Most people have drunk it.
Plenty of people drink it every day.
But ask what black tea actually tastes like and things get a little more complicated.
Because black tea is not one flavour.
It can be malty and rich. Bright and brisk. Floral. Fruity. Sweet. Spicy. Smooth. Delicate.
A strong breakfast blend with milk and a fragrant single origin Darjeeling might both be black teas, but they can taste completely different.
That is where things get interesting.
What is black tea?
Black tea is made from the Camellia sinensis plant.
That is the same plant used to make green tea, white tea and oolong.
The difference comes from what happens after the leaves are picked.
During black tea production, the leaves are allowed to oxidise much more fully than green tea.
Oxidation changes the colour, aroma and flavour of the leaves, helping create the deeper characteristics we associate with black tea.
This is why the finished leaves are usually dark brown or black and the brewed tea can range from golden amber through to deep copper.
Same plant.
Very different cup.
What does black tea taste like?
This depends enormously on where the tea comes from, how it is grown and how it is made.
Some black teas are powerful and malty.
Others are lighter, floral and aromatic.
You might find notes that remind you of honey, dried fruit, caramel, spice, citrus, malt or even chocolate.
Tea does not need added flavouring to have flavour.
Origin, growing conditions and production can create plenty of character on their own.
That is one of the reasons exploring black tea gets interesting very quickly.
Where does black tea come from?
Black tea is produced across the world.
India, Sri Lanka, China and Kenya are some of the best known producing countries, but they are far from the whole story.
Even within a single country, teas can vary enormously.
Assam in India is famous for bold, rich and malty black teas.
Darjeeling can produce much lighter and more fragrant styles.
Sri Lankan tea, commonly known as Ceylon tea, can range from bright and brisk to deeper and fuller depending on where it is grown.
Chinese black teas can bring everything from honey and fruit to cocoa, malt and gentle smokiness.
There is a lot more to black tea than one breakfast blend.
How to brew black tea
A good starting point is:
2.5 to 3g of tea
250ml water
95 to 100°C water
Brew for 3 to 5 minutes
Treat this as a starting point. Every tea has its own character, so check the individual brewing instructions and adjust to taste.
A lighter black tea may be at its best with a slightly shorter infusion.
A robust breakfast tea might benefit from a little longer, particularly if you are adding milk.
The useful thing is to change one variable at a time.
If your tea tastes weak, try a little more leaf or a longer brew.
If it tastes excessively bitter or drying, shorten the infusion.
Tea is much easier to understand once you start tasting what those small changes actually do.
Should you add milk to black tea?
If you want to.
Some black teas are made for it.
A strong Assam or breakfast blend can have enough body and structure to carry milk beautifully.
Other black teas are more delicate, and milk can cover the flavours that make them interesting.
Try the tea without milk first.
Then add some.
See what happens.
There is no prize for drinking tea in the way somebody else thinks is correct.
Your cup. Your decision.
What about sugar?
Same answer.
Some people love it.
Some do not.
A good black tea should have enough flavour to be interesting without sugar, but that does not mean you are doing anything wrong by adding it.
If you normally take two sugars, try one sometime.
Not because sugar is forbidden.
Just because you might notice something in the tea that you had not tasted before.
That is the fun part.
What is breakfast tea?
Breakfast tea is usually a blend of black teas designed to create a strong, satisfying and consistent cup.
Assam, Ceylon and Kenyan teas are commonly found in breakfast blends, although recipes vary.
The aim is generally a tea with enough body to stand up to milk and enough flavour to work first thing in the morning.
Which explains why it has become such a permanent fixture in British kitchens and cafés.
But breakfast tea is a style of black tea.
It is not the definition of black tea.
There is a much bigger world beyond it.
Does black tea contain caffeine?
Yes.
Black tea naturally contains caffeine.
The amount in your cup varies depending on the tea, the quantity used and how it is brewed.
That makes it difficult to give one caffeine figure that applies to every black tea.
If caffeine intake matters to you, pay attention to the specific tea and how you prepare it instead of assuming every cup will be identical.
Loose leaf or tea bag?
Good tea can come in either format.
Loose leaf gives the leaves plenty of room to move and makes it easy to see exactly what you are brewing.
A well made pyramid tea bag can also give larger tea leaves space to infuse while making preparation quick and convenient.
The important question is what is inside.
A beautiful teapot cannot make boring tea exciting.
And a tea bag does not automatically mean poor quality.
Start with the tea.
Everything else comes afterwards.
Try black tea differently
If black tea currently means one mug, milk and the same tea bag every morning, start changing things.
Try an Assam next to a Ceylon.
Drink a black tea without milk.
Make a strong batch, chill it and pour it over ice.
Add fresh lemon.
Try a tea from somewhere you have never explored before.
Pay attention to what you can actually taste.
Tea becomes considerably more interesting when you stop treating it as one thing.
Black tea might be familiar.
That does not mean you have finished discovering it.