The 30-second version: An organic herbal blend (hibiscus, rosehips, orange peel, rooibos, blueberry/passionfruit/mango). Use boiling water (212°F), 1 rounded teaspoon per 12 oz, steep 5–10 minutes. Zero caffeine, naturally sweet, ruby-red. Superb hot — and one of the best iced teas we make.
What makes this tea different
This is a tisane, not a true tea — no tea leaves, no caffeine, no tannic bite. Organic hibiscus flowers and rosehips bring the tart-fruity backbone, orange peel lifts it, rooibos rounds the body, and blueberry, passionfruit, and mango flavoring finish it. The cup: blueberry up front, a currant depth underneath, full body, low astringency, and enough natural sweetness to skip the sweetener entirely.
It's also nearly impossible to ruin. No tannins means no bitterness from oversteeping — the worst case of a long steep is a tarter cup, not a ruined one. If you're new to loose-leaf anything, start here.
The recipes
Hot — the cozy cup.
1 rounded teaspoon per 12 oz of just-boiled water (212°F). Steep 5–10 minutes — 5 for bright and lively, 10 for deep and jammy. Strain and drink. No sweetener needed, though a thin slice of orange is a lovely plus.
Iced (quick method) — for right now.
Brew double-strength hot: 2 rounded teaspoons per 12 oz of boiling water, steep 8 minutes, then pour directly over a full glass of ice. The ice dilutes it to perfect strength.
Cold brew (best method) — for tomorrow.
2 rounded teaspoons per 12 oz of cold filtered water in a jar. Refrigerate 6–8 hours, strain. This is the smoothest, sweetest version of this tea — cold water pulls the fruit and skips most of the tart edge. Make a big jar; it keeps 3–4 days refrigerated.
The 3-gram rule.
If you own a scale: 3g of tea per 12 oz water, hot. Weighing beats scooping for consistency — a "rounded teaspoon" varies more than you'd think.
Dial it in
- Too tart → steep shorter (5 min), or cold brew instead of hot. A little honey rounds it beautifully if you like it softer.
- Too weak → more leaf, not more time. Time deepens; leaf strengthens.
- Cloudy iced tea → that's the fruit pectins, totally normal, not a flaw. Cold-brewing instead of hot-brewing over ice gives a clearer glass.
- Second steep? You can — resteep the leaves once for a lighter, still-pleasant cup. Herbal blends don't go as far as true teas on resteep, so expect about 70% of the first cup.
Caffeine, kids, evenings
0mg caffeine. This is the blend for late evenings, for kids, for anyone avoiding stimulants. It's also the one to reach for when you want something that feels like a treat without the sugar.
Storage
Cool, dark, dry, sealed tight — a tin or the resealable bag it came in. Keep it away from the spice cabinet; dried herbs absorb surrounding aromas. Properly stored, it's at its best for about a year, though the fruit notes are brightest in the first 6 months.
The ritual
Hot version: rainy afternoon, blanket, book. Iced version: the big jar in the fridge all summer, poured over ice at 3pm when the day gets long. Either way, watch the color — that ruby-red never gets old.
*Every bag of Hibiscus Berry Tea helps fund our mission supporting shelter animals — $1 from every order goes to rescue partners.*