As a new decade begins, our attention has turned to our tea offering to keep you invigorated throughout January and beyond.

From its earliest recorded use, tea was widely believed to refresh the spirit, fight off depression and illness ,alleviate tiredness and boost energy. No wonder it is still the world’s number one beverage after water.

Tea is a drink that penetrates all cultures but rarely is it associated with heritage and tradition more than it is in Britain. So how do we encompass this within our (already really rather British) pubs?

We are proud to introduce Tregothnan tea to the Gusto Pronto family. Tregothnan is a family owned estate and botanical garden in Cornwall, near Falmouth. The name ‘Tregothnan’ literally means ‘The House at the Head of the Valley’. It remains a private family home to this day and was once home to the sixth Viscount Falmouth, a direct descendant of Earl Grey himself! Tregothnan were the first to produce a major crop of English grown tea in 2005 and now blend their annual yield with the finest teas, oils and botanicals from around the world, creating the ultimate Britishness in every cup.

All the teas we have selected have a base of English grown tea and, as a result, produce a refreshing, clean flavour and a certain intensity. We’re excited for you to try the peppermint, if that’s your go-to brew. US tea blogger Geoffrey Norman recently described their ‘Earl Grey’ as ‘The most British Earl Grey. Ever.’ High praise indeed. And can you really beat a great pot of English Breakfast tea? Tregothnan’s English Breakfast is a bold, malty and rich blend made with the widest variety of leaves ever grown in England then blended with the finest Assam.

There is a lot of debate over how to make the perfect cup of tea but we (and Tregothnan) recommend that the tea is brewed for 3-4 minutes before pouring. We’ve chosen to use pyramid tea bag pouches made from cornstarch which are 100% biodegradable and plastic free in keeping with our ongoing ‘Gusto goes greener’ initiative.

The only important decision you’ll have to make is whether the milk goes in first, or the tea! We’ll continue to serve our tea in teapots with the milk on the side so that one is entirely down to you…