How to Make Rooibos Tea Properly

Rooibos tea is a caffeine-free herbal drink made from leaves of a shrub native to South Africa. See how to easily make rooibos tea from a Tea Sommelier.

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Rooibos Tea

Rooibos tea is a tisane, or an herbal tea, made by steeping rooibos in water. It’s a naturally caffeine-free drink. Rooibos is an herb that comes from a shrub called Aspalathus linearis. The leaves from the plant are made into a tea.

South Africa is the only country that produces rooibos and have been for centuries. It’s native to South Africa’s mountainous region of Cederberg. Rooibos means “red bush” in Afrikaans, a language of southern Africa.

There are two kinds — rooibos and green rooibos. They differ in how they’re processed. The fully oxidized (exposed to air before drying) rooibos is red in color. The green rooibos is less oxidized. The green rooibos is not commonly sold.

The common pronunciation of rooibos is ROY-BOSS, but when said quickly, it sounds more like ROY-BUS.

Note from Jee

I would describe the taste of rooibos as woody and earthy with a touch of honey. I make it either plain, without any sugar or milk, or as a hot tea latte with frothed milk.

One thing I look for when buying rooibos is to look for one that contains more leaves and less stems. The more leaves in rooibos, the higher the quality. The more stems, the lower the quality. There are more stems in tea bags which is why it’ll always cost less than loose rooibos tea.

RELATED: Rooibos Latte

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Boil water. Boiling water for tea is easy when you use an electric kettle with temperature settings. Boil more than needed since you want extra to warm up the teapot.

Step 2: Warm up the teapot. Pour some hot water into a teapot and swirl it around a bit. Discard the water.

Step 3: Put rooibos tea into the teapot and add hot water. Cover teapot and steep.

Step 4: Strain rooibos solids and pour hot tea into a teacup. Rooibos bits can escape the strainer so if you want less rooibos solids in your tea, strain it twice, using a fine mesh strainer.

My Electric Kettle Pick

Photo Credit: amazon.com

The electric kettle I use and recommend. It has a water temperature setting, which is key to making great tea.

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Tea Sommelier’s Tips

Use good quality water.
An important part of making a good cup of tea is to use good water. The better the water, the better the tea will taste so use filtered water if possible.

Warm up the teapot.
Warming up the teapot is an extra step that all tea professionals take the time to do so that when the tea steeps, the water temperature won’t drop drastically.

Adjust to how you like it.
If you want a stronger cup of rooibos tea, add a couple of more minutes to your steep time or add another ½ teaspoon of rooibos loose tea.

Storing it properly.
Rooibos tea can be brewed and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep it covered or airtight glass container or pitcher.

Related

• Peppermint Tea
• Chamomile Tea
• Chrysanthemum Tea
• How to Make Herbal Teas
• Butterfly Pea Flower Tea
• Lemon Tea

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4.83 from 17 votes

Rooibos Tea

By: Jee Choe

How to make this red-colored herbal tea properly.

Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes

Total Time: 7 minutes minutes

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup water, + more to warm teapot
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons rooibos tea, or 1 tea sachet/bag

Instructions 

• Boil water.

  If using an electric kettle with temperature setting, set it to 208°F. Boil a little more water than needed so that it can be used to warm up the teapot. Filtered water is best.
• Warm up teapot.

  Pour hot water into a teapot, halfway, and swirl it around a bit. Discard the water.

  Warming up the teapot is an extra step that all tea professionals take the time to do, so that when the tea steeps, the water temperature won't drop drastically.
• Put rooibos tea into the teapot and add hot water. Cover teapot and steep for 5 minutes.
• Strain rooibos solids and pour hot tea into a teacup.

  Rooibos bits can escape the strainer so if you want less rooibos solids in your tea, strain it again, using a fine mesh strainer.

Notes

• An important part of making a good cup of tea is to use good water. The better the water, the better the tea will taste so use filtered water if possible.
• The more leaves in rooibos, the higher the quality. The more stems, the lower the quality. You’ll find more stems in tea bags which is why it’ll always cost less than loose rooibos tea. Rooibos that’s loose or in tea sachets will be higher in quality than in tea bags.
• Warming up the teapot is an extra step that all tea professionals take the time to do so that when the tea steeps, the water temperature won’t drop drastically.
• If you want a stronger cup of rooibos tea, add a couple of more minutes to your steep time or add another ½ teaspoon of rooibos loose tea.
• If you don’t want to have any rooibos bits in your tea, strain it twice.
• Rooibos tea can be brewed and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep it covered or airtight glass container or pitcher.

Nutrition

Calories: 1Carbohydrates: 1gSodium: 12mgPotassium: 3mgCalcium: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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