Herbal

Fruits & seeds

Fruit and seed infusions range from the bright tartness of rosehip to the roasted cereal warmth of barley tea (mugicha) and buckwheat tea (sobacha). Barley and buckwheat teas are popular throughout Japan and Korea, particularly as cold summer drinks. Rosehip is often blended with hibiscus for a tart, brightly colored infusion. These are generally the least bitter and most approachable of the herbal families, and the roasted-grain styles have no real equivalent elsewhere in the herbal category.

teabert, the tealytics teapot, keeper of the kettle

This is the gentlest corner of herbal tea, tangy rosehip on one side and cosy roasted barley and buckwheat on the other, and almost nobody finds them bitter. Roasted barley tea is the summer fridge drink across Japan and Korea, made from the same grain as beer and without any of the consequences.

Styles in this family

Rosehip

Rosehip is the fruit (the seed pod, or hip) of the wild rose, most often the dog rose (Rosa canina), dried and brewed into a vibrant, tart, ruby-to-orange…

Fennel

Fennel tea is an infusion of dried fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare), caffeine-free, with a warm, sweet, anise-like flavor reminiscent of licorice. It is one of…

Barley Tea (Mugicha)

Barley tea is an infusion of roasted barley grain (Hordeum vulgare), not a true tea and entirely caffeine-free. It is a daily staple across East Asia, known as…

Buckwheat Tea (Soba Cha)

Buckwheat tea is an infusion of roasted buckwheat groats, caffeine-free and naturally gluten-free despite the name (buckwheat is not a wheat or even a grass).…

Corn Tea

Corn tea is an infusion of roasted corn kernels (Zea mays), caffeine-free and a comforting everyday drink in Korea, where it is called oksusu cha. The flavor is…