Earl Greyer

Drank 6 or so large mugs of this each with the tiniest splash of cream and it really made my day delightful. I spent five hours in front of the computer at work learning our new scheduling program and this tea helped me trek through it.

First things first, I bought the loose leaf version of this tea. The shop I stopped in today had both for the same price and well that much was a no brainer. Long story short…I’ve been looking for an Earl Grey I liked for a long time now. So a few weeks ago the latest Republic of Teas catalogue turned up with a sample of this tea and I gave it a go and I found I really liked it. So I finally bit the bullet and bought some. I think I like that the bergamot flavor is really light (for me) and it makes for a very light and smooth cup of tea. So glad I grabbed some. :)

I love black tea. It’s what really propelled me into my love for tea. That being said, I’ve strayed from my roots a bit. It’s been quite a while since I’ve had some black tea, and it’s definitely been awhile since I’ve had some Earl Grey. But this is really delicious tea! I tend to stray away from tea sachets, but my roommate had offered me one, and I’m not going to turn down free tea. Good choice, really.

I would recommend this to a fan of Earl Grey. It’s good stuff.

This is my first time actually brewing this. I don’t drink much Earl Grey, but the Bergamot seems rather strong in this one. I drank this in the loose leaf form, so that might make a difference. It’s been my experience that I’ve had a lot of stale tasting Earl Greys, but this one tastes fresh. Very nice.

This is a sample sent to me from Lariel, as part of our book club tea trade. Thanks Lariel!

Years ago The Republic of Tea was one of the only tea companies I knew about. I used to drink this plain over ice all summer, along with their Ginger Peach (which still makes my head wiggle with delight as an iced tea).

Then for awhile I didn’t really care much for the Earl of Grey. For some reason bergamot just didn’t appeal to me. Lately I’ve been sampling a lot of earl grey. I started enjoying them again when I tried the one from the Tea Spot. It tastes like a lemon bar.

So, this one is nice too! The Black base is substantial enough, & there’s enough bergamot that you know it’s there, but not so much as to be over powering. I like mine with stevia.

There’s this certain Diner- restaurant I visit that happens to be connected to a grocery store (for any MN folks- the Minnesota Grill at Byerly’s). Sure, it’s a blue-haired crowd, and it’s always empty, but the food is cheap and really genuinely good.

I’ve gone about six or seven times in the past two seasons, but every time we’ve gone, I’ve arrived cold and in the mood for tea. They’ll bring out a big box full of bagged Republic of Tea teas, and this is always the one I choose.

Steep time is usually about a minute and a half. I am extremely sensitive to bitterness (ie: some salad fixings are too bitter for me to get down, so yes, it’s kind of extremely lame), so I’m always really conservative with this one.
But given my short steep times, it does very well! Earl Greys will always remind me of our trip to Maine, and this one is no different. This is especially true because the bergamot scenting leans more heavily on the blueberry side of things rather than the citrus side of things. I think I generally prefer it this way. Bergamots that have extreme citrus notes are a little bright for me, and combined with the lower quality bases used, just swing me hard into bitterness. The sweet blueberry nature of this makes is a go-to tea when I’m out and about at a restaurant (I never remember to bring my own tea, plus I don’t want to be rude, and I also want to support any place that’s even offering tea).

As for the black tea base of this one, it’s not too bad. Then again, I also never ever let it steep long at all, but given that it’s dust in a bag, I have to applaud Republic of Tea for putting together a blend that’s balanced and so darn cheap. Wherever their dustings/fannings come from, good for them. Of course, I’d prefer loose, but you can’t always have that. So pretty good job guys.

The weaknesses in the tea come out when the mug cools or when you’ve been sipping for a good long time (over a meal, perhaps). As you get to the bottom of the cup, there’s a bit of sticky dryness the prickles in the back of the throat. It’s not intense, but it can build, so this is one I’d probably prefer to drink quickly as a beverage to quench my thirst and warm me up rather than curl up with while reading, etc, over a long period. Also, as it sits, the bergamot scenting edges towards a lemony-pine-sol sort of thing. Not bad enough to stop drinking, but definitely enough to get me to just pay the check and leave our booth- not going to sit and savor.

