Pure Rooibos

So the little man has been struggling with eczema. He’s been itching and it’s been affecting his sleep which of course makes for long nights for us. My wife and I have been reading how putting rooibos in a baby’s bath can help with eczema. We’ve been trying everything until we can get him into a pediatric dermatologist. So this was on sale at the grocery and wife asked “you’ll drink it too right?”…..but of course. So we put a few bags in with Mr. Zeke’s oatmeal bath, and one in a cup for daddy :) I really like the fact that since it’s rooibos this one is full leaf and not dust. You can see it through the bag. Smelling the pure rooibos here I understand better why David’s tea did have add too much to make the Oh Canada blend. The dry leaf has a sweet woodsy maple aroma. Same with liquor in the cup. A cedar like woodsy flavor almost even wine like. There’s a little sweetness too without any sugar. This is really good and I hope it’s helps t the little man too.

For a bagged tea, this isn’t half bad. Presumably, it’s easier to get things “right” when it’s a straight-up tea, unflavoured and not a blend. This is your run of the mill rooibos: pleasant enough, but certainly nothing to write home about. I love rooibos in all its woodsy glory (maybe I was Elven in a previous life—my ears seem point enough for it), and I wanted something simple and caffeine-free, so I’m happy. (I’d have been happier had I not burnt my tongue, but hey, that’s not the tea’s fault. Clumsy Smurf, me.)

Tea amount: 2 bags
Water amount: 16oz./~475mL
Additives: ~1tbsp Demerara sugar

My favorite teas are black teas, but this is a pleasant tea when you wanna mix things up. This is the second rooibos I’ve ever had and it wasn’t dissapointing for me. I prefer this one in the afternoon than any other time of day.

It’s palatable enough. It has a pleasant smell when brewed…a little medicinal. Initially it tastes hay like but I’m getting a definite undertone of something medicinal. Something like cough syrup…underneath and definitely as an end note. I wanted to get the pure herb/plant by itself before I began acquiring other flavored rooibos teas so I knew what to expect from the rooibos. I wanted to get a couple more caffeine free teas that weren’t just for bedtime. Oh! I also drank this straight up…no sugars…I don’t like to add stuff to my tea to make it taste better.

From the tea box. This is a nice rooibos! Good depth, sweet, no distracting weirdness. Not much to say since it’s plain, but I like it! I grabbed a few bags to make some pitchers for the fridge. I tried a long resteep, and it ended up tasting exactly like the paper tea bag, so I won’t be doing that again! This is one of the better plain rooibos teas I’ve come across lately.

So there are fires near enough to where I live that the smoke fills the air. (I am in no current danger from the fires, they are just close enough to wreck the air quality.) So I am sniffling and coughing and full of gunk and have been pouring hot water down my throat at a rapid pace.
This is perfect weather for herbal teas that I don’t particularly care for! Even for ones that I do like, honestly, but the don’t care-for-ems are particularly great, as I’m drinking big quantities of them.
Which is all to say that I drunk this bagged rooibos sample down without much care that it was only a basic rooibos, just glad to have a warm beverage to sooth my throat.
And its a sample sipdown! Huzzah!

I had to struggle through this tea. This is the only Rooibos I have tried (and likely the only one I will), so I don’t know if it is the brand or if I just don’t like Rooibos. It was like drinking watered down cough syrup with some earthy notes. The real problem for me came afterward though, I think I am possibly allergic to this as I ended up with breathing difficulty and a flushed face. My rating reflects the flavour only, as for me personally it was a 1 and I think it’s best I never try Rooibos again.

Has a good taste!

THE RUNDOWN
1) Initial Impressions: Full red color and aromatic bush taste make this something I a excited to try. I like Twinings because their Earl Grey is among the few bagged version I don’t hate.
2) First Taste: There’s a bit of saltiness I get first. And earthiness. Not at all what I was expecting.
3) Second Sip: I don’t know if it’s actually salt water in the brewing process or just crappy bags? This is not good. Like…it’s bothering me how much it’s not good.
4) Final Thoughts: This might smell similar to rooibos, but it in No way tastes like it. It’s damn near awful. I doubt it is a dud bag too. Bummer.

Interesting damp, woodsy taste and aroma. Beautiful red color. Would like to let this one grow on me. New to herbals and rooibos.