Green rooibos starts from the same plant as the familiar red version, Aspalathus linearis, grown along South Africa's western coast, but it skips the fermentation step that darkens the leaves and gives ordinary rooibos its reddish colour. The leaves are dried quickly after picking instead, which keeps them green much the way refrigeration keeps a cut apple from browning. The result sits closer to green tea territory: grassy, a little sweet, without the deeper, more pungent notes fermentation would add. Expect lemon and apple brightness up front, honey underneath, and a thick, drying finish with an earthy backbone.
It's naturally caffeine-free, which makes it an easy choice any time of day, including evenings. Steep a teaspoon per cup in freshly boiled water for around seven to eight minutes — longer than most teas, since rooibos needs the extra time to give up its flavour, and you can push toward ten minutes if you want it stronger. It holds up well cold, too: brewed and chilled, or built into an iced blend, it comes across lighter and more refreshing than the hot cup, which leans more toward that classic earthy rooibos character. A little lemon juice or honey rounds it out either way.
Rooibos has a long history as a caffeine-free alternative for people cutting back on stimulants, and it's traditionally been drunk as a soothing, easy-on-the-stomach cup rather than for any dramatic effect. It's also a naturally calorie-free crop grown without the fermentation processing that red rooibos requires, which is part of why green rooibos tends to cost a bit more.
