AquaRosa - Organic Fruit Tea with Hibiscus & Red Berries

AquaRosa by Kusmi Tea, the Pink Fruit Tea with Hibiscus from East Africa

AquaRosa is a caffeine-free organic fruit tea based on East African hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa), with apple, grapes, blackberry leaves, elderflower, and a quintet of red berries – strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, elderberry. Loose-leaf in a 100g tin, organically grown. Bright pink in the cup, tartly fruity, equally delicious hot or cold.

AquaRosa by Kusmi Tea is not a tea in the botanical sense, but an organic fruit infusion with hibiscus as its main ingredient. It is inspired by "thé rose d'Abyssinie," the pink tea from ancient Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia), where hibiscus is traditionally drunk as a thirst quencher. In Mexico, the same infusion is known as Flor de Jamaica. In addition to hibiscus, apple, grapes, blackberry leaves, elderflower, and a quintet of red berries add extra fruit depth. Naturally caffeine-free, it can be drunk at any time of day.

Bright pink infusion, tartly fruity with berry depth

Upon opening the tin, the material reveals itself as a colorful floral landscape: the dark red, dried hibiscus calyxes dominate, interspersed with light apple pieces, dark grape and elderberries, green blackberry leaves, and isolated small berry pieces. The scent is summery and tart, with that tartly fruity peak that distinguishes hibiscus from all other berries.

In the cup, AquaRosa glows in a vibrant pink-red, almost like a rosé wine or raspberry syrup. The first sip is sparkling and tart; the hibiscus immediately brings the characteristic freshness reminiscent of cranberry juice. This is followed by a velvety berry sweetness from the red fruits, the apple adds roundness, and the blackberry leaves a slight vegetal depth. Tart, fruity, light – a tea that opens the palate and truly quenches thirst.

Cold in a glass in summer or as a fruity aperitif before a meal

AquaRosa is the summer tea in the Kusmi range. Drunk hot, it pairs well with a fruity breakfast of berry pancakes, yogurt bowls with fresh raspberries, or quark desserts. Served cold in a carafe with ice cubes, it becomes a patio classic: a glowing pink carafe on the garden table, a few berries for decoration, and summer has arrived. It also makes a good impression as a non-alcoholic aperitif – in a red wine glass, with an orange slice and ice, it looks almost like a fruity vermouth.

AquaRosa tastes best neat – its natural berry sweetness makes sugar unnecessary. A squeeze of lime or elderflower syrup enhances the fruitiness, a small dash of apple juice makes it more child-friendly. For a pot, you need about 2 tablespoons of fruit tea per liter, steeped with 95 °C hot water for 5 minutes. For iced tea: steep the same infusion for 7 minutes, then pour over ice cubes.

For those who want to explore the caffeine-free line further, Rooibos Vanilla offers a warm, South African alternative with Bourbon vanilla, and Rooibos Almond is its nutty sister – both caffeine-free but with a rooibos base instead of hibiscus.

Hibiscus from Abyssinia in Parisian Craftsmanship

Hibiscus sabdariffa, also known as African mallow, originally grows in West Africa and is now cultivated in parts of East Africa, Mexico, and other tropical countries. The brightly colored red calyxes are harvested and dried after flowering – creating the characteristic tart infusion known as "Karkadé" in Ethiopia and "Flor de Jamaica" in Mexico. AquaRosa takes up this ancient tradition and combines it with European garden fruits to create a modern fruit infusion.

The history of Kusmi Tea begins in 1867 in St. Petersburg, where 21-year-old Pavel Mikhailovich Kousmichoff opened his own tea house. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the family fled to Paris. In addition to classic black and green teas, the house now also maintains a range of caffeine-free fruit teas and herbal infusions – for summer enjoyment, for the evening, and for anyone who wants to avoid caffeine.

Since 2017, almost all products have been organically grown, and they are bottled in Le Havre in the iconic round metal tins. In our Kusmi Tea collection, you can find an overview of all blends.