Earl Grey

Hiya folks. I’m baaaaackkk! I missed you. Please forgive me if I start where I left off and don’t go back to read two weeks worth of notes. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that time is still a little scarce and I’d rather spend the time with careful reading going forward than with skimming going backward.

We had lots of fun at Disneyland and No. 1 is now safely ensconced in his first grade routine. I must admit I have been drinking very little tea. It was blisteringly hot in D-land, and it’s been hitting over 100 degrees since we got back, which may have something to do with it. I have noticed, though, that when I do drink tea after not drinking it for a while, I enjoy it that much more. It’s almost as though I’d desensitized myself by drinking 20 or so cups a day, and until I stopped doing that I didn’t realize I had. Anyone else ever had that experience?

I took this tin with me to D-land and made some every morning in the little pot in the room before we went down to breakfast. I tried to use bottled water, but if I didn’t have enough I supplemented with tap water.

Anaheim water is weird. I thought the Pirates of the Caribbean ride smelled funny because the water was recycled, but then I noticed that the water coming out of the shower smelled similar, though hot instead of cold. It’s got a sort of marine/minerally smell to it, so the brewing conditions weren’t great. Since this wasn’t much of a favorite to begin with, I wasn’t too concerned about ruining it with bad water. And I’m glad I took it with me because I can now decupboard! Another to cross of the list and not to repeat, I’m afraid, but at least it contributes to the goal of getting the quantity of tea I have in the house under control. I will say that it grew on me a bit. I just got really used to it. But not enough to give it a point bump.

Hope everyone had a great end of summer!

Sigh I promised I would write a new note, when I had bought a new one.
Now I wish I hadn’t.

Turns out my tea isn’t old. It really taste like that! It’s such a letdown that I feel myself getting sadder and sadder for each sip. Did it really taste like that Sips Yes it did!

Let’s start at the color. Nice decent orange, Very Earl grey-ish.
There a wiff of bergamot, but there so little that I have to stick my nose into my cup. Already disappointed I take a sip … And it taste like Earl Grey. It’s not the taste I am disappointed at, it’s the lack thereof. This tea is so stingy about the bergamot, I can hardly taste it!

I tried to make the steeping time longer, but it dosn’t help.
I twirled the teabag around in the mug, it only left small leaves at the bottom.
I even tried to force some juice out of the leaves with a spoon!
But nothing helps.

I know some people who aren’t fond of bergamot or strong tasting teas, so this will be waiting for them in my cupboard. But I’ll have to find something better than this, to other people.

When you open the tin it smells great, on the cup the story is very different. It doesn’t smell or taste like Earl Grey. A very light and pale Bergamot flavour at the end of a sip (if you are attentive and looking for it). Not an awful tea, but for those who enjoy a strong Earl Grey full of aroma and flavour this is not the tea.

If you look at the ingredients on the side of the cannister of many of the Kusmi flavored black tea blends you may be surprised to note that a large number of them read as “Earl Grey” + some additional ingredients. I’m no expert, but I take this to mean that Kusmi likes to use their Earl Grey as a base for many of their blends. Given that I love Earl Grey and I also love Kusmi teas I ordered this with high expectations. I’m sad to say this was a big letdown. Its not a bad Earl Grey, its just that the bergamot is so mild you can barely taste it. In fact to my palate this tea came across as almost bland! I suppose this is to be expected of Kusmi, because they seldom make tea with overpowering flavors, I just found it disappointing. Because of its mediocrity (but non-badness) I have to rate this one right down the middle.

Earl Grey…light on the bergamot! It’s kind of tasty but not really memorable.

It’s a mild but drinkable earl grey. Not a ton of bergamot

Earl grey black tea. I have the tea bag version. This tea is a little too light for my liking. The bergamot is there, the black tea is there, and that’s about it. There are no major flaws with this earl grey though I wish the black tea base has more interesting notes. The tea is not astringent or bitter. The tea bag did not offer much flavor for the second cup.

sold for $9.90/20 bags

https://www.kusmitea.com/us/earl-grey-organic-EARLBIOMASTER.html?v=21641A1120

I think this is a decent cup of earl grey, not sure I agree with the negative reviews. Tasted v. Harney’s Earl Grey Supreme, which is a favorite, the nose is slightly toastier, rounder; not as much bergamot but this holds up admirably.

1 bag steeped 4 minutes 30 seconds in 90C water. Drink bare.

Kusmi is new to me, and I’m a student of Russian history, so how can I resist?

I’ve come to enjoy black teas, especially Darjeelings, brewed at 90C instead of 95C. It’s often makes for a smoother tea.

I’m also on an Earl Grey kick — can’t get enough bergamot. TeaBox’s Earl Grey Citrus might be the best I’ve ever had, so fresh and vibrant — it scents my whole study — with Indian teas in the base. Andrews and Dunham Damn Fine Tea Mount Grey is also excellent. So is Stash’s regular (yum) Double Bergamot (oh mah GAWD) Earl Grey. That said, it’s actually hard to find an Earl Grey that uses a decent tea base and doesn’t just cover up poor quality tea with bergamot perfume (Twining’s, I’m looking at you — and don’t get me started on supermarket’s own brand EG teas.)

So I’m a bit picky about Earl Grey.

I’m hitting a Kusmi Earl Grey sampler today, everything from their basic Earl Grey to the spicy and vanilla Earl Grey they call Prince Vladimir. I love samplers — always a great excuse to make MOAR TEA. One at a time, though, one at a time.

Kusmi’s Earl Grey is a gentle soul. Liquor is a beautiful copper, and the mouthfeel is exceptionally smooth — a bit odd for a citrus tea, but I like it. The bergamot is subtle, which adds to the smoothness, and the tea base has some Ceylon, I think, so the tea base is decent.

It’s a competent and delicious Earl Grey, if a very smooth and subtle one. I doubt I’d go out of my way to buy it again, and perhaps Kusmi’s Earl Grey Intense will suit me better. If you’re introducing someone to Earl Grey tea, maybe try this one, but in my experience, those who love EG love it a lot and want more bergamot, not less.

One complaint: the tea comes in those plasticky sachets instead of muslin or paper. Not impressed there.

Advent Day 17

It’s an EG. It’s nice and smooth. Easy to drink straight. Tried adding some cream but the berg couldn’t hold up to it. It doesn’t stand out in the world of EG for me.