<Li> Rooibos Earl Grey is a variation using this South African herbal tea as a substitute for the conventional form made with black tea . </Li> <P> Twinings reformulated their Earl Grey tea in April 2011, claiming to have added "an extra hint of bergamot and citrus". The overwhelmingly negative comments on the Web site were picked up by the press, who drew attention to the establishment of a related protest group on Facebook . </P> <P> Earl Grey tea is used as a flavouring for many types of cakes and confectionery, such as chocolates, as well as savoury sauces . For sauces, the flavour is normally created by adding tea bags to the basic stock, boiling for a few minutes and then discarding the bags . For sweet recipes, loose tea is often added to melted butter or hot cream and strained after the flavour is infused . </P> <P> There is a considerable history of Earl Grey tea being used as a drink mixer, in particular for gin, within the British Isles, somewhat similar in principle to the Irish coffee, though this is seldom practised today . During the later 19th century, poorer working class households began to combine the drinks as a minimum proof alcohol volume began to be meaningfully applied, following an 1855 revision to the Weights and Measures Act, to the relatively inexpensive spirit, making it unpalatable when taken neat . Being somewhat similarly flavoured, the two made for an affordable and pleasant pairing, in addition to which the necessary boiling during preparation plus its proof alcohol level helped disarm water - borne contaminants, then a significant public health risk . The drink became associated briefly with middle - class - particularly, female - alcoholism during the interwar years of the 20th century; it was during this time that the preparation was first referred to as a "Moseley Tea Service", after the wealthy area of Birmingham . Although the drink was never to achieve the ubiquity of the Irish coffee, it continues like many retro cocktails to be offered as a niche item in some contemporary bars and restaurants . </P>

Earl grey black tea with oil of bergamot