Rooibos Red Bush Loose Leaf Tea, Tea Sample Set, Gift for Tea Lover, Teas of the World

Rooibos makes perfect herbal base for making delicious flavorful blends that are caffeine free and may offer many benefits.

Although rooibos brews into a cup of intense red tea, the flavor is very different from black teas. Unlike real tea, rooibos has two main flavors, with only subtle flavor notes. The most common red rooibos has a light, earthy, recognizable taste with natural sweetness, that is either liked or disliked by tea drinkers. Rooibos tea typically has a nutty, malty, earthy, and full-bodied flavor.

All sizes are measured by weight in ounces. You will receive 1oz dried Rooibos. Typically, one ounce will make 10-15 cups of tea, depending on how strong you like it.

*Rooibos, which is an herb and not derived from the plant Camellia Sinensis, is caffeine free and technically considered a tisane! 

Rooibos is a South African tea made from red bush or Aspalathus linearis. This plant is grown native to South Africa and used for making either green – unfermented, or red – fermented rooibos teas. Rooibos became popular because of its delicate flavor and numerous benefits, often compared to those of real tea. However, their chemical composition is very different. Rooibos is completely caffeine free, and suitable for drinking at any time of the day or night.

South Africans drink rooibos tea just like the Japanese or Chinese drink their green teas – daily and without many additives.

Because of its lack of caffeine, rooibos tea is considered a great alternative to caffeinated beverages.

The best part about preparing rooibos tea is that, unlike the teas made using Camelia sinensis plants, you can never over-steep this tea. Due to its lack of tannins, the tea won’t be bitter or astringent, even if you steep it for a long time.

If you're transitioning from tea bags to making tea with loose leaf tea, this listing is for you.

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“The journey of a thousand cups begins with a single sip” -Steve Schwartz

Enjoying the process of preparing your tea can be part of your daily ritual; taking a few moments to heighten your senses and enhance your tasting experience. Enjoy your tea and allow your taste buds to unfold the unique characteristics within your cup. Most teas can be re-steeped multiple times

Water temperature, the volume of tea leaves, and steeping time are all part of the art of brewing tea. Different compounds are extracted at different rates depending on water temperature and steeping time.

HOW TO BREW ROOIBOS TEA

Boil 8 oz. filtered water.

Measure 1 tsp of rooibos tea leaves into an infuser basket in a mug or small teapot.

Pour the water into the mug/teapot.

Steep for 7-10 minutes.

Remove the infuser basket and enjoy!

Tip: Using a fine mesh strainer to brew loose leaf rooibos tea is important, since the small leaves can easily fall through strainers with larger holes.

Sit back and relax with a warm cup of rooibos tea, and let us take you on a journey through history.

We often take rooibos tea for granted, but this unique herbal tea has quite an interesting story. Rooibos is native to the rugged mountains of Cederberg, South Africa, and was first harvested by indigenous tribes. Recently, it has become a popular beverage worldwide. Rooibos tea has an impressive list of health benefits and is a prized agricultural success in its homeland of South Africa. 

WHAT IS ROOIBOS TEA?

Rooibos (pronounced Roy-bos) tea is made from a bushy, low growing plant, Aspalathus linearis. The linearis part of the botanical name describes the straight, needle-like leaves. It is native to the mountains of Cederberg, South Africa, and no other regions worldwide have been able to successfully cultivate it. The common name ‘rooibos’ means ‘red bush’ in Afrikaans, describing the deep red color of the tea. Sweet in flavor with notes of caramel and vanilla, rooibos tea is a popular caffeine-free alternative to black tea. Green rooibos is another variety that is more delicate in flavor and similar to green tea.

Originally, rooibos tea was wild harvested from the mountains of Cederberg. Early rooibos enthusiasts would have to gather the leaves and stems into sacks and carry it by donkey back down the mountain. It was then chopped with axes and beaten with mallets before leaving in piles to oxidize (sometimes referred to as fermentation). Then the rooibos plants were spread out in the hot South African sun to dry before using the leaves for tea.

Modern rooibos production is made from cultivated fields, still in the mountain hills of Cederberg. They're then machine cut and processed but the sun still takes care of the last processing step. 

The first people to drink rooibos tea were the Khoisan people, the indigenous tribe from the Cederberg region of South Africa. Over 300 years ago they were harvesting wild rooibos in the mountains to use as medicine for various ailments. They appreciated the healing qualities of the plant and the sweet, smooth flavor of the tea. Later, European settlers in South Africa became curious about the tea and learned how to farm rooibos for larger scale productions. Recently, the South African government agreed to give back 1.5% of rooibos industry profits to the Khoisan people to thank them for sharing their knowledge of the rooibos plant.

Early Dutch settlers at the Cape started drinking Rooibos as an alternative to the very expensive black tea from Europe. Carl Thunberg, a botanist from Europe who visited the Cape in 1772, reported on the Rooibos plant and the tea brewed from it. A Russian immigrant to South Africa, Benjamin Ginsberg, recognised the potential of this unique “mountain tea” in 1904 and started trading with Rooibos, becoming the first exporter of Rooibos.

With increasing demand for rooibos tea, South Africa now produces about 14,000 tons of rooibos per year. There are many varieties of rooibos to choose from and a variety of blends with other teas and herbs. We recommend sticking with loose leaf rooibos tea to ensure it is the highest quality. Loose leaf rooibos will have the most health benefits, and has the strongest flavor. You’ll get the smoothest, sweetest caramel notes with hints of vanilla in each cup.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. 

Disclaimer - This information is for educational purposes only. It is not the intent of this website to dispense medical advice. Consult a doctor before using if you have any health conditions or concerns. Discontinue immediately if a reaction occurs.