BEHIND THE CRAFT
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Caffeine-Free

Caffeine-free - it’s a key reason why the western world drinks infusions.

But what is caffeine and why should we be caffeine-free sometimes instead of supercharging?

It's an organic compound. It stimulates the CNS, a cognitive enhancer in fact [& why students drink more coffee at exams]. Proven to enhance physical performance too. But many can correlate insomnia with caffeine taken too late in the day and too much is considered bad for the health.

Here’s a fascinating thing - caffeine's feisty role in nature is unsurprisingly brilliant too - it’s found in leaves, nuts [e.g. cola], seeds and fruits. Why? It can protect a nut from being eaten by a predator. Persuade a bee to pollinate. Stop a competing plant from germinating.

Reason enough to try caffeine-free!

FGTE13217

Cape Colony Rooibos Loose Tea Pouch 100g

Net Weight: 100g

Our Cape Colony Rooibos from South Africa has a vibrant amber-red liqour. Naturally caffeine-free, savour its sweet, nutty flavour in the late afternoon or evening with or without milk.

The East India Company - Lifestyle

Tea

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£20.00
Of course, Rooibos Tea isn’t a tea at all. It’s a plant in the holly family, native to South Africa, where is has been drunk for just a few hundred years, another young upstart in the world of tea.

It’s harvested during the summer months and processed in a very similar way to way to tea. Oxidation of the leaf creates the characteristic stunning red colour: the longer the oxidation, the deeper the colour. Unoxidised green rooibos is also now becoming popular.
Rooibos is incredibly versatile and we think it’s a wonderful 'new' addition to the global infusions portfolio; recent because it has really only reached beyond South African in the last 20 or so years.

As well as being drunk without as an infusion, it can be taken with milk [and sugar] for a drink that is rather akin to a cup of “normal” tea [is there any such thing?], but here is killer feature - it is naturally caffeine free.
Gorgeous red, orange dry leaf colour translates straight into the cup for a red-orange liquor, appropriately reminiscent of an African sunset.

With a distinctive flavour, described variously as smoky, nutty or woody, in the cup it’s unique - if the flavour seems unusual at first, it is really worth persisting.

If you haven’t discovered Rooibos, also known as Red Bush, or its close cousin, the super healthy and tasty HoneyBush, you’re in for a treat.
Makes a super naturally caffeine-free coffee latte alternative.

Just brew a generous spoonful of rooibos with enough boiling water to cover it in a mug. Leave for 5 or 6 minutes, until a strong brew is made.

Pour on frothy milk. A touch of vanilla sugar is optional - and indulgent and delicious.
Quantity

2 GRAMS PER CUP

Temperature

200ML OF WATER AT 100ºC

Brewing Time

4 MINS BREWING TIME

Ingredients

Honeybos

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place avoiding direct sunlight and strong odours.

Stories

The Tisane - or Herbal ‘Tea’

Many of the modern-day fruit and herbals are drunk from what we commonly call a tea bag. Hence the often described ‘fruit teas’ or ‘herbal teas’.


A more accurate description is ‘tisane’. It’s a catch all term - it simply means a drink made by infusing herbs, spices or other plants in hot water. The origin of the word is routed in the preparation - the word tisane in fact dates back to first use in 14th century Anglo-French, derived from Latin 'ptisana' and from Greek ‘ptisane’, meaning crushed barley – from ‘ptissein’, or crush. The barley would have been crushed in a mortar and pestle and then infused in water.


Today, tisane is the common descriptor for herbal and medicinal infusions in many countries. But the practice of creating tisanes for therapeutic or medicinal benefits dates back centuries to ancient Indian Ayurvedic, Egyptian and Chinese practices.
Ayurvedic is a Sanskrit term meaning ‘knowledge of life’ and Ayurverdic remedies have used the leaves of simple herbs like peppermint for centuries to aid digestion and alleviate other ailments.

The Chinese were the first to use ginger medicinally, possibly 5000 years ago, before it spread from southern China to the Spice Islands - the modern day Maluku Islands in Indonesia, made famous in the 1600s by The East India Company trading pioneers - and beyond.

And it was the ancient Egyptians who likely first used Chamomile to help sleep and even prevent colds. [Our whole chamomile flowers come from Egypt, still the best.]

Today tisanes including chamomile, peppermint, ginger and now ‘newer’ discoveries like rooibos [an African caffeine-free plant] and the moringa plant from Africa are consumed by hundreds of millions around the world daily. Whilst the great taste [of most] is undisputed, actual scientific evidence of the benefits of tisanes or infusions of the multitude of herbs, roots and spices is still surprisingly scant. Billions of people over centuries surely can’t be wrong?

Our spirit delivers no ordinary products

  • FAQ

    I've seen cold brew infusions on the market. Can I cold brew this infusion myself?
    Yes. Cold brew infusions can be wonderful = healthy and great value compared to the cold alternatives. Although the absence of heat means that the particles have less energy, are less agitated and therefore flavour / chemical infusion is a lot slower, they can often develop more complex flavours over this longer period of brewing. We always recommend starting with just a small amount of boiling water - just cover the tea or the tea bag, leave for 30 seconds and then top up with fresh, cold water and leave to develop for a day in the fridge. A spring of mint, a spoon of honey at the finish can be great. We have chosen the Hario Cold Brew Tea makers as part of our range and we recommend them highly for job.

  • Delivery & Returns

    UK Standard Delivery: £3.95
    UK Next Day Delivery (mainland UK only): £9.95 (Order before 12pm)
    International Delivery is available, please see our delivery page for details. For more information and Terms & Conditions, please see our Delivery page.

  • Reviews

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