Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The first impression on opening the bag is that it smells very strongly of moist hay. It is very dusty, reddish-brown in color, and the texture is very fine. The leaves do not curl like tea leaves.
I made the rooibos in both a stovetop espresso maker and in a regular drip coffee maker but I don't have a french press or an electric espresso machine. I also did not try it brewed loose in a pot because that is not suggested.
Compared to normal steeped rooibos, it is a bit stronger and has more body, presumably due to the finer grind. The stovetop method makes a stronger brew than the drip maker and this presumably has to do with the filter in the drip maker and the higher water temperature and pressure from conversion to steam in the espresso method. The strength of the prepared beverage is also determined by how much rooibos you use.
After each method of preparation, i tasted it plain, with raw sugar, and then with both raw sugar and milk. I did not try to froth the milk or add anything else because I don't take coffee or tea that way, drinking them plain most of the time, occasionally with milk and sugar, and very rarely with sugar only. I didn't try it with honey because I did not think the honey flavor would go well with it although I frequently use honey in tea, more often than sugar. I prefer the stovetop espresso method taken with sugar only.
The prepared beverage certainly has a beautiful, rich color, quite remarkable, like old cherry or mahogany. The flavor is similar to the smell, a bit like green tea with a strong moist or even musty hay- or grass-like flavor that lingers on the tongue for a very long time, over an hour. It is a quite complex flavor, definitely not one-note. I don't particularly care for the taste, I must confess, but I am rating it on quality, not on my personal preferences in hot beverages. I wouldn't hesitate to offer it to guests, especially if they had never had rooibos.
I am not impressed with it as a substitute for coffee or tea as a way to avoid caffeine because decaffeinated versions of both coffee and tea are readily available. The health appeal doesn't seduce me, either, because I know of no reliable independent research clearly demonstrating favorable health outcomes in humans from drinking rooibos. Because of the price, I would experiment with regular loose-leaf rooibos and run it through a coffee grinder or food processor or even a blender if I decided that this were something I wanted to drink on a regular basis and that achieving a fine grind was important to the final product.
The novelty of preparing rooibos with coffee equipment and the stronger than average brew that lends itself to fancy methods of presentation should appeal to many and from that viewpoint I can give it a favorable rating.
UPDATE:
What a mess! I just made another pot with an electric drip machine and this time the filter completely clogged up and the brew overflowed all over the counter and clean floor (mopped it yesterday) and even got into the heating element of the Mr. Coffee. Make sure if you use an electric drip machine that you don't leave it alone while brewing. Better yet, use a different method of brewing.
It is interesting that I actually used less of the rooibos this morning than I did during the original test. I use standard paper filters.
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Red Espresso Ground Rooibos Tea, 8.8-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 2)The new way to drink tea: coffee-style! red espresso® is the tea that plays by coffee's rules!
100% Rooibos tea – enjoyed like coffee!
Specially ground for use in espresso and coffee appliances
Naturally caffeine-free
5 x more antioxidants than green tea (per ORAC measurements)
Rich-tasting, full-bodied & smooth with slightly sweet, earthy undertones (does not taste like coffee)
Delightfully versatile: makes cappuccinos, lattes, iced teas and more
Easy to make in a range of different appliances
Product of South Africa
Naturally caffeine-free, rich in antioxidants!
A calming, good-for-you tea espresso, red espresso® is naturally caffeine-free, rich in antioxidants and can be enjoyed at any time of the day or night.
How to prepare red espresso®: Ready to use and easy to make, red espresso® can be prepared using espresso and filter appliances. As an espresso product, red espresso® is best prepared using an espresso machine and stovetop espresso maker. Enjoy rich-tasting red espresso® straight up, with honey, or use it to make your favorite red drink. Add steamed and foamed milk to make a red latte®, or pour a shot over ice and apple juice to make a revitalizing iced tea, fresh red™. TIP! Always ensure your appliance is clean when switching between coffee and red espresso®.
Taking tea out of the bag
Combining the style of coffee with the goodness of tea, red espresso® is the world's first tea espresso! Made using only the finest Rooibos tea, grown at the highest altitude in the Cedarberg Mountains of South Africa and delicately refined under patent, red espresso® delivers an authentic tea espresso, which is delicious and good for you. Richer, more flavourful and with more antioxidants than any other tea, red espresso® captures the pure essence of Rooibos tea - espresso-style!
The red story
A coffee junkie with a love for espresso, South African farmer Carl Pretorius walked into his kitchen one day desperate for a fix. Conscious of the toll caffeine was taking on his health, he realised he needed to find a healthy alternative - one that didn't compromise on taste or sophisticated espresso style.
Inspired by Rooibos tea - a South African herbal tea that is naturally caffeine-free and renowned for its health benefits - Carl started experimenting with creating a healthy espresso made from tea. After many months, he finally succeeded in expressing a shot that had everything he had been looking for: a delicious, rich-tasting, full-bodied Rooibos tea espresso - coated with crema!
Patenting the product, Carl teamed up with friends and family and, in 2006, red espresso® was born. With it came a range of delicious café-style red drinks - destined to revolutionise café culture the world over!
Award-winning innovation
SA Food Review / Symrise Best New Product 2006 (South Africa)
SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) – Best New Product – Specialty Beverage 2008/09 (USA)
World Tea Expo: Top 10 Product 2008 (USA)
IUFoST (International Union of Food Science and Technology) Global Food Industry Award – Product Innovation – 2008 (Shanghai)
Sunday Times Marketing Excellence Awards – Rising Star of the Year Award – 2008 (South Africa)
Click here for more information about Red Espresso Ground Rooibos Tea, 8.8-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 2)
