Rooibos, my favorite herbal tea, is not really a tea at all. True tea is made exclusively from the camellia sinensis plant. Rooibos, or Aspalathus linearis, is a bush like plant that grows only in the Western Cape of South Africa. On our recent trip to South Africa my husband and I were able to visit a Rooibos farm, walk the fields, and learn more about the history and culture of this amazing plant.
Rooibos is the Afrikaans name for the plant, which in English translates to "red bush." Rooibos tea is also known as bush tea, red tea, redbush tea, or rooibosch. The most common way to pronounce Rooibos is "ROY-bows” or "ROY-boss." In South Africa the pronunciation varies slightly by region and dialect.
WHY I LOVE ROOIBOS
Rooibos tea is naturally caffeine free. Perfect for evening sipping! It's my go to when I need a warm cuppa after 5pm.
Rooibos has a low level of tannins. This means no astringency! Rooibos is smooth and full. The longer you steep it, the deeper its flavor will be without becoming bitter or astringent.
Rooibos contains a complex and abundant blend of antioxidants. I drink Rooibos because I enjoy it, however it’s comforting to know it is healthier than other beverage choices.
Rooibos makes great blends. We carry pure Rooibos and Green Rooibos, as well as several different Rooibos blends. My personal favorite is Campfire. My husband likes Lake Effect.
ROOIBOS – RED & GREEN
The name (“red bush”) is curious since the plant is not red, but green (as seen in the photos below). The leaves are processed to produce both red and green Rooibos. Red Rooibos is the most common, so much so that it is synonymous with the term Rooibos. When brewed, it is full bodied and has distinct earthy, pine-citric notes. Green Rooibos has a much lighter body with a delicate and fruity profile.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Although there is evidence of Rooibos tea being consumed in South Africa since the 1700's, its commercial production did not begin until the 1930's. It’s only within the past 50 years or so that its reach has extended to the world market. The production of Green Rooibos began in the 1990’s.
HARVEST & PROCESSING
Harvest season runs from January – April. Our visit was just prior to harvest season, so many of the plants we saw were in full growth and ready for harvesting. Unfortunately though, we couldn’t see the processing due to production facilities being closed for several weeks over the holidays.
It was still fascinating to learn more about how Rooibos gets to my cup! Rooibos is harvested by hand to protect the plants and encourage regrowth. A rooibos plant’s lifecycle is 5-6 years. Harvesting is done by cutting roughly a foot and half off the branches and binding them into sheaves. While every farm has different operating procedures, the one we visited uses tractors to transport the sheaves to the processing facility where they are machine cut. Leaves are then bruised, oxidized, and dried. It is the bruising and oxidation that give the leaves their signature red color and the name red bush. To produce Green Rooibos, the leaves are dried immediately after being cut to prevent any oxidation. As such it retains its green color.
HOW TO DRINK IT
In South Africa, Rooibos tea is commonly prepared in the same manner as black tea – with milk and sugar. It is also served as lattes, cappuccinos and iced tea.
I usually drink it without adding anything while my husband prefers it with sugar and sometimes milk.
Happy STEAPing,
Samantha
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