Flavourful, juicy, tangy, and just sweet enough, Rooibos and Grape Iced Tea is a delicious, naturally sweetened, caffeine-free thirst quencher ideal for the summer months.
While regular iced tea sounds so enticing in the hot weather, I don’t frequently drink caffeinated beverages, so standard versions are not really on my radar. And while I am a huge fan of drinking hot rooibos tea in the cooler months, I don’t often think of it during the summer. Until now, that is. During a trip overseas I enjoyed a bottled cold rooibos tea that really got me thinking that the smooth, earthy, sweet, and almost nutty flavour of rooibos would make a great base for a summer iced tea recipe that doesn’t contain caffeine.
Earthy and smooth without the tannic bitterness of regular tea, sweet and juicy from the concord grape juice, fragrant from the touch of wildflower honey, and just the right touch of tangy lemon, this delicious union may just be my new all time favourite iced tea drink!
Ingredients
If you aren’t familiar with rooibos tea, rooibos, also known as red tea or red bush tea, is a lauded tea and remedy derived from a shrub of indigenous South African origin. It is wonderful as a decaffeinated substitute for regular caffeinated tea, and can be enjoyed hot or cold, plain, with lemon, or with milk (plant or dairy) and any kind of sweetener you might like to add.
While concord grape juice may not be on everyone’s radar, it is usually readily available in shelf stable tetra packs or bottles, and most often unsweetened, as it certainly does not need any added sweetness! High in naturally occurring sugars, concord grape juice is deeply flavourful, rich, and fruity. I find it too sweet on its own, but delightful when mixed and diluted with other ingredients.
Method
This iced tea is so quick to make up that it can serve as a go to summer essential all season long. I like to make up a double batch to keep in the fridge so that a refreshing delicious drink is always within reach during the hottest days of the year.
The rooibos component is made by steeping rooibos tea bags in just boiled water for 5 minutes - loose tea could also easily be used here. While the tea is hot, one single teaspoon of runny wildflower honey is added for flavour, a touch more sweetness, and fragrance.
Once cooled, the brewed tea is combined with unsweetened grape juice in a larger vessel, a few lemon slices are added, and that’s it! For serving, place one lemon slice in each glass, along with a few ice cubes, fill with the iced tea mixture and enjoy!
Storage
If you plan to make this tea in advance, as I often do, brew the rooibos tea, add the honey, pour it into a glass bottle and leave it in the fridge until you are ready to add the final elements and serve the tea; I find this mixture can last for days. When it’s time to serve the iced tea, add the grape juice and lemon slices, and serve.
Looking for more refreshing options?
Rooibos and Grape Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 2 rooibos tea bags
- 2 cups water just boiled
- 1 teaspoon runny wildflower honey
- 1.5 cups unsweetened concord grape juice chilled
- 6 slices lemon from one lemon
Instructions
- Place the two teabags in a heatproof container and add two cups of just boiled water. Let steep for 5 minutes, then remove and compost the teabags. Drizzle in one teaspoon of honey and stir. Set this tea mixture aside and let cool, then move into the fridge to chill.
- When the tea mixture is chilled, add to a larger container big enough to hold at least four cups. Add the rooibos and honey mixture, pour in the chilled grape juice, and add a few lemon slices. To serve, add ice cubes and one lemon slice per glass, fill with the chilled tea, and enjoy!
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