Twinings Earl Grey Plant Based: Which Box and How to Brew

Twinings the Earl Grey Plant Based: Brewing and Box Sizes

Much of what makes Earl Grey taste like Earl Grey actually reaches you through your nose. Bergamot is a volatile oil that rises with the steam, so the way you brew and store this tea decides how much of it you keep.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Twinings the Earl Grey Plant Based: Brewing and Box Sizes, in summary: Three minutes under a saucer is the trick with this bergamot-scented black tea, 2.5g a bag in plant-based bags. Pick lemon over lots of milk, and a box size you will finish while it is fragrant.

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

Much of what makes Earl Grey taste like Earl Grey actually reaches you through your nose. Bergamot is a volatile oil that rises with the steam, so the way you brew and store this tea decides how much of it you keep.

What is in the bag, and what plant based means

The published ingredient list we hold is short: tea, bergamot flavouring at 4 per cent and natural lemon flavouring at 1 per cent. Bergamot is a small, sharp citrus that smells more like bitter orange than lemon, so the scent comes across floral and pointed at once. Underneath, a medium-bodied black tea puts a firm grip along the sides of the tongue, which keeps the citrus from tipping into perfume.

Plant Based refers to the bag, not the leaf; all tea comes from a plant. Ordinary bags generally rely on a little plastic in the heat seal, and these do without it. The carton says whether a used bag belongs in a home compost bin or needs industrial composting, and those are different routes, so check it before the first bag goes on the garden heap.

Three minutes and a saucer

Brew with water straight off the boil and take the bag out at three minutes whatever the colour says. A pale-looking cup is normal here, because the scent, not the depth of colour, is what you are after. Stop at two for something lighter and more floral. After four, the scent has largely drifted off and the tannin carries on, and bitterness climbs steadily beyond five.

The most useful habit is a saucer laid over the cup for the first minute, which keeps the rising oil in the tea rather than in the kitchen air. Lemon, the classic addition, works with the citrus rather than against it. A small splash of milk rounds it off, but a lot of milk smothers the bergamot, and a heavy milk drinker will get more from a plain breakfast blend.

Choosing between 40, 80 and 120 bags

All three boxes hold the same 2.5g a bag, so the choice comes down to how quickly you drink it. Scented teas lose their edge sooner than plain ones once opened, because the bergamot is the first thing to escape. The 40-bag box is the one to try it with, the 80 suits a regular Earl Grey drinker, and the 120 is a stocking-up box for a household that already knows it likes the blend.

Whichever you pick, keep it properly closed between mugs, which is the simplest way to hold on to the bergamot. This is a caffeinated black tea for the morning and afternoon. Brewing it for less time does not take the caffeine out, only the flavour, so after dinner a decaffeinated box is the thing to reach for.

The packs we stock

Twinings the Earl Grey Plant Based, 40 Tea Bags 100g (barcode 070177231415)
Twinings the Earl Grey Plant Based, 80 Tea Bags 200g (barcode 070177231347)
Twinings the Earl Grey Plant Based, 120 Tea Bags 300g (barcode 070177231309)

What the label says

The published ingredient list for Twinings the Earl Grey Plant Based, 120 Tea Bags 300g (barcode 070177231309) names none of the 14 major allergens. Twinings can reformulate Earl Grey Plant Based and change its allergen advice, so read the box you are buying.

Ingredients, as published: Tea, bergamot flavouring (4%), natural lemon flavouring with other natural flavourings (1%).

Ingredient and nutrition data for this barcode: Open Food Facts (openfoodfacts.org), ODbL. Even so, the Earl Grey box in your hand has the last word.

What to eat with it

Border Lemon Drizzle Melts Organic Biscuits, 150g: lemon on the biscuit echoes the slice of lemon that suits this tea.
McVitie's Hobnobs Dark Chocolate Biscuits The Oaty One, 262g: dark chocolate sits well with the bitter-orange side of bergamot, and the oats keep it from feeling rich.
Britannia Good Day Butter Cookies, 216g: butter richness set against the dry finish of a three-minute cup.

Elsewhere in the Twinings range

The full range is on the Twinings brand page.

FAQ

How long should Earl Grey brew? Three minutes with water off the boil and the cup covered. Two gives a lighter cup; past four the bergamot fades and bitterness builds.

Is it better with lemon or milk? Lemon suits the bergamot. A little milk is fine, but a lot hides the scent you bought it for.

What does Plant Based mean on the box? It refers to the bag, which is sealed without plastic. Whether it is home compostable is printed on the carton.

Which box size should I buy? The 40 to try it, the 80 for regular drinking, and the 120 once you know you like it and will get through it while it is fresh.

Can I drink it after dinner? It is a caffeinated black tea, and a shorter brew only takes away flavour, not caffeine, so choose a decaffeinated box for late evening.

Curator's note: Put a saucer over the cup, set three minutes and take the bag out whatever the colour looks like. Get those two things right and this box keeps its scent to the last bag. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Twinings the Earl Grey Plant Based: Brewing and Box Sizes

Field	Detail
Brand	Twinings
Packs we stock	40 Tea Bags 100g; 80 Tea Bags 200g; 120 Tea Bags 300g
Category	Everyday Tea Bags
Allergens (as published)	Read against the 14 major allergens, this Earl Grey barcode's published ingredients come up clear.
Caffeine	caffeinated
Steep	Three minutes, covered
Serve	Lemon, or a small splash of milk
Which box	40 to try, 120 once you know