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scientistsinistralA take on the classic Earl Grey.
I'll save the history of the Earl Grey for a post where I have just a pure Earl Grey, but the gist of a classic Earl Grey is black tea with bergamot oil added to it for a citrus taste. This one has cornflowers and mallow flowers added, too.
Ingredients: Keemun black tea, natural bergamot oils, blue mallow flowers, cornflowers.
Brewed this twice, both into a small mug with one level teaspoon (about 2g) of tea for 4 minutes.
Brewed it twice because first cup was nice but also slightly jaded by washing up liquid residue remaining at the bottom of a just-washed cup. The water wasn't as hot for this one, so it was slightly weaker, the bergamot wasn't coming through as strongly.
After two hot steeps I decided to use up the rest to cold brew it, because I wasn't in completely in love with it hot and wanted to try it cold as well. Brewed it about 6g into about 300ml water.
![Photo of a round glass containing a clear brown liquid.]()
Hot Brew
Verdict: Very floral. Bergamot definitely present. It's not bad, it's not my favourite either. I think I'd have this one every once in a while, but I couldn't do 5 days straight like the jasmine.
I did add a splash (or three) of semi-skimmed milk at the end of the second cup, which left it still with its bergamot flavour but a more creamy edge to it which I enjoyed more.
I feel like bergamot oil might give me a headache, but I'll see with other Earl Greys to check. It's quite perfumey, and it reminds me of a perfume my dad used to spritz before we got in the car for a long car ride, and my head was not always happy on those car rides. But we'll see.
Lessons Learned:Rinse out your cup carefully and let it dry before making tea. Or you will get a small amount of washing up liquid in your mouth, which probably contributed to the sore throat I had the next few days.
Also, milk doeswork sometimes if one is on the fence about a brew. Drink unmixed first to get the pure flavour, then add milk and maybe sugar for nicer drinking. Because tea is about the taste as well, right?
Would I drink it again? I'll see how it is as a cold brew. I probably wouldn't buy this one again - it's not bad, but it's not my favourite - but more classic Earl Greys or other Earl Greys I'd be up for trying.
Cold Brew
Verdict: No. Took two sips and threw the rest of it out - may have been too quick and not giving it a full chance with milk or sugar (and also I'm slightly sick right now), and it was kind of a waste, but I just... had the knee jerk reaction that I couldn't drink more of that one. It was just... I don't know what it was, the bergamot wasn't really coming through and it just tasted like cold flowers and I did not want to drink it.
Lessons Learned: Conversely to the Strawberry Daiquiri one, some brews are better hot. I might give another Earl Grey a cold brew, one that doesn't have the florals, but this... nope.
Would I drink it again? Nope, nada, no. Not this way.
I'll save the history of the Earl Grey for a post where I have just a pure Earl Grey, but the gist of a classic Earl Grey is black tea with bergamot oil added to it for a citrus taste. This one has cornflowers and mallow flowers added, too.
Ingredients: Keemun black tea, natural bergamot oils, blue mallow flowers, cornflowers.
Brewed this twice, both into a small mug with one level teaspoon (about 2g) of tea for 4 minutes.
Brewed it twice because first cup was nice but also slightly jaded by washing up liquid residue remaining at the bottom of a just-washed cup. The water wasn't as hot for this one, so it was slightly weaker, the bergamot wasn't coming through as strongly.
After two hot steeps I decided to use up the rest to cold brew it, because I wasn't in completely in love with it hot and wanted to try it cold as well. Brewed it about 6g into about 300ml water.
Hot Brew
Verdict: Very floral. Bergamot definitely present. It's not bad, it's not my favourite either. I think I'd have this one every once in a while, but I couldn't do 5 days straight like the jasmine.
I did add a splash (or three) of semi-skimmed milk at the end of the second cup, which left it still with its bergamot flavour but a more creamy edge to it which I enjoyed more.
I feel like bergamot oil might give me a headache, but I'll see with other Earl Greys to check. It's quite perfumey, and it reminds me of a perfume my dad used to spritz before we got in the car for a long car ride, and my head was not always happy on those car rides. But we'll see.
Lessons Learned:Rinse out your cup carefully and let it dry before making tea. Or you will get a small amount of washing up liquid in your mouth, which probably contributed to the sore throat I had the next few days.
Also, milk doeswork sometimes if one is on the fence about a brew. Drink unmixed first to get the pure flavour, then add milk and maybe sugar for nicer drinking. Because tea is about the taste as well, right?
Would I drink it again? I'll see how it is as a cold brew. I probably wouldn't buy this one again - it's not bad, but it's not my favourite - but more classic Earl Greys or other Earl Greys I'd be up for trying.
Cold Brew
Verdict: No. Took two sips and threw the rest of it out - may have been too quick and not giving it a full chance with milk or sugar (and also I'm slightly sick right now), and it was kind of a waste, but I just... had the knee jerk reaction that I couldn't drink more of that one. It was just... I don't know what it was, the bergamot wasn't really coming through and it just tasted like cold flowers and I did not want to drink it.
Lessons Learned: Conversely to the Strawberry Daiquiri one, some brews are better hot. I might give another Earl Grey a cold brew, one that doesn't have the florals, but this... nope.
Would I drink it again? Nope, nada, no. Not this way.
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