Tea Blog

Name: Good Hope Vanilla Red Tea

Brand: The Republic Of Tea

Type: Rooibos, flavored

Form: Paper teabags

Review: This is one of The Republic of Tea’s “red teas” (rooibos), and it is a very tasty one. It is a blend of rooibos and vanilla that produces a luscious tisane which is a great substitute for coffee. (It isn’t bitter, but its liquor is very dark and the vanilla/rooibos combo is very rich and satisfying.) The rooibos itself is quite smooth and the vanilla seems to be of good quality. I found this tisane, particularly when brewed at a high concentration (1 teabag to about 4 ounces of boiling water), to  be surprisingly sweet. A great after dinner beverage or a good antidote to sweet cravings.

I also like this tisane’s packaging. Like other Republic of Tea’s offerings, it is packed in a nifty, reusable tin that helps protect the teabags from scent contamination and moisture. One warning: The teabags do not have strings, which means that you will need to use a spoon to fish them out of your cup or teapot, though rooibos seldom gets bitter, so you may just want to keep the teabag in the pot/cup while enjoying Good Hope Vanilla.

Brewing Suggestions: Play around with the intensity of this tisane by changing the amount of water used to brew the tea, or, of course, increasing the number of teabags that you use to brew a cup. When brewed at a higher concentration, the sweetness of the tea. While this tisane infuses quickly, it’s flavor develops with a longer steep, so if you like a really rich rooibos tisane, put the bags in a covered teapot and let them steep a good long while.

Serving Suggestions:  This is a comforting, caffeine-free brew that works any time of the day, though I confess to particularly enjoying it at night. Works well on ice as well.

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