Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Pluff Iced Tea on Foodzie
Product Description:
Pure Red Tea. Smooth, Naturally Sweet, Caffeine Free!
Batch Notes: Caffeine Free. Smooth and aromatic, with a lightly citric sweetness and rich character. Blends well with light sugar for the ultimate red iced tea. Geography: Harvested from the rugged Western Cape Province- windswept and mountainous, a diverse land that produces the world’s finest red tea. Origin: South Africa.
Taster’s Review:
I’ll admit that I didn’t have high hopes for this tisane, and that’s what has kept me from brewing it until now. As some of you are aware, I am not particularly fond of rooibos. I usually like rooibos alright when it’s part of a blend, but, pure, unflavored rooibos? Not so much. And that’s just what this is: pure, unflavored rooibos.
I hot-brewed this last night according to the instructions, using a little less sugar than called for (I used only 1/4 cup turbinado sugar instead of the suggested 1/3 cup). Each of these large teabags makes a half gallon of iced tea. After brewing this tea, I refrigerated it overnight to enjoy today.
The good news: This is not as bad as I thought it would be … it’s actually pretty tasty. It tastes light and sweet, with nutty and woody notes, and a hint of fruit in the background.
The bad news: I still get a bit of that “funky aftertaste” that I often associate with rooibos. But with a little sugar, it is less apparent.
This is not not my favorite iced tea (but they can’t all be my favorite, can they?) but it is certainly enjoyable. It has a light, refreshing taste, and it’s a nice way to keep cool without feeling weighed down with a heavier, caffeinated tea. And because it’s naturally caffeine free (and very healthy too), it’s one you can feel good about serving to the kids. Especially delicious when served with thin slices of lime.
