What is Rooibos Red?

Rooibos Tea is a drink made from Rooibos (meaning: Red Bush) plant (Aspalatus Linearis), which grows in Southern Africa.

Rooibos produces small, needle-like leaves.  Naturally Caffeine free Rooibos is full-bodied, sweet flavoured with a mild nutty finish. It can be served on its own, in concentrated form as red espresso, or a latte.

How is Rooibos Red Made?

Once planted, it takes about 18 months before Rooibos plants are ready to be harvested (compared to 3 years with tea plants). When they're ready, shoots (consisting of leaves and twigs) of the plant are harvested, bruised and fermented in heaps. 

The fermentation process enables enzymes in the plant to assume the color and aroma of Rooibos. Once the desired tea qualities are achieved, (usually in 10 to 14 hours), fermentation is stopped and the tea is dried in the sun.

Red Rooibos and Green Rooibos

There are two kinds of Rooibos; red and green. Rich reddish color of Red Rooibos is the product of process described above. 

Green Rooibos is made using a similar process, but without the fermentation. The resulting product is loose reddish or tan/yellow colored lengths of twigs and leaves. Before packaging, the product is steam pasteurized to kill germs. Genuine Rooibos is made only in South Africa, and it’s a major export product in the country.

Pure Rooibos is free from foreign debris and mold and should have a natural sweet and mild nutty taste.

What is Honeybush?

Honeybush is the beautiful yellow flowers that bloom in South Africa in the fall months and smell similar to honey which gives the plant its name. Honeybush is a healthy herbal tea from the same family as rooibos, it has a smooth, sweeter, light honey taste with a slightly fuller body than rooibos.  Honeybush tea in both super fine and course varieties for your favorite method of preparation.