Assembled · Tea
How to make a London fog
A London fog is Earl Grey tea with steamed milk and a little vanilla.
- Tea
- 2.4 g
- Cup
- 250 ml
- Temp
- 100 °C
- Time
- 7:10
Earl Grey is black tea scented with bergamot oil, so the drink is a milk tea with a citrus-floral edge. This page gives a one-mug build, a 430-second sequence, and the reasons for each number. It does not claim a history for the name, and no standard defines the drink.
The spec
| Part | Amount |
|---|---|
| Earl Grey leaf | 2.4 g (about one tea bag) |
| Water | 120 ml at 100 °C |
| Milk | 120 ml, steamed or heated to 60 to 65 °C |
| Vanilla syrup | 10 ml |
| Cup | 350 ml mug |
| Total in cup | 250 ml |
| Total time | 430 seconds |
The mug is about 71 percent full.
You need
- A kettle and a scale reading to 0.1 g.
- A 350 ml mug, and a lid or saucer to cover it while it steeps.
- A milk pitcher and a steam wand, or a small pan and a whisk.
- A thermometer.
- A timer.
Steps
- 0:00, Boil fresh water.
Bring fresh water to a boil.
- 1:00, Steep 2.4 g in 120 ml, covered.
Put 2.4 g of Earl Grey in the mug and add 120 ml of boiling water. Cover. Steep 4 minutes, then remove the leaves.
- 5:00, Heat 120 ml milk to 60–65 °C.
Steam or heat 120 ml of milk to 60 to 65 °C. Make a little foam if you can.
- 6:30, Stir in the syrup, then add the milk.
Stir 10 ml of vanilla syrup into the tea. Pour the milk in, holding back the foam, and spoon it on top.
My notes for this recipe
The steep temperature
For reference, the ISO 3103:2019 method used to prepare black tea for laboratory tasting specifies 2 g of leaf per 100 ml of freshly boiling water and a 6-minute brew (its Table 1). This recipe takes its ratio from that method: 2.4 g in 120 ml is exactly 2 g per 100 ml. The method also calls for boiling water, so 100 °C is used here.
The steep time is where CupTune departs from ISO. The standard's 6 minutes is meant to compare samples. Here the tea steeps for 4 minutes because the milk comes after and any extra tannin will show against it. The 4-minute figure is authored, and you can use 5 or 6 if you want a firmer tea.
Bergamot oil is volatile, and a covered mug keeps more of the aroma. That is a common practice, not something CupTune measured.
Why these numbers
2.4 g in 120 ml. The ISO 3103 ratio, scaled to this cup. It is a laboratory reference, not a taste recommendation.
100 °C. Following the same reference. Let boiling water settle only a few seconds if your mug is thin.
4 minutes. Authored, as explained above.
120 ml of milk. Authored. Equal volumes of tea and milk make a mild drink where the Earl Grey is still clear.
10 ml vanilla syrup. Authored, about two teaspoons. Syrup is easier to measure than extract and mixes at once.
Timings. Authored, with the kettle step shortened if your kettle is already hot. The four steps add up to 430 seconds.
If it looks or tastes wrong
- Bitter or dry. The steep ran past 4 minutes, or the leaves were left in. Remove them on time.
- Faint bergamot. The tea was old, or the mug was uncovered. Use fresh leaf and cover it.
- Too sweet. Cut the syrup to 5 ml.
- Milk film. It was heated too hot. Stop at 65 °C.
- Perfume taste. Some Earl Grey blends use a lot of bergamot. Try a lighter blend or use 2 g.
These fixes come from CupTune's judgement, not from tasting trials.
Evidence and limits
The ISO 3103 ratio and water description come from the standard's own text; its 6-minute black tea time is mentioned only to explain why this page departs from it. The 4-minute steep, milk volume, syrup volume, milk temperature and all times are authored. CupTune cites no study on how long Earl Grey keeps its aroma. Blends and tea bag weights differ, so check yours on the scale.
Questions
Can I use a tea bag?
Yes. Weigh the bag, since bag weights vary, and adjust the water so the ratio stays near 2 g per 100 ml.
Does it need vanilla?
No. Without the syrup it is an Earl Grey latte. Vanilla is what makes it a fog.
Can I use plant milk?
Yes. Oat and soy froth better than most. Heat gently and add the milk after the tea.