Caffeine Free Tea: A Guide to Rooibos and Herbal Blends

Caffeine free tea is any cup brewed without leaves from the tea plant. Rooibos, honeybush, chamomile, roasted barley and fruit blends all fall into this group, so they suit any hour of the day. This guide covers what makes a tea caffeine free, how to brew it, and the blends from our collection of dozens of uncommon blends that we return to most. For a seasonal take, see our caffeine-free teas for fall, and for a closer look at one base, what rooibos tastes like.

What Makes a Tea Caffeine-Free

True teas such as black, green, oolong and white all come from the same tea plant and naturally contain caffeine. Herbal teas, sometimes called tisanes, are made from other plants entirely. Rooibos, a red bush from South Africa, is the most popular base for evening blends because it brews into a smooth, naturally sweet cup that holds rich flavors well. Every blend in this guide is labeled caffeine free on its product page. One note: our blend Mojave contains a small amount of smoked black tea, so it is very low in caffeine rather than caffeine free, and we have left it off this list. If you want the taste of black tea with most of the caffeine removed, browse our decaf tea instead.

Negroni: Bittersweet Orange Rooibos

Negroni is our answer to an evening aperitivo without the alcohol. Inspired by the classic cocktail, it balances sweet-tart orange with bitter gentian root. The first sip is sweet and rich with a dark honey character, bittersweet orange mingles with the earthiness of rooibos, and the finish carries an herbaceous note reminiscent of a sun-warmed clover field. It tastes like orange marmalade, gentian and clover.

Ingredients: rooibos, sweet blackberry leaves, orange peel, licorice root, yellow gentian root and natural orange flavor. It is all natural, gluten free, sugar free, vegan and non-GMO.

How to brew: 1 teaspoon per 8 oz of water at 212°F, steeped 5 to 7 minutes. For a chilled version, cold brew 2 teaspoons per 8 oz in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, then strain. Negroni is available as a 15-cup bag ($14.99), 70-cup bag ($44.99) or 4-cup deluxe sample ($4.99).

Days of Heaven: Rhubarb Verbena Chamomile

For a softer, golden-hour cup, Days of Heaven combines organic lemon verbena, rosehips, Croatian chamomile, rooibos, blackberry leaves and rhubarb. The aroma is bright and buttery. Tart rhubarb gives way to floral and herbal notes, with a rich custard flavor at the base. It tastes like rhubarb jam, custard, California sagebrush and pie crust, and it is all natural, sugar free, vegan and gluten free.

Biarritz: Orange Amaretto Rooibos

If you like a dessert-style finish, Biarritz delivers an intense liqueur-inspired aroma with no alcohol or caffeine. Orange blossom and amaretto notes evolve into burnt orange peel and sweet almond, rounded out by a warm cherry-like finish. It is made with South African rooibos, anise, almond, lemon peel, orange blossom and star anise, and it contains tree nuts.

Cult of Demeter: Cocoa Anise Barley

Cult of Demeter is a roasted barley tisane with a satin texture and creamy flavor. Nutty barley and malt meet sweet aniseed and roasted cacao husk, and a splash of milk brings out its natural sweetness. It tastes like biscotti, aniseed, cocoa butter and toasted barley. Note that it contains gluten from malted barley.

More Caffeine Free Teas

Cocteau pairs green rooibos and honeybush with vanilla, ruby grapefruit and peppermint for a layered, unusual herbal cup. Psychocandy is all pumpkin and no spice, with rooibos, real pumpkin and a long caramel finish that makes an excellent latte. To taste widely before committing, the Top 10 Caffeine Free Teas Sampler gathers nine caffeine-free blends plus Mojave, which is very low in caffeine, in one set ($44.99). You can browse every option in our Herbal & Caffeine-Free collection. New to mint? See our guide to three caffeine-free ways to brew mint tea.

How to Brew Caffeine Free Tea

Herbal blends generally reward hotter water and longer steeps than true teas. Use water just off the boil and give rooibos blends the full 5 to 7 minutes; because there are no tea leaves, they do not turn bitter the way an over-steeped black tea can. A glass teapot such as the Two Cup Glass Teapot lets you watch the color develop, and a measured scoop keeps every cup consistent. Keep a few contrasting blends on hand, one bright and citrusy like Negroni, one creamy and roasted like Cult of Demeter, so the ritual changes with your mood.

Pricing and Offers

Most Da LBI Tea blends come in 15-cup bags at $14.99 and 70-cup bags at $44.99, which works out to roughly 64 cents a cup on the larger size. The Tea Trio takes 10% off when you buy any three or more teas, applied automatically at checkout, and every US order of $45 or more ships free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is rooibos tea caffeine free?

Yes. Rooibos is not made from the tea plant, so it contains no caffeine. Negroni, Biarritz, Cocteau and Psychocandy are all rooibos-based caffeine-free blends.

What is the best caffeine-free tea to drink after dinner?

It depends on your taste. Negroni suits those who like bright, bittersweet citrus; Biarritz and Psychocandy lean dessert-like; Cult of Demeter offers a roasted, nutty cup that takes milk well.

Can I make caffeine-free tea iced?

Yes. Negroni cold brews well at 2 teaspoons per 8 oz in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, then strained.

Do any of these blends contain allergens?

Biarritz contains tree nuts, and Cult of Demeter contains gluten from malted barley. Always check the full ingredient list on each product page.

Is there a way to sample several caffeine-free teas?

The Top 10 Caffeine Free Teas Sampler includes nine caffeine-free blends plus Mojave, which is very low in caffeine.