Happy Easter Monday! After several weeks of sipping herbal teas as I tested out the THEENK 21-day program, I have found myself really enjoying caffeine-free teas during the day time – not just at night. So, this week I am reviewing Offblak Brighten Up tea, which is a blend of ginger and forest fruits.
Yes, it sounds delicious!
The thought of ginger and rich berries reminds me of an autumnal berry pie or crumble. Yum! I just really hope the tea lives up to my expectations. Last week’s review of Offblak Future Is Pink was… dismal, to be honest.
Offblak Brighten Up Fruit Tea at a Glance
- Blend: Hibiscus and apple with ginger and forest fruit flavourings
- Flavour: Sweet and tart berry fruits, mostly hibiscus
This is a hibiscus dominated blend with a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. It’s really juicy and fresh-flavoured, with more complex notes hiding underneath. Unfortunately, there’s very little flavour from the ginger.
Full Review – Offblak Ginger Forest Fruits Tea
- Type: Tagged pyramid sachet
- Ingredients: Hibiscus flowers, apple pieces, ginger, rosehip, blackberry leaves, blackcurrant leaves, raspberry pieces, flavourings
- Health Benefits: Improve heart health, reduce inflammation and nausea
- Flavour Notes: Sweet, tart, very fruity, hibiscus
- Aroma: Hibiscus, strawberries, forest fruits, mulled wine, redcurrants, raspberry, rhubarb compote
- Milk or Lemon: Neither
- Where to Buy: Amazon
First thing I noticed was how little tea there was inside the pyramid sachet. It’s hard to believe that meagre amount weighs 2.5g! But don’t panic – it’s the perfect amount to create a strong cup of fruit tea. The aroma is very tart and sweet, thanks to the hibiscus, with notes of mixed forest fruits. It’s very juicy! The only fruit I can really detect and name at this stage is strawberry.
I love the colour of this tea. It brews into a rhubarb ruby red colour that I’ve photographed in the sunlight so you can get a better sense of the depth. As for the aroma once brewed, it’s much deeper and richer. Notes of mulled red wine, redcurrants, raspberries, and an intense rhubarb compote reach your nose.
And the flavour. I’m drooling just thinking about making another cup. It’s light on the first sip, but the flavour grows in your mouth as you drink more and more. The flavour is best described as forest berries, rather than forest fruits. It’s got that perfect balance of sweetness and tartness – it’s bold and brilliant. The only thing that’s missing is the ginger element.
You will really enjoy this tea if you like fruit flavours. Unlike many fruit teas that smell great but taste bland, this one packs a punch. It reminds me of non-alcoholic wine, as it’s very drying on your tongue but strangely hydrating in your throat. Mmmm.
How to Brew Offblak Fruit Tea
Official advice from Offblak is to brew 1 tea pyramid in boiling water for a minimum of 3 minutes. As it’s a fruit tea, you can brew for far longer to enhance the flavour without worrying about it becoming bitter.
I always review my teas hot, just so the process is a little more scientific and it’s easier to contrast and compare with other teas. However, Offblak do mention (repeatedly) that this tea is amazing iced and/or mixed with sparkling wine or water.
Make sure you’re following me @izzysden on Instagram over the summer because I will definitely be having a go at icing this one!
Why Offblak Tea Pyramids?
Offblak’s range of “Generation Tea” flavours are hit and miss. I absolutely loved this one, but their take on Earl Grey left a bad taste in my mouth. Literally. The ingredients are good and I love that they only use natural flavouring… but I still think that they’re just another tea brand.
If you put aside the shiny colours and amazing efforts of the marketing team, there’s nothing really that separates Offblak teas from other pyramid sachet teas on the market. The ingredient quality is good, but not great, and the flavours aren’t really that innovative. Maybe if the ginger was more prominent in this blend I would give it a higher rating for uniqueness.
This blend is a Great Taste 2020 Award Winner, earning 2 stars for flavour. I am not surprised by this at all. It is truly delicious and is one of the best-tasting fruit teas I’ve ever tried. The flavour itself is nothing new, but the way Offblak have executed it is sublime.
Health Benefits
The main ingredient in this tea is hibiscus, at 51% of the total ingredients. There’s evidence that hibiscus is good for your heart health in general, as it lowers cholesterol and improves blood pressure.
Offblak Brighten Up also contains a generous amount of ginger, creating another 10% of the ingredients… even if we cannot taste it. We all know that ginger is great for a cold and reduces inflammation. It can also reduce nausea and may be able to aid weight loss (when taken in much higher doses).
Much of the fruit flavours in this tea come from the hibiscus. The fruit plant leaves and natural flavouring may also contribute some nutrition, but not enough to have a huge impact. As always, I recommend drinking tea just for pleasure and talking to your doctor if you want to use infusions to treat a symptom or condition.
Summary
If you like fruit tea, then this should be at the top of your list. Offblak Brighten Up tea is absolutely delicious and so far, my favourite from this brand. You can find it on Amazon if you want the best delivery options, or you can buy it from Offblak’s website directly.
Tea Recommendation
If you like fruit teas but you need a little caffeine to get you up in the morning, I recommend a simple fruit and black tea blend. Janat Apple Tea is one of my favourites at the moment, so read my full tea review of that next.