Tea Culture in Germany

Germany consumes 1,5 lb of tea per capita per year.

Although the first thing people think of when Germany is mentioned is beer, the country actually has a strong tea culture in the rainy coastal northwest of East Frisia.

East Frisian tea is a loose-leaf compressed Assam tea with a touch of organic Ceylon tea.

History of German Tea

The East Frisian tea tradition started in the 19th century by local farmers and fishermen who ventured into brewing strong black tea as an exotic and more affordable replacement for coffee.

The severe weather conditions in the region led to a high interest in tea in the northwest, but the tradition didn’t spread as much in the rest of Germany.

Roughly, East Frisian locals drink ten times more tea than the rest of the German population.

Tea Culture in Germany

East Frisian tea is a strong black tea served in porcelain cups. The teapot is constantly heated with a tiny candle underneath.

Each teacup is served with sugar cubes and heavy cream that creates a spectacular foam when pouring the tea.

German tea is always consumed hot, especially because the tradition comes from the coldest region of the country.

Every restaurant and cafe in the region offers proper East Frisian tea for warding off the cold and damp weather.

Germany imports tea from the North Indian state of Assam and it’s mainly a top-quality selection of leaves harvested during the second flush.

When visiting East Frisia, you will more likely be offered a warm cup of tea instead of coffee or beer.

East Frisian Tea Preparation

All you need to do is steep two scoops of Assam tea for 3-4 minutes, strain, and pour into the teapot.

Add sugar cubes and cream to each teacup, pour the tea, and don’t stir. Let the foam cloud raise from the cup and enjoy it while warm.