What Is Red Espresso? South Africa’s Rooibos Espresso
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Order a “red cappuccino” in parts of South Africa and you will get something that looks like a cappuccino, foams like a cappuccino and contains no coffee at all. So what is red espresso? It is rooibos, the caffeine-free red bush tea from South Africa, ground fine enough to be brewed in an espresso machine. The result is a short, intense, red-brown shot with a crema on top, used for lattes and cappuccinos just like coffee.
Strictly speaking, Red Espresso is a brand: the product of a Cape Town company founded in 2005. But the idea of a rooibos “espresso” has spread well beyond it. Here is the story, how it works and how to get a similar drink at home.
Key takeaways
- Red espresso is finely ground rooibos brewed under pressure, like espresso.
- It was created by Carl Pretorius, a self-described espresso addict, and launched by The Red Espresso Company, founded in Cape Town in 2005.
- Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free, so red lattes and cappuccinos are caffeine-free too.
- In 2008/9 it won Best New Product in the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s specialty beverage category, the first tea to do so.
In this article
- What is red espresso?
- The story behind it
- How rooibos becomes an espresso
- Red espresso drinks
- Making a rooibos shot at home
- FAQ
What is red espresso?
Rooibos (pronounced ROY-bos) is a South African plant used to make a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea, sometimes called red bush tea. Normally its leaves are cut into needle-like pieces and steeped like any loose-leaf tea.
Red espresso grinds those leaves much finer, closer to a coffee grind, so the product can be packed into a portafilter and brewed under pressure. The fine grind and pressure produce a concentrated shot with a strong color, a bold flavor and a crema-like foam on top. That shot can then be topped with steamed milk, just like coffee.
| Espresso | Red espresso | Regular rooibos tea | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made from | Roasted coffee beans | Finely ground rooibos | Cut rooibos leaves |
| Brewing | Espresso machine, pressure | Espresso machine, moka pot and other coffee brewers | Steeped in hot water |
| Crema | Yes | Yes, crema-like foam | No |
| Caffeine | Yes | None | None |
| Typical drinks | Espresso, latte, cappuccino | Red latte, red cappuccino, iced tea | Hot or iced tea |
The story behind red espresso
The idea came from a coffee lover. A 2008 Brand South Africa profile describes Carl Pretorius, from Johannesburg, as an espresso addict who wanted a strong drink that would not leave him jittery later. He started by tearing open a bag of rooibos and experimenting with it in his espresso maker. With help from product developers, that home experiment became what the profile calls the world’s first rooibos tea espresso.
The Red Espresso Company was founded on 22 August 2005 in Cape Town by Pete and Monique Ethelston and Carl Pretorius. The product went on to collect several industry awards, including:
- 2006: Food Review New Product of the Year in South Africa.
- 2008: an IUFOST Global Food Award for product innovation.
- 2008/9: Best New Product in the Specialty Beverage category from the Specialty Coffee Association of America, the first tea to win in that category and the first South African company to win at the SCAA.
- A place among the World Tea Expo’s top 10 new products.
Today the brand sells its rooibos as pre-ground loose tea, pods and capsules, designed for espresso machines, stovetop espresso makers, drip machines, French presses and Nespresso-style machines.
How rooibos becomes an espresso
An espresso machine needs a fine, even grind to build resistance, so hot water is pushed through under pressure rather than rushing straight through. Ordinary cut rooibos is too coarse: water would run through it in seconds, producing a weak, thin drink. Grinding rooibos finer solves that, which is the key innovation behind red espresso.
Because rooibos contains no caffeine and is not roasted like coffee, the shot tastes completely different from espresso: sweet, woody and honey-like, with a rich red color, rather than bitter and roasty.
Red espresso drinks
| Drink | How it is built |
|---|---|
| Red espresso | A single short shot, often sweetened with honey |
| Red cappuccino | Shot plus steamed milk and a thick layer of foam |
| Red latte | Shot plus more steamed milk and a thin layer of foam |
| Red iced tea | Shot poured over ice, topped with water or juice |
Because the drinks look and feel like coffee drinks, they are popular with people who are avoiding caffeine but still want the café ritual. If you want to understand how the milk ratios differ, our guide to latte vs cappuccino vs flat white applies to red versions too.
Making a rooibos shot at home
If you do not have access to the branded product, you can make a strong rooibos concentrate with what you have. It will not have the same crema, but it works beautifully in milk drinks.
Moka pot method
- Fill the basket with loose rooibos, pressed down lightly. Do not pack it hard.
- Fill the bottom chamber with water to the valve.
- Heat on medium-low until the concentrate stops flowing.
- Use 2 oz (60 ml) as a “shot” with 6 oz (180 ml) steamed milk.
Strong steep method
- Add 2 heaped tablespoons (about 6 to 8 g) of rooibos to 3 oz (90 ml) of boiling water.
- Steep 7 to 10 minutes, covered. Rooibos does not turn bitter quickly, so a long steep is fine.
- Strain well and use as your shot.
A word of caution: do not put cut loose-leaf rooibos into a pump espresso machine. Coarse pieces will not build pressure properly, and blends with fruit or spice pieces can clog the basket.
Rooibos at Feel Espresso
We do not sell red espresso. For a caffeine-free rooibos drink, our Apple Cider Rooibos is South African red bush tea with cinnamon, orange peel and warm spices, like a mug of hot apple cider. Brewed strong with the steep method above, it makes a cozy spiced latte. Our Hibiscus Berry herbal tea also includes rooibos, with hibiscus, rosehips and blueberry notes, and is lovely iced. Both are in our tea collection.
Red espresso FAQ
Does red espresso have caffeine?
No. It is made from rooibos, which is naturally caffeine-free.
Does red espresso taste like coffee?
No. It has the shape and texture of an espresso drink, but the flavor is rooibos: sweet, woody and honey-like, not roasty or bitter.
Can I use red espresso in a capsule machine?
The brand sells capsules made for Nespresso-style machines. Do not try to fill coffee capsules with ordinary loose rooibos.
Is red espresso the same as rooibos tea?
It is rooibos, but ground much finer and brewed under pressure, which gives a stronger, more concentrated drink than a regular steeped cup.
Sources
- Red espresso. Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org
- Trailblazer: Carl Pretorius. Brand South Africa, 2008. brandsouthafrica.com
Facts checked in October 2026.
Keep reading: Latte vs Cappuccino vs Flat White · Coffee vs Tea Caffeine · Tea