Loose leaf Honey Rooibos red tea scattered on white background in pile, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.
Dark red brewed Honey Rooibos tea in a clear glass mug with black and gold packaging behind it, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.
Honey Rooibos loose leaf red tea in a black cylindrical canister with orange label, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.

Organic Rooibos Tea | Sweet & Smooth | Caffeine-Free

Organic Honey Rooibos Tea

Blended in Oregon Sweet Earthy

Red rooibos and honeybush, two South African cousins that both read sweet. The cup that tastes like dessert without a gram of sugar.

Ingredients: Organic Red Rooibos, Organic Honeybush.

$18.00 USD
$18.00 USD
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Size: Tea Tin
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About Honey Rooibos

The naturally sweet cup for people cutting sugar.

Red rooibos and honeybush, two South African plants from the same mountain range, blended together. The rooibos reads as vanilla and caramel. The honeybush reads as floral honey. Both are low in tannins, which means they get sweeter the longer you steep them, not bitter. The result is a thick, amber-red cup that drinks like a treat. Zero calories. Zero caffeine. Just the natural sweetness of the plants themselves.

Why the Cederberg matters.

Rooibos grows in commercial volume in one place: the Cederberg mountain range of South Africa, about 200 kilometers north of Cape Town. The sandy, acidic soil and the hot, dry summers create conditions the plant needs to thrive. Honeybush grows wild in the same region, often on slopes too steep for farming. Both plants are endemic, meaning they grow naturally nowhere else on Earth. The indigenous Khoisan people have been brewing rooibos as a restorative for centuries, long before Dutch settlers brought it into commercial trade in the early 1900s.

The latte ritual.

Rooibos has the body of a black tea without the caffeine or the tannins. Brew it double-strength, add warm milk and a pinch of cinnamon, and it becomes a caffeine-free latte that works for both adults and children. The vanilla notes in the rooibos pair naturally with dairy or oat milk. The perfect wind-down cup.

Organic Ingredients
  • Organic Red Rooibos
  • Organic Honeybush
Tasting Notes

Aroma: Warm, sweet, woody. Like opening a jar of honey in a cedar closet. The honeybush adds a floral lift over the rooibos base.

In the cup: Thick and smooth. Vanilla and caramel from the rooibos, floral honey from the honeybush. Naturally sweet, no sugar needed. The body is heavier than most herbal teas, closer to black tea.

Finish: Clean and sweet, with no astringency. The vanilla lingers. Closer to a dessert than a tea.

Why You'll Love It

The Cederberg tradition: Rooibos and honeybush both grow wild in the Cederberg mountains of South Africa, the only region on Earth where these plants thrive naturally. The indigenous Khoisan people brewed rooibos as a restorative for centuries before it entered commercial trade. Dutch settlers in the Cape Colony adopted the practice in the early 1700s, and by the early 1900s, rooibos was being exported globally.

The low-tannin advantage: Most teas turn bitter when over-steeped because tannins extract into the water. Rooibos and honeybush are exceptionally low in tannins, which means the longer you steep them, the richer and sweeter they become. This makes them the most forgiving teas to brew and the safest choice for overnight cold-brewing.

Mineral density: Rooibos is naturally rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Traditional South African herbalism has used it as a nourishing daily drink for children and adults, particularly in regions where access to mineral-rich foods is limited.

Honey Rooibos loose leaf red tea in a black cylindrical canister with orange label, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.

Honey Rooibos

$18.00 USD
$18.00 USD
What's inside

Key ingredients

The botanicals at the heart of this blend, and where in the world they're traditionally grown.

Red Rooibos

Aspalathus linearis

Cederberg Mountains, South Africa

Honeybush

Cyclopia intermedia

Western Cape, South Africa

Red Rooibos

Aspalathus linearis

South Africa's red bush tea, naturally sweet and caffeine-free.

In the cup

Rooibos, or red bush, grows only in the Cederberg Mountains of South Africa, where it is harvested and oxidized to a deep red. The cup is smooth, naturally sweet, and a little nutty, with no caffeine and a soft, round body. It makes a comforting everyday cup and a versatile base for caffeine-free blends.

Traditionally grown in Cederberg Mountains, South Africa

Shop Red Rooibos teas

Honeybush

Cyclopia intermedia

A naturally sweet, honeyed cousin of rooibos, caffeine-free.

In the cup

Honeybush is a South African shrub, cousin to rooibos, named for the honey scent of its yellow flowers. The cup is naturally sweet, warm, and round, with notes of honey and dried fruit and no caffeine at all. It grows only in the Cape mountains and makes a soothing, easy-drinking base for caffeine-free blends.

Traditionally grown in Western Cape, South Africa

Shop Honeybush teas

1 of 2
TeaCederberg, South Africa

Organic Honey Rooibos Tea

Steep long. Sip sweet.

Caffeine: None
8.0 oz
Water
212°F
Temperature
1.0 tsp
Leaf
6 min
Steep Time
Re-Steep · Up to 1×
Steep 6 to 8 minutes at full boil for the vanilla and honey notes to fully open. The longer you steep, the sweeter it gets. Rooibos and honeybush have almost no tannins, so over-steeping is impossible.
1
Cup

Craft Your Cup

A few notes from our teamakers.

Honey Rooibos Latte
Brew 2 teaspoons in 8 ounces of full-boil water for 7 minutes. Strain. Add 6 ounces of steamed whole milk or oat milk and a pinch of cinnamon. The vanilla notes in the rooibos pair naturally with milk fat. The perfect caffeine-free wind-down ritual for adults and children alike.

Cold-Brew Honey Rooibos
Add 3 tablespoons of leaves to a quart of cold water and refrigerate overnight, 8 to 12 hours. The low-tannin profile makes rooibos one of the best teas for cold-brewing. Strain and serve over ice with a slice of orange. Drinks like iced tea sweetened with honey, but there is no honey in it.

Rooibos with Dark Chocolate
Brew hot and sip alongside a square of 70% or darker chocolate. The vanilla and caramel notes in the rooibos mirror the roasted cocoa, and the honeybush adds a floral lift that balances the bitter edge of the chocolate. The after-dinner pairing that satisfies the sweet tooth without the sugar crash.

Loose leaf Honey Rooibos red tea scattered on white background in pile, by Yerba Buena Tea Company.

Your Questions About Honey Rooibos, Answered.

Does it contain actual sugar or honey?

No. The sweetness comes entirely from the plants themselves. Honeybush contains cyclitols and other naturally sweet compounds that give it a honey-like flavor without any added sugar. Safe for diabetics, safe for anyone avoiding added sweeteners. Zero calories.

Why does it stay sweet when I steep it longer?

Tannins are what make tea taste bitter when over-steeped. Rooibos and honeybush are exceptionally low in tannins compared to black or green tea, so the longer you steep them, the more the sweet compounds extract into the water without the bitterness following. You can steep this tea for hours and it will only get richer.

Can I drink this before bed?

Yes. Rooibos and honeybush are both naturally caffeine-free, which makes this a safe choice for evening drinking. Traditional South African herbalism has used rooibos as a calming nighttime drink for centuries, often given to children to help them settle before bed. The thick, sweet body makes it feel like a treat rather than a compromise.