# Bright Afternoon Herbal Teas With Hibiscus, Rooibos and Mint > Tart hibiscus, rose hips, cool mint, and rooibos blends, brewed hot or iced, plus two easy chilling methods and a simple build-a-pitcher table. Canonical: https://healthstylz.com/herb-guides/caffeine-free-afternoon-teas-hibiscus-rooibos-mint/ Published: 2026-10-23 by HealthStylz. Product facts checked 2026-10-23 on mountainroseherbs.com. HealthStylz is a Mountain Rose Herbs affiliate. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. ## In short What makes a good caffeine-free afternoon cup? Pick something bright. Hibiscus brews a tart, deep red cup that most people sweeten, and rose hips add more tart fruit. Peppermint and spearmint bring a cool finish, and none of these single herbs are tea leaves. For a ready-made option, Coconut Rooibos, Orange Cream Rooibos, and Root Beer tea are each labelled caffeine free by Mountain Rose Herbs. Brew 1 tablespoon per 8 ounces of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes (1 teaspoon for Coconut Rooibos), then drink it hot or chill it for iced tea. You can also steep herbs slowly in the fridge for several hours. Build a pitcher by pairing tart with cool, such as hibiscus with mint. This HealthStylz guide covers flavour, history, and method only. Hibiscus can contain fragments of peanut shell, so take care if you have a severe peanut allergy. ## Key takeaways - Hibiscus is tart and deep red, so most people add a sweetener, hot or iced. - Brew hot and chill, or steep slowly in the fridge, starting with 1 tablespoon per 8 ounces. - Use caution with hibiscus if you have a severe peanut allergy, since it is often grown alongside peanuts. ## A bright cup for the afternoon Mid-afternoon is when many people reach for something to sip. Cups made from flowers, fruit, and leaves bring colour and flavour without tea leaves. Hibiscus, rose hips, peppermint, and spearmint are single herbs, not tea leaves. The rooibos blends and Root Beer tea in this guide are each labelled caffeine free on their product pages. These are bold flavours. Hibiscus is tart, mint is cool and clean, and the rooibos blends lean sweet and mellow. All of them work hot on a grey day or iced on a warm one. ## The tart reds: hibiscus and rose hips ### Hibiscus Hibiscus sabdariffa, also called roselle, is a member of the mallow family with vibrant red flowers. Mountain Rose Herbs calls the brew cooling and refreshing, and notes it can be quite tart, so it is common to add a natural sweetener whether you drink it hot or iced. In Mexico, a hibiscus drink known as agua de Jamaica is usually served chilled with plenty of sugar. Hibiscus teas are also popular across Latin America and North Africa. The flowers are used to dye fabric, so wipe up spills quickly. The product page lists India and Egypt as origins and showed it as out of stock on Oct 23, 2026. ### Rose hips Rose hips are the fruit of the rose. They form as the flowers drop off, appear in early summer, and ripen into late autumn. These organic rose hips come from Rosa canina and Rosa rubiginosa, with Lesotho and Chile listed as origins. They have a tart flavour and are used in jelly, jam, and soup, or steeped as tea. The product page also shares a bit of history: during World War II, the British government made collected rose hips into rose hip syrup to stand in for citrus fruits that were impossible to get. Today they make an easy partner for hibiscus in a fruity red cup. ## The cool greens: peppermint and spearmint The product page calls peppermint's aroma the world's most familiar "mint scent." Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) is a natural hybrid of spearmint and water mint, and this leaf is organically cultivated in the United States. Beyond tea, it is muddled into cocktails, and in Middle Eastern cooking it is added to spice rubs for lamb and blended with yogurt, beans, and cheese. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is a hardy perennial with bright green, serrated leaves, first native to the Mediterranean. It is most often brewed on its own or added to herbal blends as an uplifting note. Either mint adds a cool finish to a glass of hibiscus. ## Rooibos and root beer blends Three ready-made blends make the afternoon easy. Each product page states the blend is caffeine free. - **Coconut Rooibos** combines red rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) with coconut flakes, acai berry powder, and coconut flavouring. The page describes a bold aroma with a sweet, floral taste and subtle coconut notes. It uses a smaller measure: 1 teaspoon per 8 ounces of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, and the page invites you to experiment with steep time and amount. - **Orange Cream Rooibos** mixes organic and fair-trade red rooibos with orange peel, hibiscus, rose hips, and vanilla flavouring. Mountain Rose Herbs describes it as delicious unsweetened, and that a sweetener mellows the citrus and brings out its orange and vanilla flavour. It is described as perfect any time of day, hot or iced. - **Root Beer** tea blends birch leaf, sweet cinnamon chips, ginger root, chaga mushrooms, licorice root, dandelion