Tea Blog

Name: Earl Grey Metropolitan

Brand: English Tea Store

Type: Black tea, flavored

Form: Loose leaf

Review: The English Tea Store knows its customers well: Those with an affinity for British-style teas typically enjoy Earl Grey, so the store offers several different versions. Its Earl Grey Metropolitan is an upscale version of its standard Earl Grey. The tea leaf is a little larger and the blend includes some pretty blue cornflowers for a bit of color. The scent of this dry leaf is dominated by the bergamot, which continues after the tea infuses to the color of a new penny.

This is a very strong Earl Grey tea, stronger than the English Tea Store’s “Double Bergamot”. The black tea itself is aggressive and somewhat astringent, while the bergamot is very strong and crisp. If you like your teas strong, or want a tea that can stand up to food, this Earl Grey is for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for something a bit more refined, you may want to check out some other Earl Grey teas.

Serving Tips: This is a great Earl Grey to serve with food, as both the tea and the bergamot flavor is very strong. Alternatively, it makes a wonderfully refreshing iced Earl Grey. Neither cold, nor other flavors, can compromise the strong bergamot tang of this tea.

Preparation Tips: Take it easy on the amount of leaf you use to prepare Earl Grey Metropolitan. This stuff is strongly flavored and too much leaf creates a bitter, disagreeable brew. I like this tea best with about 2 grams of leaf to 8 ounces of water. Heat the water to boiling, then cool to about 208° F. Steep for 3 minutes. If preparing this as an iced Earl Grey, be sure to experiment with leaf amounts: Doubling the amount of leaf may be too much, so try making your first batch with 1.5 times the amount of leaf that you would use for a hot tea.

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