Coffee cherry tea
Encyclopedia
'Coffee cherry tea is an herbal tea made from the dried berries (or "cherries") of the coffee plant
. It is also known as cascara, from the Spanish cáscara, meaning "husk".
Coffee cherry tea is rarely produced for export, but is commonly drunk in some coffee-growing nations, notably Bolivia and, as the variant Qishr
, in Yemen.
It is commonly consumed in Bolivia, where it is referred to as Sultana, and is made of sun-dried and lightly toasted coffee cherries. It may also be mixed with sticks of cinnamon. It is also called "the poor man's coffee", and "the coffee of the Army".
Coffee cherries contain caffeine
, as does the tea, however the caffeine level is quite nominal. The low level of caffeine in the cherry means that with normal consumption of the tea, no stimulant effect will be felt. The taste of coffee cherry tea is quite different from coffee, and has been described as somewhat sweet and cherry flavored, surprisingly pleasant.
Proper brewing yields a dark red tea; brew time guidelines range from 4 minutes to 7 or 8 minutes.
Coffea
Coffea is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. They are shrubs or small trees native to tropical and southern Africa and tropical Asia. Seeds of several species are the source of the popular beverage coffee. Coffee ranks as one of the world's most valuable and widely traded...
. It is also known as cascara, from the Spanish cáscara, meaning "husk".
Coffee cherry tea is rarely produced for export, but is commonly drunk in some coffee-growing nations, notably Bolivia and, as the variant Qishr
Qishr
Qishr is a Yemeni hot drink, made of spiced coffee husks, ginger, and sometimes cinnamon. In Yemen it is usually drunk instead of coffee, because it is cheaper....
, in Yemen.
It is commonly consumed in Bolivia, where it is referred to as Sultana, and is made of sun-dried and lightly toasted coffee cherries. It may also be mixed with sticks of cinnamon. It is also called "the poor man's coffee", and "the coffee of the Army".
Coffee cherries contain caffeine
Caffeine
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
, as does the tea, however the caffeine level is quite nominal. The low level of caffeine in the cherry means that with normal consumption of the tea, no stimulant effect will be felt. The taste of coffee cherry tea is quite different from coffee, and has been described as somewhat sweet and cherry flavored, surprisingly pleasant.
Brewing
Brewing guidelines are not standardized, but 20 grams per liter of water, or approximately 5 grams per cup (8 qz, 240 ml) is suggested. When the coffee cherry tea is ground and classified to loose tea industry standard size, one teaspoon per 6 ounces of water, steeped for 5 minutes are the standard brewing instructions.Proper brewing yields a dark red tea; brew time guidelines range from 4 minutes to 7 or 8 minutes.
External links
- Coffee, Tea ... or Both?, Ana Dane, 13 November 2009
- Video of Cascara brewing, James Hoffman, 5 November 2008, from Square Mile Coffee Roasters