The Herbal Tea recipe
for your table
Spoon the dried herbs into a roomy strainer or directly into the glass. Coarse leaves, roots and pieces of fruit need room to expand.
Pour boiling water over it. Herbs, roots and fruit can handle hotter water than green or white tea, which becomes bitter at 100 degrees.
Steep for eight to ten minutes with a saucer covering the glass. An infusion releases its flavor more slowly than tea leaves, which are ready after about three minutes.
Remove the strainer and place the sprig of mint and the ginger slices in the glass.
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The story
Tea comes from one bush, Camellia sinensis. Anything you brew from another plant is officially called an infusion or a tisane, even if it is simply placed among the teas in the shop. This category includes all sorts of things: leaves such as mint, nettle and verbena, flowers such as chamomile, linden blossom and hibiscus, roots such as ginger, and fruit such as rosehip and fennel seed. Rooibos comes from a shrub in South Africa. What they have in common is that they contain no tea leaves, and therefore almost never any caffeine, and that you can steep them longer without them becoming bitter.
The right glass
Herbal tea can steep longer, so the glass needs to retain heat while remaining comfortable to hold. A glass with a handle does this: you can pick it up while the tea is still hot. A generous size of around 30 cl is useful, as loose herbs need room to expand. Strainers to put them in can be found with the tea strainers.
Bormioli Rocco Icon Mug tea glass 32 cl (6 pieces)
Pasabahce Elysia tea glass 31 cl (2 pieces)
Both sets together € 38,90.
The right tools
For a cup of herbal tea, in addition to the glass, use a fine strainer to hold back the herbs and a muddler to lightly bruise fresh leaves. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you’ll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 54,85.
Which drink goes with herbs?
Herbal tea is caffeine-free and alcohol-free. You’ll find the same herbs in distilled spirits: genever is distilled with juniper berries, while a herbal bitter is made with a whole list of herbs. Well-known bottles include Bokma and beerenburg. On every drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it suits, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Mixing your own works perfectly: start with a base of mint or rooibos and add one thing, such as ginger, fennel seeds, or dried orange peel. Fresh mint, lemon balm, and sage from the garden work well; rinse them and lightly bruise them before pouring water over them. Hibiscus turns the whole cup deep red and is naturally tart, so it pairs well with rosehip. Need more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Pour into a large glass with a handle and let the infuser drain onto a saucer, so it does not continue steeping. Many herbs can be steeped a second time; that infusion is lighter but perfectly drinkable. Do not fill the glass to the brim, so you can pick it up without spilling.
Good to know
Is herbal tea tea?
Strictly speaking, no. Tea comes from Camellia sinensis, and anything brewed from other plants is called an infusion. In everyday use, everyone simply calls it tea.
What types are there?
The best known are mint, chamomile, ginger, rooibos, hibiscus, linden blossom, rosehip, fennel, nettle and verbena. There are also endlessly many blends made from these ingredients.
Does it contain caffeine?
In almost none. Rooibos, chamomile, mint and fruit blends are caffeine-free. Just watch out for blends containing green or black tea, because then they do contain caffeine.
How long and how hot should herbal tea steep?
Eight to ten minutes in boiling water. That is longer and hotter than real tea, which becomes astringent at that temperature and steeping time.
Loose or in a bag?
Loose tea has more flavor because you use whole leaves, flowers and pieces of root. You do need a large infuser or a pot with a filter.
Can you make your own blend?
Yes. Use one base and no more than two flavorings, and weigh what you use the first time so you can repeat it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between tea and herbal tea?
Tea comes from the tea plant and contains caffeine. Herbal tea is an infusion of other plants and is almost always caffeine-free.
Can herbal tea be made with boiling water?
Yes. Leaves, roots and fruit can withstand one hundred degrees, while green and white tea become astringent at that temperature.
Which herbs can you use from the garden?
Mint, lemon balm, sage, thyme and verbena are the easiest. Rinse them, bruise them lightly and pour boiling water over them.
Which glass do you use for herbal tea?
A large tea glass of about 30 cl, preferably with a handle, because the tea steeps for longer and therefore stays hot for longer.
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