Rooibos is a shrub that only grows in the Cederberg Mountain region of South Africa’s Western Cape.  It has needle-like green leaves.  Once harvested these spines undergo an oxidisation process which creates the reddish brown coloring and distinctive flavor.  The correct botanical name is Aspalathus linearis.  However, as that is a bit of a mouthful, and many struggle with the correct pronunciation of Rooibos, it is popularly referred to as “redbush” or “African red tea”.  Rooibos tea is incredibly smooth and gentle with a natural sweetness and slightly nutty taste. It is Full-Bodied with No Bitter Aftertaste.

Green Rooibos is made from the same plant as traditional Rooibos. The only difference is in the processing. For traditional Rooibos, the green leaves and stems of the plant are crushed and “fermented” before drying. The fermentation step is actually an oxidation process brought about by enzymes and chemicals naturally present in the plant. In the case of Green Rooibos, the fermentation process is skipped, and the “green” leaves and stems are dried directly. Different processes are used to prevent oxidation. When you brew Green (unfermented) Rooibos as an infusion has a lighter tan/yellow colour than fermented Rooibos and a very mild “green” taste reminiscent of green tea.

Honeybush tea comes from the Cyclopia intermedia bush.  Its vibrant yellow flowers give off a sweet smell of honey, hence the name.  The plant is similar to Rooibos and comes from the same basic family.  Honeybush grows wild in the coastal districts of the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces, from Darling to Port Elizabeth. It is formally farmed in very few areas, the most prolific of those being in the mountains north of the Cape of Good Hope. The leaves are collected and processed in the same way as Rooibos and once oxidised looks just alike.  It is the same warm reddish brown color as Rooibos but tastes slightly sweeter than its cousin.  Other than that it has many of the same properties as Rooibos, including the fact it is caffeine and sugar free.

Rooibos Rocks Chai is regular Rooibos tea spiced up with a fragrant Chai blend of star anise, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and a pop of pepper.  All of these added ingredients are organic. Rooibos Chai combines the incredibly smooth, gentle, sweet and slightly nutty taste of Rooibos with a aromatic twist of spicy tanginess. 

True tea is prepared from the cured leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis.  Rooibos and Honeybush are not a true tea, but a member of the legume family.  When you brew Rooibos or Honeybush the result is, strictly speaking, a herbal infusion (known as a tisane).  This matters if you are a tea aficionado - but as far as most people are concerned it is Rooibos tea or Honeybush Tea.

“Roy-Boss”.  Easy! If you would like to see our fun video on the correct way to pronounce Rooibos then click here.

Yes, totally.  They contain no colourants, additives or preservatives.

No.  Despite their naturally sweet taste they are totally sugar free and have no calories or kilojoules. 

It rather depends on your own personal preference.  The standard method is to steep your tea bag in boiling water for 4-5 minutes.  Leave it in the water for longer to create a stronger and more flavorful beverage.  It is much lower in tannins that regular tea so a longer brewing will not produce any bitter aftertaste. 

This is a matter of personal taste.  Rooibos is naturally sweet so you don’t need to add sugar.  But some people do prefer to add sugar or maybe honey.  Again, adding milk is a matter of personal preference.

Yes, just brew them as normal and then chill.  Or cold brew (see below).

You just steep some tea bags in a pitcher of cold water for about 12 hours in a refrigerator then enjoy as delicious iced rooibos or Honeybush. 

Same process as cold brewed but you leave the pitcher in the sun for a couple of hours, then chill or serve with ice.

Organic Rooibos and Honeybush are grown without the use of any artificial fertilisers or pesticides. The organic status of the product is monitored by various international organizations that provide organic certification.  Rooibos Rocks is certified organic and non-GMO by the US Department of Agriculture.