Rooibos Tea

Rooibos (aka Redbush), is a naturally caffeine-free tea made from the leaves of the Aspalathus linearis shurb.

Rooibos tea

• Rooibos is pronounced ‘roy-boss’ and is also known as ‘redbush’ tea.
• Unlike the ‘true’ teas, like black and green tea, rooibos is not made from Camellia sinensis.
• Instead, rooibos tea comes from the needle-like tips of Aspalathus linearis, a bush that grows exclusively in the coastal Cederberg region of South Africa.

Produced using ancient methods

• Inspired by the processing of Chinese oolong and keemun teas, Benjamin Ginsberg refined the production methods of the locally popular ‘bush tea’.
• Oxidation, the same process that causes a sliced apple to change colour when exposed to air, causes the leaves of each shrub to change from green to deep red.

Naturally caffeine free

• As rooibos tea contains no caffeine, infusions made with their leaves and stems are naturally caffeine free.
• Rooibos is often enjoyed as a gentle alternative to the ‘true’ teas.

Rooibos is easy and quite forgiving to prepare. Here are some tips to help you get the best out of your bush tea.

Water

• Filtered or spring water makes better-tasting tea.
• Start with an empty kettle to ensure the water is fresh.
• Ideally, add only as much water to the kettle as you need for your cup/pot. This saves energy and avoids the need to waste the spent water when you come to make your next cup!

Temperature

• Rooibos tea can tolerate higher temperatures than some other teas.
• Freshly boiled water will release all the rich flavour notes and beneficial compounds without any risk of bitterness.

How much tea?

• Dragonfly teabags contain just the right amount of tea leaves for a mug of tea (about 250ml capacity).

Steeping

• Check your packaging for the recommended brewing time for each tea.
• Feel free to experiment with steeping time to find out what works best for you: rooibos infusions never go bitter.
• Longer brewing reveals fuller, more intense flavours.

Rich, red and exceptionally smooth

• Rooibos tea is exceptionally smooth, with a clear, ruby-red colour.
• The aroma is woody and the taste is nutty and malted with a sweet finish.
• It’s robust but never bitter and delicious with or without milk.

Properties and benefits of rooibos teas

• Unlike Camellia sinensis, which is used to make traditional green, black and other ‘true’ teas, the rooibos plant doesn’t contain any caffeine – so their infusions are naturally caffeine-free.
• While not necessarily harmful, caffeine can have negative side effects when consumed in excess, including sleep disturbance and symptoms of anxiety.
• Rooibos is packed with powerful antioxidants including aspalathin and nothofagin.
• Research suggests regular consumption of antioxidants can help protect against free radicals, which have been linked to conditions from heart disease to diabetes.
• Rooibos is also very low in tannins, the astringent compounds in traditional black tea that can interfere with iron absorption.
• In South Africa, rooibos tea has been used as a soothing remedy for generations.

Growing rooibos tea

• Rooibos grows exclusively in the mountainous Cederberg region of South Africa.
• It was first cultivated in the 1930s, but still requires the unique conditions of the Cederberg to grow.
• Tea growers monitor the colour, texture and moisture to decide when the rooibos leaves are ready to harvest.

Making rooibos tea

• Cape ‘bush teas’ were first documented in 1772 by Swedish botanist Carl Thunberg.
• Inspired by traditional Chinese tea curing methods, Benjamin Ginsberg developed the rooibos production methods used today.
• The leaves are harvested by hand each summer, chopped, bruised and dampened then laid out to oxidise under the hot South African sun.
• During oxidation, the leaves change colour from green to red, earning ‘red bush’ tea its name.