Sample package label:
“Fusion Teas, Premium Earl Grey
1 tsp. per 8 oz. water @ 203*
Steep 2-3 min. Sweeten to taste
Ingredients: premium black tea with bergamot
Black Tea Collection”

Per: http://www.fusionteas.com/Premium-Earl-Grey.html:
“This soft, highly aromatic bergamot black tea is of the highest quality. The excellent basis of Ceylon and Yunnan is perfectly in tune with the flavoring. A light and pleasant smokey nuance accompanies the typical bergamot citrus flavor. Experience a top-class Earl Grey Tea

Ingredients: Ceylon and Yunnan Black Tea with Bergamot.
1.5 tsp., 203*, 2-3 min.”

Technique: Tea mug with Finum brew basket. 1 Teavana tsp. (2.5 g – My Weigh Durascale D2 660), 8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 203*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA thermometer/timer. No sweeteners, milk or cream were added.

Introduction: The typical Earl Grey tea has a 100% Ceylon base. Some Ceylon teas used in E.G. can be quite astringent. This E.G. is different in that it also includes Yunnan tea.

Most E.G. teas are also light- to medium-bodied. While my wife loves the aroma and flavor of a well-balanced EG, she typically does not find them to be strong enough. To compensate, she will increase the amount of tea leaves and/or the brewing time. However, you can only increase those two parameters so much.

Fragrance: This black tea has that wonderful classic EG bergamot fragrance.
Dry leaf: Uniform moderate length, dark brown leaves.
Liquor: Clear & coppery

2-min.: Medium bodied – I’ll give it another minute.
3-min.: The subtle aroma follows the character of the dry leaf’s classic bergamot fragrance. The flavor definitely follows both the fragrance and aroma. This full-bodied E.G. is expertly balanced. The bergamot does not overshadow the base black teas. There was no hint of tartness. The addition of Yunnan provided a very smooth sip as there was no bitterness. There was a mild drying effect on the finish of the sip, which slowly developed into a mild sense of astringency as I finished the cup.

I then tried 1.5 tsp. (3.8 g – My Weigh Durascale D2 660) / 8 oz. / 203 F / 2 min.
Using 1.5 tsp. provided a very full-bodied cup of E.G. with and an enhanced aroma at only two minutes. The sorter brewing time also reduced the astringency. How to have your cake and eat it too! (However, you’ll use up your Premium E.G. stash faster.) The mild drying effect on the finish of the sip was still present.

Lastly, we tried: 1.5 tsp. / 8 oz. / 195 F / 2 min. Now we’re talking! – Very smooth, rich, and strong without any bitterness or astringency.

Impression: This is a smooth, very well-balanced, full-bodied Earl Grey with a pleasing bergamot fragrance that does not overshadow the Ceylon/Yunnan base tea.

My wife enjoyed this E.G. enough to have four cups. She very much enjoyed the fragrance of the dry leaves. To her sense of smell, the aroma was not as strong as the fragrance. The flavor to her was not as bright as her regular classic EG. She also appreciated Fusion’s attractive high quality packaging.

Suggestions: We’d like to suggest a greater percentage of this very fine Yunnan in the base tea may further minimize any astringency and just a little more bergamot for a brighter flavor.

Thanks to Thomas Egbert of FusionTeas for kindly providing this free very generous sample.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 0 sec
tea-sipper

I haven’t tried Fusion’s Earl Grey yet.. and this one has Yunnan!

looseTman

Yes, that’s correct it does. It’s a blend of Ceylon & Yunnan. It was LiberTEAS who suggested that we try Fusion’s Premium E.G. and she knows EG!

K S

This is very good. I never made the connection this had Yunnan in the base. That explains why this tastes kind of the same yet so different than any other E.G. A good one for sure!

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tea-sipper

I haven’t tried Fusion’s Earl Grey yet.. and this one has Yunnan!

looseTman

Yes, that’s correct it does. It’s a blend of Ceylon & Yunnan. It was LiberTEAS who suggested that we try Fusion’s Premium E.G. and she knows EG!

K S

This is very good. I never made the connection this had Yunnan in the base. That explains why this tastes kind of the same yet so different than any other E.G. A good one for sure!

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Bio

My wife and I enjoy shou that:
- is Full-bodied, thick, rich, creamy smooth
- produces a full-mouth feeling with a long pleasing finish
- w/o obvious acidity, astringency, or bitterness
- Retains this profile & is complex enough to enjoy for multiple steeps

Notes of interest:
- natural rich chocolate (as opposed to too bittersweet cocoa)
- honey, caramel, stone fruits, sweet potato, barley, fresh baked bread

Notes not of interest: Floral, vegetal, woody.

Cost-effective organic teas or teas that meet the EU Food Safety Commission Pesticide Maximum Residue Limit EUROFINS are greatly appreciated. Many people drink tea for the anti-oxidant health benefits. So why would health conscious tea lovers drink tea that contains pesticide residues?

Complete steeping instructions on the bag are greatly appreciated:
tsp. (g) / oz. / temp. / rinse? / min. for both Western & Gongfu brewing.

Our recent orders have been from: Yunnan Sourcing, King Tea Mall, Whispering Pines, & Arbor Teas. Kudos to them as they have all been extremely helpful.

Our cupboard doesn’t include the many greatly appreciated samples generously provided by Steepsters’s favorite tea suppliers and by several very kind Steepster members.

Current Gogng Fu Brewing Method:
20g / 6 oz / 205° / 60s preheat / 60s warm leaves / 5s rinse / 5 min rest / 5s / 5 / 7 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 /30 / 45 / 60. Every two steeps combined in a sharing pitcher.

High quality water is essential for excellent tasting tea.
Our 450’ well provides hard water. For details see: http://steepster.com/looseTman/posts/176233#comments.

Solutions:
#1. Rainsoft water softener with
Q2 computerized control valve

#2. Abundant Flow Water
Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System with an Impact Alkaline re-mineralization filter
Model: Zeta RO: https://www.afwfilters.com/drinking-ro-systems/6-stage-alkaline-zoi-zeta-reverse-osmosis-system-16.html
Includes:
- Dow Filmtec TFC R.O. membrane
- Omnipure Inline Post filter
- Impact Alkaline Filter
All filters made in USA & NSF-Certified.
-———————————
Options:
- Aquatec ERP-500 & ASV 2000
- 3/8" Output
- HM Digital DM-2 TDS meter

My profile picture is a Red-Breasted Nuthatch, a winter visitor to our woodpecker feeder.

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Mid-Atlantic, USA

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