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Coffee Leaf Tea: Taste, Caffeine and Making a First Cup

Coffee leaf tea uses processed leaves, not beans or coffee-cherry husks. Learn what research shows about flavor, caffeine and choosing a product.

By Mara EllisonPublished July 5, 2026Updated October 25, 20264 min read

Quick Answer

Coffee leaf tea is an infusion made from processed leaves of a coffee plant. It is different from roasted coffee, made from the seeds, and cascara, made from the outer coffee-fruit material. The drink can contain caffeine, and its flavor depends on the leaves, processing and preparation.

Amber coffee-leaf infusion beside processed dried leaves and a fresh coffee branch.

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Coffee Leaves, Beans and Cascara

The name identifies the ingredient's plant, not a roasted-coffee flavor. Coffee plants such as Coffea arabica belong to the Rubiaceae family. Conventional tea comes from Camellia sinensis, in the Theaceae family.

Reader GuideCoffee Reference Table

Coffee Reference Table
	Drink	Plant material used
	Coffee leaf tea	Processed coffee leaves
	Roasted coffee	Roasted seeds from the coffee fruit
	Coffee-cherry cascara	Dried outer coffee-fruit material
	Conventional tea	Camellia sinensis leaves and shoots

Each ingredient has its own preparation. The cascara tea guide covers the fruit-based drink; its recipe is not a leaf-tea recipe.

What Does Coffee Leaf Tea Taste Like?

Expect a leaf infusion with its own aroma and texture. Green, grassy, floral or roasted descriptions may help you choose a product, depending on how the leaves were processed. Bitterness and a drying sensation can also be part of the cup.

A 2019 study of Dampit Robusta leaf tea described green aroma and flavor, bitterness and astringency in the infusion. Its dry powder had a broader aroma description, including woody and floral notes. Smelling dry leaves and drinking their infusion are different sensory experiences.

A 2022 El Salvador study explored several leaf materials and processing treatments. A small seven-person assessment described peach-like, floral, roasted and vegetal characters across selected samples. These descriptions show some of the range; use the seller's description of the actual product to decide what interests you.

How Processing Shapes the Ingredient

Leaf selection, rolling, heat treatment and drying give producers different starting points for a drink. The Robusta study compared leaf ages and processing treatments, while the El Salvador work explored different production methods.

A packet that identifies the coffee species and explains how its leaves were prepared tells you more than the name alone. Check whether the tasting notes refer to plain brewed leaves or a blend with tea, spices or sweeteners.

Making Your First Cup

Start with coffee leaves sold for beverage preparation and the producer's directions. A useful packet gives a leaf amount, water quantity, temperature and steeping time.

Identify the ingredient. Check whether the packet contains coffee leaves alone or a blend. Fresh ornamental leaves are not a substitute for a prepared beverage ingredient.
Measure the leaf and water amounts given on the packet. Follow its temperature and steeping time for the first cup.
Strain and taste it plain first. Notice the aroma, body, bitterness and any drying finish before deciding whether to add anything.
Keep a short note. Record the product, preparation and additions you enjoyed so the next cup is easier to repeat.

To compare two products, prepare each as directed and keep those directions beside your notes. Your own words, such as grassy, floral, bitter or mild, are useful when they describe what you notice.

A personal note: Coffee leaf tea interests me as a change of pace from roasted coffee. I would start with the aroma and texture, then choose a few words that make the drink easy to remember. A gentle grassy character might be part of its appeal. Clear brewing instructions would help me get acquainted with the ingredient, but I would leave the verdict open until I tasted it. The question I would come back to is an ordinary one: would I enjoy making another cup?

Does Coffee Leaf Tea Contain Caffeine?

Yes, coffee leaves can contain caffeine. Leaf age, processing and brewing affect the result. In a 2017 study of Arabica leaves grown in Thailand, the young fresh leaves contained more caffeine than the mature fresh leaves studied. The researchers also examined processed leaves and steeping.

For a particular packet, look for caffeine information about the prepared serving, together with the preparation used. A concentration per gram of leaves describes the ingredient; a value per cup describes a drink made with a particular dose and volume.

For example, a hypothetical label giving 40 mg per liter of prepared infusion would mean 10 mg in 250 ml (8.5 US fl oz). That serving is one quarter of a liter. These numbers explain the label calculation rather than measure a leaf-tea product.

If caffeine matters to your choice, ask the producer for prepared-infusion information. The words “herbal infusion” and a pale color do not establish that a drink is caffeine-free.

Coffee Leaves as Another Farm Product

The El Salvador authors discuss leaf products as a possible additional source of farm income. Their value depends on how the leaves are obtained, processed and sold.

For an environmental claim, look for the producer's account of leaf sourcing, drying, packaging and transport. The label “by-product” alone does not describe the impact of those activities.