Beta Tea Earl Grey Black Tea – Loose Leaf in Metal Tin, 100g & 250g

Beta Tea Earl Grey is loose-leaf black tea scented with bergamot, sold in a lidded square metal tin. Beta Tea is a Turkish tea company headquartered in Adana, and this blend starts further south: the company lists Sri Lanka as the country of origin, with leaf picked and processed in the low-grown Ratnapura district. The ingredient list is two lines long — black tea and bergamot flavouring, nothing else.

In the cup it behaves like a classic Ceylon Earl Grey. The dry leaf is curled and medium length; brewed, it gives a bright reddish-amber liquor with the brisk, lightly astringent character Ceylon tea is known for, carried by the citrus scent of bergamot, the small Mediterranean fruit whose aroma defines every Earl Grey. Beta describes it the way it drinks: strong and smooth at the same time — enough body for people who like a firm cup, without turning harsh.

Brewing, from Beta's own chart: one spoonful per cup, water at a full boil (100°C), five minutes, one infusion. Take it plain in the Turkish manner, add a slice of lemon to sharpen the citrus, or pour it with milk as Earl Grey is usually drunk in Britain — the Ceylon base stands up to all three, and it also ices well. Like every black tea, it naturally contains caffeine.

Two tin sizes: 100 g and 250 g. The black tin carries Beta's white crest and a sailing-ship illustration, keeps light and air away from the leaves so the bergamot aroma stays put between brews, and is the format to pick when the tea is meant as a gift. Store it in a cool, dry place away from strong odours, as the label advises.