So, in a pinch, this is a great one to have on hand. Perfectly drinkable blueberry-bergamot flavor, especially if steeped for a short time and consumed quickly. I’m always glad to see it available as an option, because hey! It’s an option! For tea! At a restaurant in America! Woah!!
No, I wouldn’t stock this at home or probably recommend it for my office because you can do better, but that’s not always what tea is for. It’s a good baseline I’m pleased to see being established. Anything lower quality than this has just no excuse. Yes- I’m looking at you, Bigelow Earl Grey tea. Last time I had you on a shoot, I steeped you for a minute, and you were still unkind to me. But it was either that or coffee, and you I just can’t do that.

I’m not sure I am listing this under the correct spot. I had the round bagged version. I was not impressed. There is not enough dust in the bag (1.6g). The tea is bitter at 2 1/2 minute steep. The bergamot is too light for my tastes. I think it tastes like it was stored in a plastic milk jug. A lot of people like this, I’m just not one of them.

Side note: My wife told me she had a cup of the Tazo chamomile she bought before I brought home some better quality stuff. She had become so accustomed to the good stuff that she was amazed at how flat the Tazo tasted. Progress!

I had a bit of this around from a few weeks ago (I’d bought it to make iced tea for a day in the park) and I need to come up for a bit of air from my endless days of yixing bliss, so I decided to polish this off with a nice big cozy pot.

This is a tea I associate with cold, New England days, so I can’t say as I ever crave it here in Houston. But, the citrus oil is fantastic iced and produces a brew which doesn’t need sweetening to be thirst quenching on a hot day. Bright and crisp and that’s all you need.

Brewed hot, this produces a dark, brooding cup. Still with that strong citrus edge, but a bit astringent and cloudy, too.

A good change of pace from cup after cup of yunnan golden and sweet shu pu-erh.

It has been so long since I tried this tea that I didn’t want to move too far forward in the Battle of the Earl Greys without giving it another shot. Now that I have, I remember why it wasn’t on my shelf already. It wasn’t quite to my tastes, and produced a faint yet slightly bitter flavor with high astringency. I think a different blend of black tea and bergamot is going to win my heart, but thank you, Lariel, for the opportunity to try this one out!

I see that the tasting notes for this selection include a mix of tea bag and loose leaf reviews. Let me specify that my tasting note is for the loose leaf version of Earl Greyer tea. I feel that is important to note because I’ve tried both the bagged and loose leaf versions of other Republic of Tea products, and I’ve found the taste to differ significantly.

I steeped ol’ Earl Greyer for five minutes at 212 degrees. This resulted in a brownish orange brew.

When I first opened the can and scooped the chopped leaves into my infuser basket, I thought I was in store for one of the strongest bergamot teas that I’ve encountered to date. The unsteeped citrus aroma was very potent and fragrant.

After brewing, I was surprised and disappointed to experience a less than colossal bergamot presence. The bergamot flavor is there and it’s smooth, but the citrus taste is overpowered by the black tea flavor.

The black tea taste is fine. There is also a little maltiness thrown in. There is no bitterness or astringent aftertaste. I guess I have just come to expect more from Earl Grey teas after some of the supercharged varieties that I’ve tried. (For example, if you desire a mighty Earl Grey tea with intense bergamot flavor that will stay with you throughout your day, I highly recommend Rishi Organic Earl Grey Black Tea: http://www.amazon.com/Rishi-Tea-Organic-Black-3-3-Ounce/dp/B001E5E20O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333545907&sr=8-1.)

If you like the citrus flavor to hang in the background of your Earl Grey tea, this selection will more than fit the bill. But, if you prefer bergamot on steroids, you (like me) may find yourself asking, “Is that all there is?”