Rooibos tea color is often praised for its exquisite and delicate appearance, which is a result of the oxidation process that occurs in the production process. This unique characteristic is what sets rooibos tea apart and makes its color truly remarkable.
Contents
Introduction
Upon first glance, it is not uncommon for individuals to mistake the hue of rooibos tea for that of black tea, as the two bear a striking resemblance owing to their shared oxidation process responsible for the alteration in color. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that there exist two distinct variations of rooibos tea, namely red rooibos tea and green rooibos tea. So how are the colors of the two types of rooibos tea different and what causes the difference?
What can rooibos tea color be described as?
Red rooibos tea color
When it comes to the red rooibos tea color, it bears a striking resemblance to black tea due to the shared process of oxidation. Through this process, both teas undergo a transformation that results in their rich and inviting hues. The captivating hue of red rooibos tea can be described as a delightful reddish brown shade, thus earning its alternate names of red tea or red bush tea. This striking and vibrant red-brown color is considered the typical color when mentioning rooibos tea. Moreover, this particular color has even made its mark as a Pantone color and is popular in fashion designs.
Green rooibos tea color
In contrast to the deep red hue of red rooibos or the vibrant yellowish green color of green tea, green rooibos color is a mesmerizing golden orange, exuding remarkable intensity and clarity. Even though green rooibos tea undergoes the same production process as green tea, it distinguishes itself with a darker hue and a slight orange undertone, resulting from the characteristic color of rooibos leaves. Besides, despite not being as popular as red rooibos tea, this particular variant is highly adored by rooibos tea enthusiasts, particularly those who hail from South Africa, the very place where this beloved rooibos tea originated.
What causes the difference in color between the two types of rooibos tea?
The reason for the variation in color between green rooibos tea and red rooibos tea lies in their respective production processes. Unlike green rooibos tea, red rooibos tea undergoes a significant oxidation and fermentation process, which is vital in determining its distinctive color. But how exactly does this process bring about the transformation in the rooibos tea color?
In the process of creating red rooibos tea, the harvested rooibos is first cut into uniform lengths and then bruised so that it is exposed to water and left to dry in the open air, allowing the enzymes within the leaves to come to the surface and interact with oxygen. Following this, the rooibos are placed in low heaps and left to undergo fermentation. This fermentation process involves enzymatic oxidation, which leads to the maturation of the polyphenols present in the rooibos leaves. As a result of this transformation, the once green leaves gradually change into a vibrant brick red color, ultimately becoming the renowned red rooibos tea.
Whereas, green rooibos tea is unoxidized. Once the rooibos leaves are harvested, they are briefly steamed or heated to stop the oxidation process, resulting in the preservation of a more greenish color in the leaf. Rooibos tea is not as green as the color of green tea because of the way it’s made from a plant called rooibos. The rooibos plant has a natural color that is more yellow-orange, which mixes with a little bit of green when the tea is brewed.
How to brew rooibos tea?
When making rooibos tea, it’s best to use filtered water or spring water. Regular tap water can have stuff in it that can make the tea taste different, so it’s not a good idea to use it. If you don’t want your tea to taste too strong, just use 1.5 teaspoons of tea for every 8 ounces of water and you’ll have a nice-smelling cup of hot tea. Similar to other types of tea, making rooibos tea goes through 3 simple steps:
- Boil water and warm up the teapot: Boiling water using an electric kettle. When the heat is up to 100°C, pour some of the boiled water into the teapot, swirl it around a bit, then discard it.
- Brew rooibos tea: Add rooibos tea into the teapot and pour 8 ounces of hot water on top. Cover the teapot and steep for 5 minutes.
- Strain and enjoy: Strain the rooibos tea leaves and pour the tea into a cup. You can drink it directly or serve it with ice, sugar, and milk. It also tastes good.
Discover properties of rooibos tea:
Where to buy ready-to-drink rooibos tea?
If you are looking for ready-to-drink rooibos tea at a competitive price, Future Generation Co., Ltd is a prestigious supplier you should consider. With over 27 years of experience in the Food and Beverage field and more than 1000 partners worldwide, FGC has been the leading tea and beverage supplier in Vietnam.
With Rooibos Tea, we can produce OEM products according to customers’ requirements. We commit to providing:
- Professional R&D department: Seasoned staff in our R&D team will assist in researching, testing, and developing new beverage products.
- Diverse packing types: FGC can provide, design, and consult customers to choose the most suitable and trendy product packaging.
- High production capacity: Our cutting-edge machine lines including TetraPak Aseptic and PET hot-fill technology ensure a high and stable capacity (>40,000 liter/hour).
- International quality standards: We select all the ingredients from high-quality and organic sources. The production is certificated by VietGAP, ISO, HACCP, HALAL, KOSHER, etc.
If you are interested in our products, please do not hesitate to send us an inquiry through email: info@vietnam-tea.com. FGC’s Sales Department will respond as soon as possible once we receive your call/message to assist you with the matcha mint tea formula, packaging, import procedure, sample submission, and quotation. After discussing the price and other terms of the contract, we will sign the contract and make a shipment for you.
About Future Generation Co., Ltd
Future Generation Company Limited is one of the largest beverage suppliers in Vietnam, with 26 years of experience in production and export. FGC is equipped with modern machines such as Hotfill PET and TetraPak, ensuring high-capacity production. FGC strives to achieve our mission to become Vietnam’s leading healthy beverage company. Our factories also meet international standards such as ISO, HACCP, etc. In addition, we constantly innovate our machinery system, strengthen production capacity, and increase productivity.
FGC also provides Private Label Services. With this service, we can help customers in researching and formulating beverages, designing product label packaging, and creating their own brands. This is an ideal solution for small and medium enterprises. Moreover, FGC provides free samples for customers to test before bulk orders. We also ensure delivery as fast as possible.
Contact
Address: R4 building, Office Quarter 02, Royal City, 72A Nguyen Trai St., Thanh Xuan Dist., Hanoi.
Phone: +84 24 73 000 125/ +84 24 73 063 369
Mail: info@vietnam-tea.com
Website: https://oem-fgc.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fgcvietnamtea
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fgcvietnamtea/
Source:
https://tealish.com/blogs/blog/green-rooibos-vs-red-rooibos-whats-the-difference
https://rooibosrocks.com/blogs/blog/green-rooibos-how-does-that-fit-with-redbush-tea
https://www.klipopmekaar.co.za/rooibos-tea-processing/
