Just the word “alpine” instantly makes me thing of a fresh cool breeze, the scent of pine trees, and the soft grass of a mountain meadow. This tea, Himmelbauer Alpine Tea, really summarises all of that in one cup! Himmelbauer Organic Alpine Hut Tea (Bio Almhütten Tee) has come to me all the way from Bavaria, Germany, via a fellow tea enthusiast from the Czech Republic.
In this full review, I’ll give you a rundown of what this tea tastes like, how best to brew it, and some info about the ingredients list (translated from German).
Himmelbauer Organic Alpine Hut Tea at a Glance
- Blend: Peppermint, ribwort, and nettle with various alpine herbs
- Flavour: Refreshing mint and sweet herby notes
This alpine tea is predominantly minty! It has some subtle and sweet herbaceous notes, but the mint really overpowers everything. It prevents this being a truly balanced, complex tea.
Full Review – Himmelbauer Alpine Tea
- Type: Tagged paper filter teabag
- Ingredients: Peppermint, ribwort leaves, nettle leaves, chamomile flowers, sweet blackberry leaves, rosehip, lemon balm leaves, thyme, caraway seeds
- Health Benefits: Relieve digestive issues
- Flavour Notes: Mint, oregano sweetness, liquorice
- Aroma: Musty, sweet, woody notes, mint, rosemary
- Milk or Lemon: Lemon, if desired
- Where to Buy: Himmelbauer Official Website
I relished the opportunity to review this tea without knowing what the ingredients were. As a result, I’m a little off base! When you first open the teabag it’s unbelievably sweet scented. There’s a woody sweetness and herbaceous note, like rosemary, oregano or liquorice (although none of these are actual ingredients).
It brews into a moss green-brown coloured tea, but it’s quite clear and inviting with a slick texture.
Once it’s brewed, the peppermint overpowers everything. You don’t need to see in the ingredients list to know that peppermint is the star of Himmelbauer Alpine Tea! It’s very nice, minty and refreshing… but it does mask the other herby notes. If the peppermint were toned down, I think this tea would have more complexity. The subtle chamomile, rosehip and thyme could create a warmer body.
It’s a real shame that most of the Bavarian mixture herbal ingredients aren’t detectable.
How to Brew Himmelbauer Bio Almhütten Tee
The instructions on the tag of the tea are (translated into English) “approx. 3 – 6 mins to let go” which I guess refers to relaxing and ‘letting go’ of stress with a cup of tea.
I used freshly boiled water as close to 100°C as possible and brewed for 3 minutes, as I like my herbal teas quite weak. Brewing for closer to 6 minutes may enhance the other herbal ingredients, but it will really strengthen the menthol of the peppermint too. Be careful.
You can add a squeeze of lemon to make it zestier, if desired. Avoid adding milk or sugar though.
Why Himmelbauer Organic Tea?
When translated, the tagline for the Himmelbauer tea brand is “natural products to feel good.” All the ingredients are certified organic, harvested and made into tea in the German state of Bavaria too. That tells you a lot about the values of this tea brand!
The herbs in the tea bag are finely chopped but unmistakably fragrant and tasty when brewed. My only gripe with the packaging (which is totally plastic free) is that the tea bag wrappers aren’t entirely sealed. There’s a little flap on the back to help you open them… but that will, unfortunately, let air inside.
To resolve this, just pop the tea bags into a jar or sealable container as soon as you open the pack.
Health Benefits of Alpine Herbal Tea
Himmelbauer Alpine Tea has a detailed ingredients list, but it doesn’t indicate the quantities of each ingredient. This makes determining the overall health benefits of this tea quite tricky.
But based on the dominant peppermint flavour notes and the fact that Himmelbauer list peppermint first in the list, this is probably the primary ingredient. Besides freshening your breath, peppermint can also be good for relieving headaches and all kinds of digestive problems (from bloating to indigestion).
The really interesting ingredient, however, is ribwort! I love discovering a new ingredient. According to Planet Ayurveda, ribwort leaves have a whole host of health benefits, from treating diarrhoea to hay fever. I’m not entirely confident in this source, so if you have a more definitive answer for anyone wanting to know the health benefits of ribwort, please share it in the comments below.
Summary
I do recommend trying this tea, or any tea by Himmelbauer. You’ll struggle to find them available to buy online in the UK or USA, but if you happen to spot them on a trip to Bavaria, give them a go. Even if the flavours aren’t to your taste, these teas are super healthy and organic anyway.
Tea Recommendation
There’s no denying that peppermint is a refreshing tea, but sometimes the sweetness can be a little too much for me. That’s why I’ve been sipping T2 China Jasmine tea in the evenings recently. Read the full review to find out more about this refreshingly perfumed green tea.