Pat schrieb:

> Perhaps. I was referring to Twinings loose-leaf Earl Grey, though, not
> the bagged version.


It's the same tea they put in the bags. All is (like with almost every
British brand) this modern chopped tea (therefore you don't have the
old FOPs, BOPs or OPFs, PDs etc. categories anymore, because while all
the same, they don't have to be sieved) -- the only British brands as
far as I know which still use orthodox teas are Fortnum & Mason and The
Bramah Tea Museum. Compare a FOP or even BOP to Twinings, PG Tips,
Typhoo, Taylors of Harrogate or whatever loose or bagged English tea.
It is *real* leaf tea to all the same very small stuff which guarantees
you a very dark and strong brew, but also a quite different taste
compared to an orthodox tea. Chopped teas are best compared to avarage
orthodox fannings. They have a body and colour like orthodox fannings
but are far less brassy and more brisk (and therefore better), more
pungent than bitter but have also their edges, best taken off by
flavourings and / or a splash of milk.


> It is a larger leaf tea, though most likely it is
> still machine harvested. But that is neither here nor there.
> Regardless of how the tea is manufactured, that does not mean that the
> same kind of tea used in the original recipe isn't used today.

No, these modern teas (breeds) are in character *quite* different from
orthodox ones. Orthodox teas are not very common in the UK since the
1950s. Whereas on the continent you have still nearly 100% orthodox
teas (maybe because it is not very common to drink tea with milk). So,
in the UK you have good and decent teas for a price you can't get a
decent orthodox tea for. On the other hand you can't get the real
exquisite stuff. Because of this you get e.g. in Germany for low and
also medium priced teas only total crap (barely- or non-drinkable),
esp. with tea bags, but if you pay real good money you can (if you're
lucky and know where to shop) get the real good stuff -- but you *have*
to pay for that, and there is no way around. So, for a good Earl Grey
(like Teekanne) you have to pay about 4 Euros per 100gr (also minimum
for a good Assam, min. 10 Euros / 100gr. for a decent Darjeeling
(easily up to 30 Euros per 100gr!) etc.). That is one reason why I tend
to use more and more e.g. PG Tips for my daily tea shot.

Modern teas like the Brits use have a good to unbeatable price per
value ratio in the low and medium price segment. If it's getting
expensive e.g. because you have to pay for a fancy label, you better
should change to decent orthodox teas.


Cheers, Dieter