Earl Grey Recipe

Heat water

Bring 2 cups (about 475 ml) of fresh cold water to a gentle boil. For best results with black tea like Earl Grey, heat to 100°C / 212°F (full boil). If you prefer a slightly lighter cup, bring to just under boiling (about 95°C / 203°F).

Pre-warm teapot or cup

Pour a few tablespoons of the hot water into your teapot or cup, swirl to warm the vessel, then discard that water. This helps maintain proper brew temperature.

Steep tea

Add 2 teaspoons of Earl Grey loose-leaf tea to an infuser, teapot, or directly to the warmed pot/cup. Pour the hot water over the tea and steep, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes. Steep 3 minutes for a brighter, lighter cup; 4 minutes for fuller strength. If using the optional extra bergamot zest or a drop (0.25 tsp) of bergamot oil, add it to the leaves before pouring water to intensify the citrus aroma.

Remove leaves

At the end of the steep time, remove the infuser or strain the tea through a fine mesh to avoid over-extraction, which causes bitterness.

Sweeten and/or add milk if desired: stir in 1 teaspoon of simple syrup or honey while the tea is hot so it dissolves evenly. If you prefer milk, add about 1/4 cup (60 ml) warmed milk. For a classic English-style Earl Grey with milk, add milk after tasting to avoid curdling if you add lemon.

Lemon option: if you prefer lemon instead of milk, serve with a lemon wedge. Squeeze to taste (a quarter wedge to half a wedge is common). Do not combine milk and lemon together in the same cup.

Serve immediately while hot. If you brewed in a pot, pour into cups. For iced Earl Grey: double the tea (4 tsp to 2 cups water), steep as above, cool slightly, then pour over a glass filled with ice and adjust sweetener to taste.