Good Earth, Sweet & Spicy Caffeine Free Herbal

Good Earth Description:
Is there anything better than when opposites attract? The master blenders behind Sweet & Spicy ® don’t seem to think so. Bursts of sweet orange tangle with spicy cinnamon in a naturally caffeine free Rooibos red tea infusion.

Ingredients:
Rooibos, chicory root, natural flavor, rosehip, cinnamon, lemongrass, peppermint, chamomile, ginger root, anise seed, orange oil, orange peel.

Sample provided by Good Earth

My Review:
Today I am reviewing the last of the Good Earth teas. The hardcore loose leaf crowd may not understand, I have to admit I have enjoyed this leisurely journey back to my corner store roots.

I am finding the last decade has brought about some real change on the local tea aisle. There is more variety and better blending of ingredients. I am always going to choose loose leaf for its depth and complexity when I want to meditate upon the cup. Sometimes, I have to admit though I just want a simple relaxing cup to sip. For me, there will always be room for a decent bagged tea.

What we have here is a caffeine free flavored rooibos. From the picture of the box (I only have a single bag), I note there is 40.5 g and 18 bags. That makes each bag contain 2.25 g. Enough for a civilized cup of tea.

Each bag is individually foil wrapped. Opening the envelop, I get a hit of cinnamon and numerous other spices and herbs that I cannot readily identify.

I heated the water to boiling and steeped in the mug for 5 minutes. The brew is a reddish orange and is clear and bright.

The first thing I'll note about the taste is I cannot single out the rooibos. I personally prefer it this way. Rooibos has a unique woodsy flavor that I often find harsh and scratchy. So I am happy to see it hiding in the background. I do taste cinnamon, it is the predominant flavor but not hot or overwhelming. The orange, peppermint, and chamomile seem balanced and trade spots during the sip. You have to watch for it as its kind of unexpected and kind of neat. The lemongrass, ginger, and anise stay just above the rooibos as fill in flavors.

There is a lot trying to happen all at once in the cup, as such it can seem a bit muddy. I found the addition of just a little sweetener really helped the cup to pop.

It's caffeine free and perfect for long cold winter evenings of relaxing, hopefully with a fire and something good to read.

You can find this and other Good Earth products at your local Walmart or Kroger store, online at Amazon, or direct from Good Earth.