Tea Entry #4: Roselle (Hibiscus) Tea

Today, I made Roselle Tea!

Quick Disclaimer:
As I only recently started brewing tea, I didn't realize that some teas needed longer brewing times and hotter temperatures based on the type of tea leaf. For future reference, I will follow this general guideline. Thank you for understanding:
https://www.t2tea.com/en/au/how-to-brew/how-to-brew-tea.html

I used loose-leaf roselle calyces to make my brew. As a herbal and floral tea, I put one tablespoon of roselle calyces into my tea infuser, boiled the water to 100 degrees Celsius, and let the water and calyces simmer for five minutes. The result? A majestic hue of blood red—the exact color I was looking for!

The tea had a shade of dark crimson that was both alluring and unnerving. I took a small sip. Immediately, my jaws tensed up with a slight pain. You know when you drink something sour and your jaw muscles are sore? Yeah, it was that kind of sour. I loved it. I love sour flavors, but roselle tea was something different. Usually, when I think of sour, it reminds me of lemonade or sherbet. But roselle tea offered a warm, rich sour taste—something I hadn't had before. I was immediately hooked. It was by far my favorite tea of all I have tried. The warm sourness of the roselle tea was my 'cup of tea.'

Yet, this brew is more than just a unique sour drink. In Hinduism, Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is used in offerings to Lord Ganesha and Goddess Kali. Hibiscus is also used to attract good spirits related to divination and clairvoyance.

Roselle also includes:

• High vitamin C content
• Lots of antioxidants
• Abates 'LDL' cholesterol
• Nullifies alcohol through absorption
• And more!

If you want to read the article yourself, this is where I got the information:
Benefit of Roselle
https://www.mybluetea.com.au/benefit-roselle

Overall, as I said before, it was one of my favorite teas so far. Especially at night, something about staring at a starless night with a single moon while sipping roselle tea is therapeutic to the mind. As I begin my junior year of high school in two days, I am both nervous and excited at the same time. I'm sure I will continue my tea journey even during my test-ridden junior year.