It is early February as I’m writing this tea review and I am desperate to see some lush greenery, white flowers and tasty berries emerging on the British hedgerows. Spring couldn’t come soon enough! In the meantime, I’ve got a hot cup of Two Spoons Tea Hedgerows and Hibiscus to sip.
This tea is a red berry blend inspired by the hedgerows of Buckinghamshire. Did you know that our hedgerows could wrap around the Earth 10 times? According to Two Spoons Tea’s blog, this tea is great hot or iced with a teaspoon of honey for additional sweetness. As the weather is quite cold, I’m reviewing this tea hot today.
In my full tea review below you can find details about the flavour, ingredients and recommended brewing method for this fruity tea.
Two Spoons Tea Hedgerows & Hibiscus at a Glance
Izzy’s Rating
- Blend: Elderberry, hibiscus and rosehip with tulsi and orange peel
- Flavour: Rich and heady berries, not to sweet, deliciously tart
This is a very simple yet tasty red berry tea. The hibiscus overpowers everything, but you can get a hint of elderberry. I wish it was a tad more complex.
Full Review – Hedgerows and Hibiscus Herbal Tea
- Type: Tagged biodegradable tea sachet (square “pillow”)
- Ingredients: Elderberry, hibiscus, rosehip, tulsi rama, orange peel
- Health Benefits: Soothe a cold or flu symptoms
- Flavour Notes: Elderberries, hibiscus, rich, heady, tart
- Aroma: Hibiscus, mulled wine, blackcurrant, astringent red berries
- Milk or Lemon: Honey to taste
- Where to Buy: Two Spoons Tea
The initial aroma is… not much, to be honest. I can get a whiff of tart and juicy hibiscus, but not much else is emanating from the teabag. Let’s see if some water can wake it up.
After a good long brew, the colour of this tea is a jewelled magenta shade, bright and rich. The aroma intensifies with notes of mulled wine. It has an astringency that I quite like, though the only distinct berries I think I can detect are blackcurrant.
Now the flavour. Yum! It’s a very good red berry tea. Elderberry and hibiscus are at the forefront with juicy tartness, but there’s also a rich headiness to this tea. It’s slightly tart and definitely not too sweet. In fact, the mouthfeel is intensely drying and refreshing – it almost leaves you feeling thirstier.
Ultimately, I’d recommend this tea for those evenings when you want something with a little more punch than a watery herbal tea but aren’t in the mood for a dessert. It rides that line between indulgent and refreshing. Good job, Two Spoons Tea!
How to Brew Elderberry and Hibiscus Tea
The team at Two Spoons Tea recommend brewing their Hedgerows and Hibiscus tea in boiling water for around three minutes. This is great advice! Hibiscus tends to get strong very quickly, so a three-minute brew time is just about right for a balanced cuppa. However, as this is an herbal tea with no caffeinated tea leaves, feel free to let it soak in your cup for as long as you like.
For sweetness, you could try a touch of honey or sugar. As I drink my caffeine-free teas in the late evenings, I avoid adding anything sweet. Honestly, it’s not essential for this tea.
Why Two Spoons Tea?
Two Spoons Tea are a fantastic British brand based in Buckinghamshire that was kind enough to send me a huge box of samples to review. I can’t speak highly enough about the quality of the tea they sent and the packaging too – it’s all plastic-free and biodegradable!
As you can see from my photograph of what’s inside the tea “pillow” there are a lot of large ingredient pieces. There’s also no flavouring or sweeteners in this tea whatsoever, which is brilliant.
Health Benefits
The primary ingredients in this herbal tea are:
- Elderberry (28%)
- Hibiscus (28%)
- Rosehip (26%)
One thing that all three ingredients have in common here is vitamin C. As we know, vitamin C is great for your immune system and can help to prevent a cold coming on. Furthermore, elderberry has long been a remedy for treating flu symptoms and according to recent scientific studies, elderberry extracts can reduce the severity and length of influenza.
So, will this tea magically cure a cold or prevent you from getting sick? No, probably not. But it is rich in vitamin C and other nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy. It tastes great and if it also happens to soothe the symptoms of your cold, that’s just a great perk!
Summary
This tea is a decent red berry tea with a hibiscus and elderberry flavour. However, I was quite looking forward to tasting that hint of orange peel and tulsi… but these flavours totally failed to emerge.
If you want a solid red berry tea that you can rely on, this is the one for you. If you want a little more complexity, you might be happier with something else in your cup (see my recommendation below).
Tea Recommendation
If fruity tea is your kind of cuppa, my top recommendation for you is Clipper Berry Burst. This tea blends hibiscus with raspberry and blackcurrant fruits to create an intense, sharp flavour that really cleanses the palate and tickles the taste buds. Don’t forget to let me know what you think of Clipper’s tea or Two Spoons Tea Hedgerows and Hibiscus in the comments below!