When I was at the World Tea Expo a few months ago, I stopped by the booth of Rooibos Limited. I wanted to learn more about Rooibos - The Red Tea. I needed to see what all the hype was about. Rooibos Ltd. is actually from the Cederberg region of the Western Cape in South Africa. So, they know Rooibos on a first-name basis. For those of you that are new to Rooibos, it is not tea. It doesn’t look like tea. It doesn’t smell like tea. It doesn’t taste like tea. Rooibos is a species of plant called Aspalathus linearis. Tea is produced from a species of plant called Camellia sinensis. However, you can purchase Rooibos almost anywhere tea is sold. Thanks to the marketing efforts of companies such as Rooibos Ltd., Rooibos has become a regular in the tea scene.

I point out in a lot of my blogs that I am a fan of caffeine. I’m aware that many of you are looking for decaffeinated alternatives to caffeinated beverages. Although it doesn’t taste like tea, it does have a naturally pleasing flavor. In addition, Rooibos is packed with antioxidants to help battle everything from aging to improving your cardiovascular health. Rooibos is naturally decaffeinated. I haven’t tried many decaffeinated teas, but I do like Rooibos better than many of the decaffeinated teas I have tried. It has a naturally sweet flavor to it with a silky-smooth texture. The color of its liquor is vibrant and red. So, the tisane has a lot going for it. I’m now completely sold on Rooibos in a “tea” bag. Unlike many teas, I don’t taste a difference between bagged and loose leaf varieties of Rooibos. So, I’m a fan of bagged Rooibos. I have tried Rooibos iced, and it is a great alternative to iced tea. My recommendation is for you to try Rooibos to help you form your own opinion. You will most likely not be disappointed.

• Visit Rooibos Limited

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Rooibos is a popular tisane that has really made a splash in the tea industry. There are a lot of herbal teas (tisanes), but Rooibos has emerged as the dominant herbal that appears to he here to stay. Rooibos is a South African shrub. It’s claim to fame is that it is known to have a lot of antioxidants, and it is caffeine free. Rooibos has a naturally sweet flavor to it. It does not taste like tea. It has a flavor all its own. I really enjoy Rooibos, but it’s primary selling point is the reason I mainly avoid it - no caffeine. That said, it’s important to note that its lack of caffeine is not a bad thing. If you are looking for a smooth, flavorful, and relaxing hot beverage to sip at night, Rooibos is perfect.

This is the first time I’ve ever tried Rooibos in a “tea” bag. Also, this is the first time I’ve tried a variety that was not flavored. I have to say, I think I liked this better. The Rooibos seemed to be very flavorful. There was no mess, and the Rooibos had the same silky-smooth texture to it that I’ve grown to appreciate. After trying Numi’s Rooibos in a bag, I have to say I really enjoyed it.

• Visit Numi Tea

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“Son of a beach.” I turn my back for 2 minutes and my Rooibos is all over the kitchen floor. You want to talk about a mess. It’s bad enough what Rooibos does to my tea filters. Try cleaning Rooibos off of your kitchen floor and rugs. It’s like sawdust. It managed to sneak its way into every crack and crevice of the kitchen. It was either the cats or the kids, neither are talking. I’m thinking the kids…The good news is, it was Vanilla flavored so the place smells pretty good.

Note to self: keep tea out of the reach of children and pets. also, change sweeper bag.

• marTEA’s Rooibos Blogs

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Caranda combines style with an emphasis on organic African teas. Their website, literature, and tea tins all scream for attention. Well, they got my attention, or at least my wife’s. She bought this one for me. I’ve been drinking the Morning Rouge black tea. It combines Asia and Africa to make a powerful tea mix. The Tanzanian golden flowery orange pekoe is said to be grown at 6,500 feet above sea level in the Usambara region of northern Tanzania. Now, they throw in Rooibos from the Cedarburg moutains of South Africa and Keemun. To top it off, they have added Safflowers to the mix. As you can see, it’s quite a mix to make the Morning Rouge black tea “collection.” Safflowers are believed to help the body rid of toxins and improve liver and gullbladder function.

Caranda’s marketing is very clever and stylish. The African theme really sets them apart from their competitors. With all the style, I was wondering how their tea would rate…First off, this is a very colorful mix of tea. The presentation of the dry product is very impressive. It has a strong pepper-like scent to it. After the tea steeped for a few minutes in 212 degree water, I took my first sip. The tea has a very powerful flavor to say the least. It literally awakened every sense in my body. This ain’t your grandma’s Lipton! I see why this is their morning blend. If this doesn’t wake you up, I don’t know what will. The fiery flavor takes a few sips to get used to the boldness of the flavor. Caranda describes the flavor as full body with hints of malt and a fruity character. I agree with their descriptions of full body and malty flavor, but I’m not sure about their fruit character description. That said, this tea will knock your socks off with its powerful flavor. If you like strong breakfast teas, you will like this blend. If you don’t like strong teas (I mean STRONG), stay far away from this blend. Visit their site and find a tea that sounds right for you. I do recommend their teas, and I plan on purchasing more in the near future.

Organic African Caranda Teas

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The last time I placed an order, I thought I would try one more flavored Rooibos. Rooibos is known as “Red Tea.” My previous Rooibos post gives a lot of background on the red tea from South Africa. There’s no doubt that Rooibos is a tasty alternative to tea. When it is steeped, Rooibos gives off a beautiful amber liquor. Rooibos literally adds texture to the water. It gives the water a very silky smooth texture. What makes this “tea” appealing to a lot of people is the fact that it’s naturally decaffeinated.

This week, I’m drinking a caramel flavored Rooibos. The last flavor I tried was vanilla. I have to be honest, I don’t taste that much of a difference. That’s not saying this tastes bad, it just tastes very sweet and not a lot like caramel. Basically, when I smell the dried Rooibos, I wouldn’t necessarily guess that it is caramel flavored. I guess the only thing I have left to do is try Rooibos straight without artificial flavors. It definitely tastes good, there is no denying it has taste going for it. I need caffeine at this point in my life. Therefore, Rooibos might sit on my shelf longer than other teas. My biggest complaint about Rooibos is the mess it creates. Rooibos is finely chopped. I read on Adagio’s feedback section that someone said it was like making tea with saw dust. It makes an absolute mess of my tea filter. If you can get past the mess, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

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I’ll admit it right now; it’s difficult for me to take the time to drink anything without caffeine. That said, this review is for the people out there looking for a healthy and tasty alternative to coffee or tea. Rooibos is an herbal bush that grows in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape province in South Africa. It’s sometimes referred to as “Red Bush Tea.” Rooibos has been an “alternative” beverage for years, but it is slowly making its presence known as a standalone beverage.

I thought I would start my Rooibos experience with a vanilla flavored variety. One of the first characteristics you’ll notice is the finely cut leaves. The leaves are reddish in color. Hence the nickname “Red Bush Tea.” The fact that the leaves are so finely cut makes it important that your strainer is equipped to handle the tiny pieces. In the tin, the vanilla scent was very pleasing. Rooibos is best steeped when using cooler water (180 degrees) for approximately 7 minutes. Again, you’ll find the tea to be somewhat messy when compared to traditional loose leave tea (which this is not). The liquor from Rooibos is a beautiful amber color. Now for the taste test…the vanilla aroma was still very pronounced and the taste was equally matched to the scent. It was delicious. I see absolutely no reason to add anything to this flavored blend. Rooibos has a very smooth texture to the beverage. It literally adds texture to the water, which adds to the experience. All in all, I highly recommend Rooibos as a caffeine free alternative to tea.

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