Tea Guide
The best teas for coffee drinkers are full-bodied black teas with roasty, smoky, malty, or bittersweet flavors. August's best starting points are Low Country for bourbon and burnt sugar, Jet Black for a coffee-like roasted profile, The Library for malty depth, and Breakfast for smoky vanilla.
By the August Tea Team · Updated August 2026
At A Glance
Which tea matches your coffee order
| Tea | Flavor direction | Best for | Caffeine | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Country | Bourbon, burnt sugar, smoke | Dark-roast & whisky drinkers | High | Loose leaf & tea bags |
| Jet Black | Roasty, coffee-like richness | Cappucino & Flat White lovers | High | Loose leaf & tea bags |
| The Library | Malty, buttered toast & almond | People who take it black | High | Loose leaf |
| Breakfast | Smoky vanilla, toasted | Flavored coffee lovers | High | Loose leaf |
01 — For Dark-Roast & Whisky Drinkers
Low Country
Bourbon Sugar Black Tea
★★★★★ 4.7 (1,296 reviews)
If your coffee order leans dark roast — or your nightcap leans bourbon — start here. Low Country blends black tea with smoky lapsang souchong, malted barley, and flavors of caramel, cream, and cocoa, landing somewhere between burnt sugar, buttery buckwheat hotcakes, and a latent chicory note.
Coffee drinkers gravitate to it for the same reason they like a dark roast: the body is heavy, the finish is bittersweet, and a drop of milk pulls out a whisper of bourbon instead of washing the cup out.
Brew it strong: For one 10oz mug, use 2 tsp (3.5g) leaf and boiling water — as hot as possible — for 5 minutes. For a more concentrated cup, double the leaf rather than steeping longer — tannins turn bitter past 5 minutes.
Ingredients: black tea, Taiwanese lapsang souchong black tea, malted barley, flavors of caramel, cream, and cocoa. Contains gluten from malted barley.
02 — For Cappuccino & Espresso Drinkers
Jet Black
Roasty Coffee Black Tea
★★★★★ 4.8 (409 reviews)
Jet Black is the closest thing here to an actual cup of coffee. Assam black tea is blended with roasted mate, coffee beans, and ground coffee, giving it real espresso-bean aroma alongside hazelnut and steamed milk.
It's built for people who love the ritual of coffee — the roast character is upfront, and it holds its own with cream, oat milk, or a splash of sweetener the way a latte would. It's also our highest-caffeine tea, at 66mg per 10oz serving.
Brew it strong: For one 10oz mug, use 2 tsp (3.5g) leaf and boiling water — as hot as possible — for 5 minutes. Double the leaf for a bolder, more espresso-forward cup instead of extending the steep.
Ingredients: Indian black Assam tea, Brazilian roasted mate, malted barley, coffee beans, ground coffee, natural flavors of coffee and hazelnut. Contains gluten from malted barley.
03 — For Coffee-With-Milk Drinkers
The Library
Malty Black Tea
★★★★★ 4.6 (307 reviews)
The Library trades roast for malt. It's a high-grade Assam base with organic cacao shell and caraway, tasting of buttered toast, brown bread, and almond — the same velvety, milk-friendly body you'd want from a flat white.
A drop of milk tips it toward a smooth, creamy stout rather than a sweeter cup, which is what makes it land with coffee drinkers who take theirs with cream every morning.
Brew it strong: For one 10oz mug, use 2 tsp (3.5g) leaf and boiling water — as hot as possible — for 5 minutes. Don't overbrew — past 5 minutes the malt turns assertive fast, so add leaf rather than time for a bolder cup.
Ingredients: organic GFBOP Assam tea, organic cacao shell, organic caraway, natural flavor of almond (does not contain nuts).
Shop The Library →04 — For A Bold Morning Cup
Breakfast
Smoky Vanilla Black Tea
★★★★★ 4.6 (427 reviews)
Breakfast pairs Assam and Ceylon black teas with smoked lapsang souchong and real vanilla bean — a tannic, bracing cup with a gentle campfire smokiness under a wave of vanilla custard.
It's the pick for coffee drinkers who want something bold enough to replace a dark-roast morning cup, but sweeter and smokier than a straight English Breakfast.
Brew it strong: For one 10oz mug, use 2 tsp (3.5g) leaf and boiling water — as hot as possible — for 5 minutes. Milk is built in from the start — drink it black instead if you want the smoke turned all the way up.
Ingredients: Assam black tea, Ceylon black tea, vanilla pieces, Taiwanese smoked lapsang souchong black tea, natural flavor of vanilla. Gluten free, vegan, and all natural.
Shop Breakfast →
Decision Guide
How to choose
Want smoke and complexity?
Choose Low Country →Want the roasted flavor closest to coffee?
Choose Jet Black →Want a classic malty cup with milk?
Choose The Library →Want smoky vanilla in the morning?
Choose Breakfast →Not ready to choose?
FAQ
Common questions
What tea tastes most like coffee?
Jet Black. It blends Assam black tea with roasted mate, coffee beans, and ground coffee, so you get real espresso-bean aroma and a roasted, hazelnut finish alongside the tea.
Which tea is best for dark-roast coffee drinkers?
Low Country. Its bourbon, burnt sugar, and smoky lapsang souchong notes mirror the heavy body and bittersweet finish of a dark roast.
Does black tea contain as much caffeine as coffee?
No. August's black teas are rated High Caffeine at roughly 40–60mg per 10oz cup, while an 8oz cup of brewed coffee averages closer to 95mg. You'll get a gentler lift, not an equivalent one.
Can these teas be brewed with milk?
Yes. Low Country takes on a whisper of bourbon with milk, Jet Black turns creamy and hazelnut-forward, The Library becomes a smooth stout-like cup, and Breakfast is designed to be enjoyed with milk from the start.
How do I make tea strong without making it bitter?
Use more leaf, not more time. Double the tea (about 2 heaping teaspoons per 10oz) and hold the steep at the recommended 4–5 minutes — steeping longer pulls out tannins and turns the cup bitter instead of stronger.
