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Tea recipe · Fruit Tea

Brewing Twinings Defence (Elderberry and Blackcurrant)

How to brew Twinings Defence: just-boiled water and a good steep for a deep, ruby, berry-rich cup of elderberry and blackcurrant.

  • Prep 5 min
  • Makes 1 cup
  • Easy
Fruit Tea · recipe card
At a glance Updated 11 Feb 2026
Twinings Defence, 20 Tea Bags 40g, Fruit and Herbal Tea, R. Twining and Company Limited. Sold by Teas.co.uk.
5Steps
3Ingredients
£3.60The tea
57In this section
Made withTwinings Defence, 20 Tea Bags 40g
The recipe

Exact quantities, then the method.

Twinings Defence is a caffeine-free berry herbal: elderberry up front, tart blackcurrant through the middle, with hibiscus, rosehip and a little ginger rounding it off. Being herbal, give it a full five minute steep in just-boiled water to pull out the rich colour and the fruit.

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the Brewing Twinings Defence (Elderberry and Blackcurrant) recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/fruit-tea/brewing-twinings-defence-elderberry-and-blackcurrant/

Makes one cup. No milk needed; a little honey if you want to soften the tartness.

⏱ 5 min 🍽 Makes 1 cup 📊 Easy 📚 Fruit Tea Recipes

You'll need

  • 1 tea bag of Twinings Defence
  • 200ml freshly boiled water (100C)
  • A little honey, to taste (optional)

Method

  1. Pop the bag into your favourite cup or mug.
  2. Pour over the freshly boiled water.
  3. Steep for a full 5 minutes to draw out the elderberry and blackcurrant.
  4. Lift out the bag, add a little honey if you like, and enjoy. No milk needed.
  5. The berries deepen with time, so do not cut the steep short.
What you'll end up with: A ruby cup full of elderberry and blackcurrant with a gentle ginger finish, caffeine-free.

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