Earl Grey Recipe

Brew concentrate

Bring 1 cup water to just below boiling (about 200°F / 93°C). Remove from heat, add 2 Earl Grey tea bags and steep for 4 minutes for a pronounced bergamot flavor. Do not over-steep to avoid bitterness.

Remove tea bags, stir in 1 tablespoon granulated sugar until dissolved. Let the concentrate cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator (about 15–30 minutes) if time allows. Reserve for cocktail use; yields roughly 3–4 tablespoons concentrate.

Combine ingredients

In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz gin, 3 tablespoons cooled Earl Grey concentrate, 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice, and 1/4 oz simple syrup (omit if you prefer drier). If using egg white for a silky foam, add 1/2 of an egg white.

Dry shake (if using egg white)

If you added egg white, shake the mixture vigorously without ice for 10–15 seconds to emulsify and build foam.

Shake with ice

Add 4 ice cubes to the shaker and shake hard for 10–15 seconds until well chilled (shake longer if you did a dry shake).

Strain and serve

Double-strain into a chilled coupe or rocks glass. If served on the rocks, strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon twist or wheel; express the twist over the drink to release oils and rub rim if desired.

Adjust sweetness

Taste and adjust: add an extra 1/4 oz simple syrup if you prefer sweeter, or more lemon juice for brightness. The concentrated tea can be increased by 1 teaspoon for stronger bergamot flavor.