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Rooibos
Rooibos tea has a smooth, slightly sweet taste with a warm, reddish-brown color and almost no bitterness, even after a long steep. The dried leaves are fine, needle-thin, and deep red-brown, the result of the fermentation that gives rooibos its color. Steep it in water at 205 °F (96 °C) for 5 to 7 minutes; unlike true tea leaves, rooibos won't turn bitter if you leave it longer. It pairs naturally with cinnamon, orange peel, or a splash of milk. In South Africa, rooibos is often brewed strong and served with milk and sugar, much like black tea elsewhere.
How to brew
- Ingredient
- Rooibos leaves
- Water temperature
- 205 °F (96 °C)
- Steep time
- 5‑7 min
- Method
- Infusion
- 1 cup
- 1.5 tsp (3.75 g)
- 2 cups
- 3 tsp (7.5 g)
- 4 cups
- 6 tsp (15 g)