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Drinking our fair share of brews over the last 40 years, we have discovered a few things about what makes a really good Rooibos and how to determine if you are buying the freshest and best tea brands online or from any health food or fine food store. This amazing herbal tisane is now more popular than ever, but how do you actually know the difference between the quality of the teas you buy?
Click: Rooibos buyers guide (end of blog)Rooibos used to be available only in South Africa (like a best-kept secret!) or through selected health food outlets in Europe and the USA. Times have changed, and increased demand coupled with years of decreased production due to drought has meant that entire crops are now regularly all sold to big tea trading houses before they are even harvested!
As an example, we had an issue in 2016 when with limited stock availability we sold out and were out of stock for a few months - not ideal (and very frustrating if you are building a new tea brand in the UK!). But then again it is a commodity, and like all crops, we are still at the hands-off mother nature and the incredibly hard work of local farmers. As a result, we had to wait until the next year's new harvest was ready from our Rooibos farm, Wiedouw in the southern Cape.
So, what really sets a good Rooibos apart - why it's so much more than just another 'herbal tea' and why it's not just another commodity traded at the worlds tea markets, and all teas like wines are not made equal...
Rooibos (it's local Afrikaans name) or redbush tea from South Africa is gaining such popularity that it might well rival gold and diamonds as one of the country's biggest exports. The tea market full of new Rooibos tea products each offering their own flavour or unique marketing position, but this can be very confusing... what really makes a good Rooibos tea? First and foremost is the quality of the leaf – and yes, not all Rooibos teas are created equal, and you do get what you pay for. Not only are these different grades, but also different harvests and from numerous producers - some good and experienced while others new and just starting out.
Our Wiedouw Rooibos is grown only on the Wiedouw farm in the Cape South Africa - it's a genuinely single estate tea. That means it is not blended or mixed with any other farms Rooibos. This does mean however that like a fine wine, each year's harvest will taste slightly different. Little known fact: did you know that like wine, Rooibos actually ages well!
The Chateau Rouge long-cut Rooibos leaves are cut to an extra long length. With the tea leaves being longer cut any regular Rooibos, like with whole leaf teas, you get a fuller flavour cup, and you can easily get multiple infusions off of the same leaves. A smaller cut tea leaf means the tea will infuse quicker, but it also means you get less flavour from the leaf and will not stay as fresh as long and also means that the manufacturer can get away with other smaller pieces, notably twigs, also being cut up and included in the tea.
Not only is Wiedouw long-cut Rooibos actually single estate but it is also 100% organic, and has been certified organic since 1997 when this became viable under the new owner. The farm was created at inception to be organic and not just converted at a later stage. This means that the tea is as pure as you can get! We work with the farm directly, importing the teas from South Africa. This not only ensures that your organic red bush tea is super fresh but is the best grade and quality available for the season - and this can and should vary slightly from year to year, just like a fine wine would. Being a single estate Rooibos, both the farm and Chateau Rouge put their names to the tea, ensuring that they are the best quality possible every year!
Wiedouw Rooibos is now also Rain Forest Alliance as well as fair-trade from 2013. From early 2017 we have been working with WeForest.org to plant trees in Zambia from the proceeds of every product sold; also pledging at least 1% of all sales towards environmental causes through their membership with One Percent For the Planet. Which means that our Organic Rooibos tea bags may well be the greenest herbal teas you can buy online! Anybody who has tried our loose tea leaves vs teabags concludes that loose leaf tea tastes much better; because no matter how hard you try, you can’t avoid the taste of the teabags coming through when making a cup of Rooibos.
Rooibos has been well being a well-guarded kept secret within the tea industry - but it seems the world has now caught on. Not only is CR's Wiedouw Rooibos unique as it is the only single estate Rooibos tea (or Redbush tea) sold in the UK and a special long-cut leaf to ensure maximum flavour; but it is also possibly one of the healthiest herbal teas or tisanes you can drink today:
TOP TIP: you can re-infuse whole leaf rooibos multiple times, you literally keep on making more cups of tea until you can't taste the flavour anymore - it will never ever go bitter!
Rooibos tea may still prove more valuable over time and with global warmings stark predictions for Sub-Saharan Africa, it may well die out within the next century - we suggest you enjoy your next pot while you still can! Plus of course, there are the enduring health benefits and enjoyment you get from every cup, all at a price that you can enjoy every single day at home or work. It's an investment that pays for itself over and over again - now tell that to your stockbroker...
Please let us know how we are doing. Have you enjoyed reading this article and what would you like to see more about? When we're not busy in the kitchen: discovering and making new gourmet foods, we're very busy with running a small artisan food business. So to ensure we keep on providing excellent value to you, we'd appreciate if let us know.
Bett
May 11, 2020
I am a lover of Rooibos tea – I have tinnitus and the doctor said, give up tea, coffee and alcohol (managed two out of three!). My question is, are your tea bags fully compostable, i.e. no plastic or metal and can you provide a sample of your Rooibos tea for comparison with what I presently buy? Your prices are higher than my usual ones.