Twinings Earl Grey Decaf Plant Based: Brewing and Caffeine

Twinings Earl Grey Decaffeinated Plant Based: Three Words Explained

Three separate things are packed into this product's name, and only one of them describes how the tea tastes. Earl Grey is the flavouring, decaffeinated is what has been done to the leaf, and plant based refers to the bag.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Twinings Earl Grey Decaffeinated Plant Based: Three Words Explained, in summary: Bergamot-scented black tea, decaffeinated, in a plant-based bag: 40 bags of 2.5g. Decaffeinated means a small residue of caffeine, not none. Give it three covered minutes and add lemon rather than milk.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in September 2026.

Three separate things are packed into this product's name, and only one of them describes how the tea tastes. Earl Grey is the flavouring, decaffeinated is what has been done to the leaf, and plant based refers to the bag.

Bergamot on a lighter base

Bergamot is a citrus fruit valued for the oil in its rind rather than for eating, which is why an Earl Grey smells far bigger than it tastes. The label lists decaffeinated black tea, bergamot flavouring at 5 per cent and natural lemon flavouring at 1 per cent. In the cup the bergamot comes across as floral with a bitter-citrus edge; it is neither sweet nor especially lemony.

Decaffeination takes a light base and makes it lighter still, which is why a decaf Earl Grey is harder to get right than a decaf breakfast tea. The risk is a cup that smells of bergamot and tastes of very little. Here there is still enough recognisable black tea underneath to carry the scent, with gentle astringency and a clean, light body that suits drinking it without milk.

A narrow brewing window

The scent escapes from the leaf first; the tannin follows and keeps coming long after. That gives this tea a narrow window. Three minutes with the cup covered, then take the bag out. Go to five and you get a dry, slightly soapy mug with little aroma left.

Keep a saucer over the cup for that first minute, so more of the aroma settles back into the tea instead of drifting off. Lemon is the best partner: add a thin slice once the bag is out and the two citrus notes brighten each other. Milk works but flattens the aroma, so allow about three and a half minutes if you add it.

How much caffeine is left, and when to drink it

Decaffeinated is not the same as caffeine-free. The process removes most of the caffeine and leaves a small residue behind, and the published ingredients state the tea is decaffeinated to 0.2%. Think of it as low in caffeine rather than free of it, and if you need none at all, a chamomile or peppermint infusion, which contains no tea, is the one to choose.

Among the Twinings teas we stock, it sits beside the decaffeinated English Breakfast boxes as the lighter, scented choice for after dinner. The plant-based wording is about the bag, and both the bag material and how to dispose of it are printed on the current UK pack, so check there before any used bag goes on the compost.

The packs we stock

Twinings the Earl Grey Decaffeinated Plant Based, 40 Tea Bags 100g (barcode 070177231408)

What the label says

The published ingredient list for Twinings the Earl Grey Decaffeinated Plant Based, 40 Tea Bags 100g names none of the 14 major allergens. Decaf Earl Grey recipes and allergen advice can shift, so read the current 100g UK box before buying.

Ingredients, as published: Decaffeinated Black Tea, Bergamot Flavouring (5%), Natural Lemon Flavouring with other Natural Flavourings (1%), Decaffeinated to 0.2%.

Ingredient and nutrition information for this product, as published on the manufacturer's label. The decaf Earl Grey box you are holding outranks anything printed here.

What to eat with it

Britannia Good Day Butter Cookies, 216g: a butter cookie is an easy, gentle match for a light cup after dinner.
Border Dark Chocolate Ginger Organic Biscuits, 150g: dark chocolate and ginger have enough character to meet citrus without drowning it.
Fox's Chocolatey Biscuits Half Coated Milk Chocolate Cookies, 157g: milk chocolate is a friendly match for a light, citrusy cup after dinner.

Elsewhere in the Twinings range

The full range is on the Twinings brand page.

FAQ

Is decaf Earl Grey caffeine-free? No. Decaffeination leaves a small residue, so think of it as low in caffeine rather than free of it.

How long should I steep it? Three minutes, covered, and no longer. Beyond that the tannin takes over and the scent fades.

Lemon or milk? Lemon, added once the bag is out, suits the bergamot best. Milk is fine but mutes the aroma.

What does plant based mean here? It describes the tea bag, not the tea. The current pack states the bag material and how to dispose of it.

How much tea is in each bag? 100g across 40 bags, so 2.5g a bag.

Curator's note: This is the Earl Grey I would put the kettle on for after dinner: three minutes, bag out, a thin slice of lemon and no milk. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Twinings Earl Grey Decaffeinated Plant Based: Three Words Explained

Field	Detail
Brand	Twinings
Packs we stock	40 Tea Bags 100g
Category	Earl Grey & Similar
Allergens (as published)	Of the 14 major allergens, decaf Earl Grey Plant Based lists not one in its published ingredients.
Caffeine	decaffeinated
Steep	Three minutes, covered
Serve	Black, with a thin slice of lemon
Occasion	After dinner