root, and root beer flavouring. Expect an herbaceous aroma with rooty notes, earthy undertones, and hints of sweet, spicy ginger. The name root beer refers to the root of the sassafras tree, though this blend does not list sassafras. The page notes that root beer syrup started appearing in confectioners around 1840. ## How to make iced herbal tea The single-herb pages do not list brewing steps, so the methods below are general kitchen guidance. For amounts, start with the ratio most of these blend pages give: 1 tablespoon per 8 ounces of water, or 1 teaspoon for Coconut Rooibos. Multiply it to fill your pitcher. ### Brew hot, then chill - Pour boiling water over the herbs and steep 3 to 5 minutes, as the blend pages direct. - Strain, stir in any sweetener while the tea is warm, and let it cool before it goes in the fridge. - Serve over ice. Ice melts into the glass, so you can brew a little stronger than usual. ### Slow fridge steep - Put the herbs in a large tea bag, a strainer, or a pitcher with a built-in filter. - Add room temperature or chilled water, cover, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. - Strain, taste, and sweeten if you like. This method uses the fridge, not a sunny windowsill. Keep homemade iced tea in the fridge, and make small batches you will finish soon. ## Build a pitcher A good pitcher pairs something tart with something cool or sweet. Use the table as a starting point, then adjust to taste. Build a pitcher (general guidance; brew 1 tablespoon of herbs per 8 ounces of water unless noted)| | Pitcher | What goes in | Taste | Finish with | | | Jamaica style | Hibiscus | Tart and deep red | Sugar or another sweetener, served chilled | | | Red and mint | 2 parts hibiscus, 1 part peppermint or spearmint | Tart with a cool finish | Ice and a sweetener | | | Rose and ruby | Equal parts hibiscus and rose hips | Tart, fruity red | A sweetener, then taste | | | Orange cream | Orange Cream Rooibos | Vanilla aroma, sweet and tangy | Ice, sweetened or not | | | Coconut cooler | Coconut Rooibos, 1 teaspoon per 8 ounces | Sweet, floral, light coconut | Ice | | | Root beer float style | Root Beer tea, chilled | Rooty, earthy, sweet spice | Poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream | **Safety first.** Mountain Rose Herbs notes that hibiscus flowers are often intercropped with peanuts and that fragments of peanut shells are occasionally present, so use caution if you have a severe peanut allergy. Orange Cream Rooibos also contains hibiscus but lists no precautions on its page, so ask Mountain Rose Herbs before buying if peanuts are a concern. Rose hips, peppermint, and spearmint list no known precautions. The Coconut Rooibos and Root Beer pages list no precautions either, so read the full ingredient lists; Root Beer includes licorice root, ginger root, and chaga mushrooms. NCCIH says peppermint tea appears to be safe, but the long-term safety of consuming large amounts of peppermint leaf is unknown. Mountain Rose Herbs recommends talking with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications. ## Questions people ask **Are these afternoon teas caffeine free?** The Coconut Rooibos, Orange Cream Rooibos, and Root Beer product pages each state the blend is caffeine free. Hibiscus, rose hips, peppermint, and spearmint are single herbs, not tea leaves. **Why does my hibiscus tea taste so sour?** Hibiscus is naturally tart. Mountain Rose Herbs notes it is common to add a natural sweetener, and agua de Jamaica in Mexico is usually served with plenty of sugar. Mixing in rose hips or mint also changes the balance. **Can I make these teas iced?** Yes. Brew hot and chill, or steep the herbs slowly in the fridge for several hours. The Orange Cream Rooibos page describes the blend as perfect hot or iced. **What does Root Beer tea taste like?** The product page describes an herbaceous aroma with rooty notes, earthy undertones, and hints of sweet, spicy ginger, strongly reminiscent of root beer soda. It does not list sassafras, the root that gave root beer its name. **Is hibiscus a good choice if I have a peanut allergy?** Be careful. Mountain Rose Herbs says its hibiscus is often intercropped with peanuts and occasionally contains fragments of peanut shell, and it advises caution for people with severe peanut allergies. ## Sources - [Mountain Rose Herbs: Hibiscus Flowers Organic](https://mountainroseherbs.com/hibiscus-flowers-cut) - [Mountain Rose Herbs: Rosehips Organic](https://mountainroseherbs.com/rosehips) - [Mountain Rose Herbs: Peppermint Leaf Organic](https://mountainroseherbs.com/peppermint-leaf) - [Mountain Rose Herbs: Spearmint Leaf Organic](https://mountainroseherbs.com/spearmint-leaf) - [Mountain Rose Herbs: Coconut Rooibos Tea Organic](https://mountainroseherbs.com/coconut-rooibos-tea) - [Mountain Rose Herbs: Orange Cream Rooibos Tea Organic](https://mountainroseherbs.com/orange-cream-rooibos-tea) - [Mountain Rose Herbs: Root Beer Tea Organic](https://mountainroseherbs.com/root-beer-tea) - [NCCIH: Peppermint Oil](https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/peppermint-oil) These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.