What Is Earl Grey Tea? Bergamot, History and How to Brew It

What is Earl Grey tea? At its simplest, it's black tea scented with bergamot, a fragrant citrus fruit, and it's become one of the most familiar cups in the world. You can usually pick it out from across the kitchen the moment the kettle is poured. Let's look at where that flavor comes from, how the name came about and how to brew a cup, or a London Fog, that you'll love.

What is Earl Grey tea?

Earl Grey is a flavored tea rather than a type of leaf. Most versions start with black tea and add bergamot, usually as oil pressed from the fruit's peel. Chinese black teas such as keemun were the traditional base. These days you'll find Earl Grey built on Indian, Kenyan and other black teas, and some makers swap in green tea, oolong or rooibos for a twist on the classic.

What is bergamot?

Bergamot is a small citrus fruit, most likely a cross between sour orange and lemon or citron. Its flesh is very sour (we don't recommend biting into one), so it's grown mainly for its peel, which holds an aromatic oil used to flavor Earl Grey and to scent perfume. Most commercial bergamot comes from Calabria, at the southern tip of Italy.

The flavor it brings is hard to pin down, and that's part of the charm. Picture orange zest and lemon with a soft floral edge.

What does Earl Grey taste like?

A good Earl Grey tastes bright and perfumed on top, with the brisk, slightly malty body of black tea underneath. Makers can't resist playing with it, so the family is bigger than you might expect:

• Creamy: Earl Grey Crème from Art of Tea pairs organic black tea and bergamot with French vanilla for a smooth, rounded cup.
• Floral: Fog Horn Grey from Beach House Teas adds Pacific Northwest lavender, cornflowers and orange peel.
• Honeyed: Beekeeper Grey, also from Beach House Teas, gets a honey-like sweetness from bee pollen and a touch of lavender.
• Spiced: leafberri's Earl Grey Spice layers cardamom and cloves over Kenyan black tea.
• Fruit-forward: August Uncommon's Metropolitan sets bergamot beside dark plum and clove on an Assam base.

Why is it called Earl Grey?

By most accounts, the tea is named after Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey, who served as British prime minister from 1830 to 1834. You may have heard a romantic origin story involving a grateful Chinese official or a diplomatic gift. They're charming tales, but there's no evidence that either one is true.

The paper trail is more modest. Tea scented with bergamot was already being mentioned in Britain in the 1820s, and tea sold under the Earl Grey name shows up in merchants' advertisements later in the 1800s. Exactly who made the first blend, and why it took the earl's name, is still a small mystery. We kind of like it that way.

How to brew Earl Grey

1. Measure: about one teaspoon (2 to 3 grams) of loose leaf per 8 ounces of water.
2. Heat: use water just off the boil, around 200 to 212°F.
3. Steep: 3 to 5 minutes. Taste at three, since bergamot and black tea can turn sharp if they're left too long.
4. Finish: take the leaves out and enjoy it plain, with a splash of milk, a little honey or a thin slice of lemon.

Every blend is a little different, so check the maker's guidance on the product page. Our loose leaf brewing guide covers the basics in more detail.

How to make a London Fog

A London Fog is an Earl Grey latte: strong tea, steamed milk and vanilla. Despite the name, the drink is widely credited to Vancouver, British Columbia, just up the coast from us, though nobody seems sure where the name came from. This is how we make ours:

1. Steep 2 teaspoons of Earl Grey in about half a cup of near-boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes, then strain.
2. Warm 4 to 6 ounces of milk (dairy, oat or your favorite) and froth it with a whisk or frother.
3. Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla syrup, or honey with a drop of vanilla extract, into the tea.
4. Pour in the milk, hold back the foam with a spoon, then spoon it on top. Yes, that's a lot of spoon. It's worth it.

A creamy Earl Grey Crème makes a velvety Fog. Fog Horn Grey adds a gentle lavender note that feels right at home on a misty morning, which around here is most of them.

Does Earl Grey have caffeine?

Most Earl Grey is made with black tea, so it has caffeine in the same general range as other black teas. Our caffeine guide explains what changes the amount in your cup. For an evening version, The Orchard from August Uncommon blends green rooibos and honeybush with apple, pear and bergamot for a caffeine-free cup with that same citrus lift. If you have specific caffeine needs, check with a healthcare professional.

Explore more in Black Tea, Pacific Northwest Blends and Herbal & Caffeine-free.

Quick answers

What is the difference between Earl Grey and black tea?

Earl Grey is black tea flavored with bergamot. Plain black tea has no added flavoring, so it tastes maltier and less floral.

Does Earl Grey tea have caffeine?

Yes, when it's made with black tea, which most versions are. Rooibos-based Earl Grey style blends are naturally caffeine-free.

Can you put milk in Earl Grey?

Absolutely. A splash of milk softens the citrus and brings out the body of the tea, and a London Fog takes the idea all the way.

What does bergamot taste like?

Like a blend of orange and lemon peel with a floral, slightly bitter edge. In tea it comes across as bright and perfumed rather than sour.

Why is it called Earl Grey?

It's generally believed to be named after Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey and British prime minister in the 1830s. The famous stories about how he got the recipe aren't backed by any evidence.