Earl Grey

I’ve had crummy luck with the couple of bagged Earl Greys I’ve tried. They were terribly bitter. This one is surprisingly good! I prefer my Earl Greys with creme, but this one could live without it. It’s a decent black tea with a decent bergamot flavor! MUCH better than the other bagged Greys, but not as good as the loose leaf teas. I wonder why they are so different?

I had this with lunch at Save On Meats in Vancouver last week. It was a tea bag of fannings. It was very light and very floral. I’m pretty sure the water was not at boiling. I left it in the cup all through lunch, steeping 3 cups off of it. It didn’t change much in character over the steepings. Not excellent, but better than expected for a restaurant.

Had this today at a restaurant. It was pretty decent, especially because I was cold and just so grateful to have something warm to hand on to. The bergamot was quite strong. I added one sugar and a dash of milk, and that barely touched the bergamot. The brew was strong, but not bitter tasting or astringent. I would have this again.

These tea bags produce quite a good cup of tea. I generally go for loose leaf tea, but there are times when a bag is simply more convenient. This Earl Grey has a strong bergamot scent. The bergamot flavor is strong once brewed, but not overwhelming. It was easy to brew a cup that was smooth and not too bitter. I brewed for approximately two minutes, which is my usual for bagged black tea. The tea was fresh and flavorful. This is definitely a good choice for those in search of a bagged earl grey.

I forgot to log this one. I drank it while awaiting my plane in the “Runway Cafe”. I even jotted down a couple notes and thoughts (not a normal habit—I don’t want to look like some weird food critic scrutinizing their service).

My thoughts, quoted directly from my notes: “Brews dark (fanning); taste is bold, not bitter. Bergamot scent borders on Pledge-y, but that doesn’t translate into the taste. Just a touch of dark citrus. Well-rounded earl grey. I like it. 72-77%?”

No idea what their water temperature was at, but I default-steep most plain blacks at five minutes.

No that bad of an earl grey. It doesn’t get bitter when the bag is left in. my go-to tea at Mickey Dee’s.

I’ve had plenty of Earl Greys, and this one has been my favourite insofar. I drink it as often as I can. For me it seems to have the perfect blend of very strong tea and aromatic bergamot.

Recently got into the habit of drinking tea and I’ve been going back and forth between this and the English Breakfast. I definitely enjoy this one over the English Breakfast – it’s more flavorful.

I drink this frequently, since it’s what McDonald’s uses. I prefer it over the Second Cup Earl, which is my other source of hot tea while I’m at work. It’s pretty good. Not the best I’ve ever had, far from the worst. I would not be ashamed to have it in my personal collection.