Herbal infusions have spent far too long sitting at the quiet end of the tea menu.
Breakfast tea.
Earl Grey.
Green tea.
And then, somewhere near the bottom, herbal.
As if that covers it.
In reality, herbal infusions can be fresh, floral, spicy, cooling, warming, sweet, earthy and intensely aromatic.
Peppermint is only the beginning.
What is a herbal infusion?
Here is the slightly confusing bit.
Most herbal infusions are not technically tea.
True tea comes from one plant, Camellia sinensis.
Black tea, green tea, white tea and oolong all come from that plant. Different processing methods create the different styles.
Herbal infusions are made by steeping other plants in water.
That might include leaves, flowers, roots, herbs, seeds, bark or spices.
You will also hear them called herbal teas or tisanes.
Whatever name you use, the basic idea is simple.
Plant.
Hot water.
Flavour.
What can you find in a herbal infusion?
Almost anything.
Peppermint is one of the most familiar.
Chamomile brings a softer, floral character.
Ginger adds heat.
Lemongrass brings fresh citrus notes.
Rooibos is naturally sweet, smooth and slightly earthy.
Then there are ingredients such as fennel, hibiscus, lavender, liquorice root, rose, nettle and countless combinations of herbs and spices.
Some infusions focus on one ingredient.
Others build layers.
That variety is exactly what makes the category interesting.
What do herbal infusions taste like?
There is no useful single answer.
A peppermint infusion tastes nothing like chamomile.
Ginger tastes nothing like rooibos.
A floral blend can be delicate and fragrant, while something built around roots and spices can be deep and warming.
This is why we prefer thinking about herbal infusions by flavour instead of treating them as one category people choose when they do not want caffeine.
Want something fresh?
Try mint.
Something warming?
Look towards ginger and spice.
Something softer and more floral?
Chamomile might be a good place to start.
Choose the drink you actually want to drink.
How to brew herbal infusions
Herbal infusions can generally handle hotter water and longer brewing than many traditional teas.
A good starting point is:
3 to 5g of herbal infusion
250ml water
100°C water
Brew for 5 to 7 minutes
Treat this as a starting point. Every infusion has its own character, so check the individual brewing instructions and adjust to taste.
Unlike a delicate green tea, many herbal ingredients benefit from a generous infusion.
Give them time.
You are trying to extract flavour from leaves, flowers, roots, seeds and spices.
A quick splash of hot water is not always going to do the job.
Can you brew herbal infusions for longer?
Often, yes.
If your herbal infusion tastes weak, giving it another minute or two can help.
You can also use more of the blend.
Some ingredients are extremely forgiving and continue developing flavour without becoming unpleasantly bitter.
Others can become quite intense.
Liquorice root, for example, can quickly make its presence known.
As always, taste is more useful than blindly following a timer.
Brew.
Taste.
Adjust.
Are herbal infusions caffeine free?
Many are naturally caffeine free.
Peppermint, chamomile, rooibos and ginger, for example, do not naturally contain caffeine.
But do not assume every blend labelled herbal is automatically caffeine free.
Some blends may contain tea, yerba mate or other naturally caffeinated ingredients.
Check what is actually inside.
If avoiding caffeine is important to you, the ingredient list is your friend.
Do herbal infusions have health benefits?
This is where tea conversations can get carried away.
Herbs have long histories of traditional use, and individual plants contain a huge variety of naturally occurring compounds.
But a cup of herbal infusion is not a magic potion.
We would choose one because you enjoy the flavour and the experience of drinking it, not because somebody on the internet has promised it will transform your life by Thursday.
If you are drinking a herbal infusion for a specific health reason, particularly if you take medication, are pregnant or have a medical condition, it is worth getting appropriate professional advice.
Tea can be interesting without making extraordinary promises.
Can you add milk?
Sometimes.
Rooibos can work brilliantly with milk.
Spiced herbal blends can too.
Peppermint with a splash of semi skimmed?
Possibly less convincing.
There is no universal rule because herbal infusions cover such an enormous range of flavours.
Taste the infusion first.
Then decide what it needs.
It might be milk.
It might be honey.
It might be lemon.
It might be absolutely nothing.
Herbal infusions are brilliant over ice
Herbal infusions should not disappear from the cupboard when summer arrives.
Brew them slightly stronger, let them cool and pour them over plenty of ice.
Mint becomes incredibly refreshing.
Hibiscus based blends can become bright and sharp.
Ginger can bring a brilliant kick to a cold drink.
Add fresh citrus, herbs or fruit if you want to experiment.
Suddenly that sleepy box of herbal tea has become considerably more useful.
Give herbal infusions some space
Herbal infusions do not need to be the sensible drink you choose at the end of the evening.
They can be bold.
Fragrant.
Spicy.
Refreshing.
Comforting.
Unexpected.
They can be served hot, cold, simple or turned into something completely new.
So next time you see “herbal” on a tea menu, ask what is actually in it.
There might be considerably more character in that cup than the name suggests.