What is Redbush, how is it grown, and how is it different to other tea?
One of the first things to know about Redbush is that it's actually a herbal tea grown from the Aspalathus Linearis shrub, and is unrelated to the traditional black or green tea that the UK loves so much.
It's a product of South Africa and has been grown in the country for hundreds of years. The word Redbush is the English translation for Rooibos (pronounced roy-bos), which is the Afrikaans word for the native shrub.
Unlike black tea, Redbush remained fairly unknown outside of South Africa for most of the 18th–20th centuries but remained the drink of choice for locals. Thankfully it's now much more common to find a range of Redbush in both loose leaf and tea bag formats.
Growing, Harvesting and Processing
Redbush is grown, harvested and processed in a very similar way to black tea and comes in two types: red and green.
Traditional Redbush is created by oxidation of the leaves which turns them a red-brown colour giving it a unique taste that's sweet, malty and slightly earthy. Green Rooibos is processed like normal green tea and doesn't go through the same oxidation process as the red variety, meaning the leaves remain green which gives it a grassier taste, similar to camomile tea.
Benefits
As a herbal tea, Redbush is naturally caffeine-free, plus it has the added health benefits of being high in antioxidants and great for the skin.
How to Serve Redbush
Brewed in the same way as most other teas, you need to give it 4 minutes. But unlike typical black teas made from the Camellia Sinensis plant, you can't over-brew Redbush due to the lack of caffeine; meaning it won't become bitter if over-steeped.
This fantastic brew goes well with milk and sugar, as well as without.
Head over to our Instagram page to see how to make the perfect Redbush brew.
*Ends 30th September 2024.