Rooibos Tea: What the Red, Caffeine-Free Cup Tastes Like

Rooibos isn't tea at all, botanically speaking — it's a red bush native to South Africa's Cederberg region, brewed the same way tea is but naturally caffeine-free. That single fact changes when and how most people drink it.

What Rooibos Actually Tastes Like

On its own, rooibos is slightly sweet, earthy, and a little woody, with a reddish-amber color that looks stronger than it tastes. It has none of green or black tea's tannic bite, which is part of why it takes flavor additions well without turning bitter or astringent. Rooibos is sometimes marketed for its antioxidant content, and while it does contain compounds like aspalathin not found in true tea, most of what people notice day to day is simply that it's a full-bodied, no-caffeine option for later in the day. A blood orange vanilla rooibos tea layers citrus and vanilla over that base without fighting it — the naturally mellow rooibos lets both flavors come through clearly.

Brewing It Right

Rooibos is forgiving in a way caffeinated teas aren't: because it has no tannins to turn bitter, you can steep it for a full five to seven minutes — even ten — without the harshness that oversteeped green or black tea develops. Use water at a full boil (rooibos doesn't need the gentler temperatures green tea does) and one teaspoon of loose leaf per cup.

How to Enjoy It

• Hot, after dinner, since it's caffeine-free and won't affect sleep
• Iced in summer — it holds its flavor well over ice without turning weak
• With a splash of milk and honey, closer to how you'd take a mild black tea