The best cascara tea: how to choose coffee cherry tea
Written by Marc Narrie, founder of Buddha Beans Coffee Co. and specialty coffee roaster since 2019. Buddha Beans has been infusing coffee with CBG since launch, making it one of the first CBG coffee brands in the US.
The best cascara tea is single-origin coffee cherry tea, sold fresh as loose leaf or sachets, from a roaster who names the farm and confirms it is food-safe. It should taste fruity and naturally sweet, with about 25mg of caffeine per cup.
Cascara tea, also called coffee cherry tea, is having a moment, and the quality varies a lot. Here is how to pick a good one.
What to look for in cascara tea
- Single origin, named farm. Good cascara comes from a specific coffee farm, not an anonymous blend. It ties the fruit to the same farms that grow specialty coffee.
- Fresh and small batch. Cascara is dried fruit, so it fades over time. Look for a recent harvest and a roaster who sells it in small runs.
- Food-safe sourcing. Cascara is sold as a food. A good seller can confirm the fruit was dried and handled for food use.
- Nothing added. Real cascara is naturally sweet with no sugar or flavoring added. The ingredient list should say one thing: dried coffee cherry.
Loose leaf or tea bags?
Loose leaf gives you the freshest cup and lets you control strength. Sachets are easier and travel well. Both brew the same way, so pick by convenience.
What good cascara tea tastes like
Fruity and naturally sweet, with notes of tamarind, dried cherry, and dark fruit, and a hibiscus-like tartness at the edge. The exact taste is hard to pin down, and it does not line up neatly with any other tea. There is no roast, so there is no bitterness. It tastes nothing like coffee.
How much should cascara tea cost?
Cascara is a specialty product, so expect specialty pricing, usually a few dollars per ounce. Very cheap cascara is often stale or low grade. Small-batch, single-origin cascara costs more and tastes better.
Where to buy cascara tea
Specialty coffee roasters are your best source, since they already work with the farms. We make our own: buy cascara tea from Buddha Beans, a single-origin coffee cherry tea in loose leaf and sachets. You can also read what cascara is and what cascara tea tastes like first.
Cascara tea quality depends primarily on origin traceability, processing method, and harvest freshness, with single-origin sun-dried husks from traceable farms consistently producing the most complex flavor profiles and highest antioxidant content.
The best cascara tea retains a deep reddish-brown color and a naturally sweet aroma of dried cherries, which indicates proper sun-drying without chemical intervention or artificial heat processing.
Coffee cherry tea from certified organic and direct-trade farms delivers superior flavor complexity because the cherry husks are handled as a primary product rather than treated as agricultural waste.
Cascara Quality Factors at a Glance
| Quality Factor | What to Look For | Red Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Single-origin with farm traceability | Blended with no source listed |
| Processing | Sun-dried or carefully dehydrated husks | Chemical treatment or artificial drying |
| Color | Deep reddish-brown, uniform pieces | Pale, dusty, or heavily broken fragments |
| Aroma | Sweet, fruity, with dried cherry notes | Musty, flat, or no aroma |
| Freshness | Harvest date within 12 months | No date listed or older than 18 months |
| Certification | Organic, fair trade, or direct trade | No sourcing transparency |
For something different, try our CBG Water-Soluble Tincture or Black Label CBG Coffee.
Browse our full lineup of specialty coffees and cascara products in the Buddha Beans collection.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a high-quality cascara tea?
High-quality cascara comes from specialty coffee farms that dry the coffee cherry fruit carefully after removing the bean. Look for single-origin sourcing, a clean ingredient list with no fillers, and a producer who names the farm or region. The dried husks should smell fruity and sweet, not musty. Buddha Beans Cascara Tea is sourced from select farms and dried for full flavor.
Where does the best cascara come from?
The best cascara originates in coffee-growing regions with strong specialty traditions. Central America, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Yemen produce well-regarded lots. Origin matters because altitude, climate, and cherry variety shape the flavor profile. Single-origin cascara from a named farm or cooperative gives you traceability and consistent quality compared to blended, unspecified sources.
What does cascara tea taste like?
Cascara tea tastes nothing like coffee. It brews into a light, fruity infusion with notes of hibiscus, dried cherry, tamarind, and a mild honey sweetness. The flavor is closer to herbal or fruit tea than to any coffee drink. Steeping time and water temperature shift the intensity, so a shorter brew yields a lighter, more floral cup.
How much caffeine is in cascara tea?
Cascara contains roughly 25 to 50 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup, depending on steeping time and ratio. That puts it between green tea and black tea, and well below a typical cup of coffee at 95 milligrams. It delivers a gentle, sustained lift without the jittery spike that stronger caffeinated drinks can produce.
How do you brew cascara tea at home?
Use about 5 grams of dried cascara per 8 ounces of water heated to 200 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Steep for 4 to 6 minutes, then strain. Longer steeping extracts more sweetness and body. You can also cold-brew cascara by soaking it in room-temperature water for 12 to 24 hours, then straining and chilling for a refreshing iced drink.
