This was one of several teas sent to me from a fellow tea enthusiast many many months ago. I must admit, I get very behind in my tea reviewing schedule. I can only apologise!
Anyway, this is my full review of Teekanne Fresh Orange tea, a very juicy fruit tea that’s available globally. It wouldn’t be unusual to find this tea in a breakfast bar or offered complimentary in a hotel.
As with any fruit or herbal tisane, this tea is caffeine-free. It’s great to have in the mornings with breakfast and in the evenings before bed. As it’s so fruit-juice-like, it’s even great for kids. Learn more about how to brew it in my full review below.
Teekanne Fresh Orange Tea at a Glance
- Blend: Orange fruit and flavours combined with apple, hibiscus, and more
- Flavour: Juicy concentrated orange juice with added sweetness
A very orangey tea! It’s like sipping a hot orange juice or orange squash, but far smoother and sweeter. It has a fruity depth to it that you’ll love.
Full Review – Teekanne Fresh Orange Fruit Tea
- Type: Tagged paper filter tea bags
- Ingredients: Apple, hibiscus, sweet blackberry leaves, orange flavouring, orange peel, citric acid, rosehip, chicory root
- Health Benefits: Controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol
- Flavour Notes: Juicy, concentrated orange, smooth, sweet, fresh
- Aroma: Dried citrus, chlorine chemicals, orange ice pops, artificial flavour
- Milk or Lemon: Neither
- Where to Buy: Amazon
The paper tea bag version I was sent unwraps in a strange way so that the outer packaging becomes the tea tab. While that’s quite ingenious, it does mean that the tea wrapper has gaps in it – this isn’t good for keeping it fresh.
Thanks to the citric acid and flavouring added, however, it still had a pungent aroma when I opened it. Dried citrus notes are overpowered with a chemical chlorine type aroma, like the kind you get from kids’ orange ice pops.
It brews into a burnt orange caramel sunset colour that has depth and warmth to it. The steam that swirls from the cup enhances that concentrated orange flavouring and loses that orange zest aroma. This is where Teekanne Fresh Orange tea really lives up to its name.
It has a very juicy, concentrated orange juice flavour. The kind that leaves your mouth doused in moisture and your thirst thoroughly quenched. It’s somehow sweeter and smoother than simply drinking hot orange squash though. The medley of apple, hibiscus and other fruity ingredients create subtle depth.
It’s definitely orange tea, not hot orange squash. Worth it!
How to Brew Orange Teekanne Tea
The instructions printed on the Teekanne Fresh Orange tea bag are to use 100°C water (freshly boiled from the kettle) and brew the tea bag for 8 minutes. It seems excessively long, but trust me, 8 minutes is just right.
Unless you have a crazily sweet tooth, you don’t want to add any sweetener, sugar, or honey to this tea.
Why Teekanne Tea?
I hadn’t heard of this tea brand before, but after researching them I’m mildly impressed. While they don’t have any certifications like Fairtrade or Organic, they do have a detailed section of their website dedicated to explaining responsible buying and sustainability practices. And despite the flavouring and citric acid added to extend the shelf-life of the tea, there are many natural and flavoursome ingredients in this tea.
According to Teekanne, there are approximately 4kcal per 200ml of this tea. Even though it’s sugar-free, there are still natural sugars from the fruits. This is why some fruit teas can have a handful of calories while traditional caffeine teas from the tea plant don’t have any calories at all.
Where to Buy Teekanne Tea in the UK
Overall, I enjoyed this tea and I hope you will too… if you can find it in the UK! I’ve tracked it down to Amazon US and there are a few sellers across Europe. You might have better luck stumbling onto it in a shop than online if you’re in mainland Europe.
Check this link to find out if it’s available on Amazon in your country.
Tea Recommendation
For a fruit tea that’s not quite as shockingly sweet, and comes with a caffeine hit, then check out my review of Ahmad Lemon and Lime Twist tea. Of course, you could always add an extra slice of orange to it to bump up the juiciness!