Tea of the Day
Rooibus Tea: 2/5
"No caffeine: A soothing digestive and sleep aid"
Dried, Rooibus smells very sweet. Hot, it has a bit of a vanillay (?) aftertaste. I think. That's the closest thing I can think of. I can see this tea being very good with added flavors, but I'm not so much a fan of it plain. I can not testify to it being a soothing digestive and sleep aid either. But it is a very smooth tea, the aftertaste, whatever you decide it is, almost feels like some sort of flavored milk was added. Or something. It's a very creamy taste. Updates on how it tastes with added herbs will follow later.
Tea Manufacture
Tea manufacture begins with harvesting. For the best teas, only the first two leaves and buds are plucked, usually by women (they have smaller hands than men). If three or more leaves are picked, the tea will be of lesser quality. Other variables affect the finished product: the time of day and year the leaves are harvested, whether they are plucked and processed by hand or machine, and how they are processed. Four steps may be involved: withering, rolling, oxidation (often called fermentation, although no alcohol results), and firing. During withering, the leaves are laid out on trays so that moisture evaporates. Rolling releases an enzyme that allows oxidation and thus affects flavor. Oxidation in a cool and humid room further changes the color and flavor. Firing in hot pans or chambers halts oxidation and dries out the leaves. Which of these steps are followed, and for how long, determines whether the final product is white, green, oolong, or black tea. After processing, teas are graded by leaf size and appearance.
"No caffeine: A soothing digestive and sleep aid"
Dried, Rooibus smells very sweet. Hot, it has a bit of a vanillay (?) aftertaste. I think. That's the closest thing I can think of. I can see this tea being very good with added flavors, but I'm not so much a fan of it plain. I can not testify to it being a soothing digestive and sleep aid either. But it is a very smooth tea, the aftertaste, whatever you decide it is, almost feels like some sort of flavored milk was added. Or something. It's a very creamy taste. Updates on how it tastes with added herbs will follow later.
Tea Manufacture
Tea manufacture begins with harvesting. For the best teas, only the first two leaves and buds are plucked, usually by women (they have smaller hands than men). If three or more leaves are picked, the tea will be of lesser quality. Other variables affect the finished product: the time of day and year the leaves are harvested, whether they are plucked and processed by hand or machine, and how they are processed. Four steps may be involved: withering, rolling, oxidation (often called fermentation, although no alcohol results), and firing. During withering, the leaves are laid out on trays so that moisture evaporates. Rolling releases an enzyme that allows oxidation and thus affects flavor. Oxidation in a cool and humid room further changes the color and flavor. Firing in hot pans or chambers halts oxidation and dries out the leaves. Which of these steps are followed, and for how long, determines whether the final product is white, green, oolong, or black tea. After processing, teas are graded by leaf size and appearance.