Tisane is the term used in the tea industry for any infusion that does not contain Camellia Sinensis. Anything referred to as "Tea" technically needs to contain the dried leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant for it to really be a tea! Caffeine free and often packed with health benefits, more and more people are turning to a Fruit Tisane or Herbal Infusion for their hot drink of choice.
Since the rise of third wave cafe culture in the mid naughties, there has been a rising demand for higher quality tisanes and and a wider range of them. As a caffeine free alternative to coffee or tea we've seen much more people opting for a tisane in our cafes over recent years. Fruit Tisanes also serve as the ideal base for iced teas, offering some unique flavours with a lower sugar content to make soft drinks.
In the USA it is thought that the popularity of Herbal Infusions and Tisanes dates back to the Boston Tea Party in 1773. When 342 chests of tea were dumped into Boston Harbour as protest again rises taxes on tea from the British East India Company, Americans started turning to coffee as well as other infusions and tisanes.
Brewing the Perfect Tisane
Tisanes can be made from all different parts of the plant, not just the leaves. Roots, stems, flowers, leaves, and fruit can all be used when creating a tisane blend but generally they fall into the categories; fruit tisane or herbal tisane. Fruit Tisanes usually consist of all dried fruit ingredients while herbal tisanes are usually made up of different parts of the plant.
When brewing a fruit tisane we recommend starting with 1/2 a teaspoon per cup and adjusting to taste as these tisanes can really pack a punch! Because of their intense flavour they also make for a perfect iced tea. This is great, low sugar and cheaper alternative to a soft drink. Just brew double strength and dilute with ice.
Depending on your taste, brewing a herbal tisane can be a bit more forgiving. Unlike a tea, the flavour of the tisane itself will remain more or less the same when using different brew ratios. Just alter your dose or brew time until you find the right strength for you.
