How long should you steep rooibos tea?

5 to 6 minutes in water at a full boil. You can go longer for a stronger cup. Rooibos is low in tannins, so it gets more intense rather than bitter.

What temperature should water be for rooibos?

203–212°F (95–100°C), a full boil. Rooibos is an herbal tea made from a sturdy, oxidized leaf, and it needs very hot water to give up its flavor.

Can you over-steep rooibos?

Not in the way you can with black or green tea. Left for 10 minutes or more, rooibos becomes stronger and woodier but not harshly bitter, because it has very little tannin. That makes it one of the most forgiving teas to brew.

Does rooibos have caffeine?

No. Rooibos comes from Aspalathus linearis, not the tea plant, and it's naturally caffeine-free. That makes it a popular choice in the evening.

Is rooibos a real tea?

Technically it's a tisane, an herbal infusion, because it doesn't come from Camellia sinensis. It's brewed and drunk like tea, though, and in South Africa it's simply called tea.

How much rooibos should I use per cup?

One to one and a half teaspoons (2–3 g) per 8 oz (240 ml) cup. The needles are dense, so a heaping teaspoon is about right.

Can you put milk in rooibos?

Yes. Red rooibos has enough body and sweetness to take milk, much like a black tea. Green rooibos is better plain.

How to Brew Rooibos

Steep time: 5m – 6m
Water temperature: 95°C – 100°C

About Rooibos

Rooibos, or red bush, is an herbal tea made from the needle-like leaves of Aspalathus linearis, a shrub that grows almost exclusively in the Cederberg region of South Africa's Western Cape. The leaves are usually oxidized, which turns them red and develops their sweetness; green, unoxidized rooibos is also made. Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free and low in tannins.

What it tastes like

Naturally sweet, with notes of honey, vanilla, and dried fruit, and a smooth body with little bitterness. Green rooibos is lighter and more herbal.

Step by step

Measure your tea Use about one teaspoon of Rooibos leaves per 8 oz cup.
Heat the water Bring fresh water to 95°C – 100°C. Water that is too hot will scorch the leaves.
Steep Pour the water over the leaves and steep for 5m – 6m. Start at the shorter time and taste as you go.
Strain and serve Remove the leaves as soon as the steep is done so the tea does not turn bitter.

Brewing tips

It takes milk and honey well, which makes it a good caffeine-free stand-in for a breakfast tea.
The fine needles slip through coarse strainers, so use a fine mesh infuser.
A little vanilla or orange peel brings out its natural sweetness.

Timer

Rooibos steeps for 5m – 6m — start the clock as you pour.

Rooibos

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Other ways to brew Rooibos

In a mug or teapot

Use one to one and a half teaspoons (2–3 g) of rooibos per 8 oz (240 ml) cup, pour water at a full boil, and steep 5–6 minutes. The needles are small and dense, so a heaping spoon is about right. Use a fine mesh infuser or a teapot with a fine strainer, because coarse baskets let the needles through.

Simmered on the stove

In South Africa rooibos is often left to brew for a long time, or kept warm in a pot. For a strong, full-bodied cup, simmer two teaspoons per cup in water for about 5 minutes, then strain. Rooibos has so little tannin that it gets stronger rather than bitter.

Iced rooibos

Brew it double strength, two to three teaspoons per 8 oz of boiling water for 6 minutes, then pour over a glass of ice. Its natural sweetness means it rarely needs sugar. A slice of orange or a sprig of mint goes well.

Cold brew

Use about two teaspoons (5 g) per 8 oz (240 ml) of cold water and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. Cold-brewed rooibos is lighter and sweeter than hot-brewed. Strain it through a fine mesh or paper filter to catch the needles, and drink it within three days.

Can you re-steep Rooibos?

Yes, once. Steep the leaves a second time for 6–7 minutes with fresh boiling water. The second cup is lighter and sweeter, with less of the woody depth of the first. Because rooibos doesn't turn bitter, some people simply leave the leaves in and top up the pot with hot water.

If your Rooibos doesn't taste right

Weak or watery? Rooibos needs water at a full boil and the full 5–6 minutes. If it's still thin, add more leaf. It's one of the few teas where a longer steep won't make it bitter.
Gritty sediment in the cup? The fine needles are slipping through your strainer. Use a fine mesh infuser, a paper filter, or let the cup settle for a minute and leave the last sip.
Flat, dusty, or woody? Usually stale leaf. Rooibos keeps well, but after a year or so in a loosely closed bag it loses its sweetness. Keep it airtight and away from light.
Grassy instead of sweet? You may have green (unoxidized) rooibos, which is lighter and more herbal by design. Red rooibos is the sweet, honeyed kind most people expect.

Ways to drink Rooibos

With milk and honey

Rooibos takes milk well, so it works as a caffeine-free stand-in for a breakfast tea. Steep the full 6 minutes, then add milk and a little honey.

Rooibos latte

Steep two to three teaspoons in 4 oz (120 ml) of boiling water for 6 minutes to make a strong concentrate. Strain, sweeten to taste, and top with about 4 oz of steamed, frothed milk. Cafés in South Africa sell this as a red cappuccino, made from finely ground rooibos pulled through an espresso machine.

Rooibos chai

Simmer rooibos with a cinnamon stick, a few crushed cardamom pods, sliced ginger, and a couple of cloves for 5–10 minutes, then add milk and sweetener. You get the spice of a masala chai without the caffeine.

Blends

Rooibos is a common base for flavored blends: vanilla, orange, caramel, and Earl Grey-style bergamot. Brew blends the same way as plain rooibos.