and reputable tea company founded in 1886. They blend teas from Africa and India to create black teas, which they call “a proper brew.”
Abbey Road 1969
The iconic album cover can’t change the fact that sadly, this was the last album The Beatles recorded. Though each song stands on its own, it flows as if a story is being told. There’s so much energy on this album and so many great songs, from the dark but upbeat sounds of “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” to “Something,” a love song written by George Harrison, to “In The End.” So many happy memories are associated with this album.
I thought such an iconic album deserved an iconic tea, so I went with English Breakfast Tea. Sammy at the British Emporium added that it should be the Twinings’ extra strong version because at that point in their careers, The Beatles had been going full-on for almost ten years.
English Breakfast Tea is a blended tea of Assam, Ceylon, and Kenya teas. It’s always a robust black tea and contains 50 – 90 milligrams of caffeine per cup. Twinings is one of the oldest brands in London, dating back to 1706.
Let It Be
Let It Be was recorded in 1969 before Abbey Road, but was released in 1970.
The title song on Let It Be has such a lovely melody and a sort of spiritual overtone that we thought we should choose a pretty tea. Hence, Whitard’s English Rose loose-leaf black tea. Whitard is known for high-quality tea, and is one of the older companies along with Taylor’s since 1886.
Their English Rose Tea comes in a pretty canister. It even has rosebuds mixed with the tea leaves, and smells heavenly. Some think”Let It Be” has a religious or spiritual message. These are the lyrics: “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.” Ok, I know Paul McCartney said Mother Mary was his mother who spoke to him in a dream, but plenty of people like to mix this up.
Final Thoughts: Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields Forever
Magical Mystery Tour was released in 1967 as a soundtrack to the film Magical Mystery Tour. There’s no mug for this one. It’s one of my favorites, and the singles “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields Forever” ended up on this album. I always thought they should have been on Sgt. Pepper because they were released before that album. I love Penny Lane for obvious reasons. Also, I was a hairdresser (not a barber, but close). Anyway, you can visit Penny Lane if you go to Liverpool.
For “Penny Lane,” I think I’d like to pair one of my favorite teas, Ahmed Mango Magic Black Tea because it wakes me up in a good way and the smell makes me happy.
I paired Ahmad’s Strawberry Sensation Black Tea, with “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Yes, I had to do it. Ahmad’s was founded in London and has a huge facility you can visit, fyi. This tea is one of the top sellers at British Emporium. Sadly there is no teacup or teapot to go with Magical Mystery Tour. If you see one, let me know!
This article is for entertainment purposes only. I’m not an expert on The Beatles, just a fan. I did some research on album specifics at The Beatles Bible website. As for tea, I am working my way through over 100 teas sold at The British Emporium. I’m an avid tea drinker and Anglophile, not a tea expert, though I will be soon!
