How to Make Hibiscus Tea and Agua de Jamaica: Hot, Iced, and Fresh

By Suhail Rivera, founder of Alkaline Herb Shop

To make hibiscus tea, add 1 teaspoon of dried hibiscus flowers to 8 ounces of boiling water, cover, and steep for 5 to 10 minutes, then strain. That is a single hot cup. To make agua de jamaica, the ruby red agua fresca sold all over Mexico, you simmer a larger batch and serve it cold and sweetened. Both come from the same flower, Hibiscus sabdariffa, known in Spanish as flor de jamaica. This guide covers the hot tea, the iced tea, and the full agua de jamaica.

How to make hot hibiscus tea

1. Add 1 teaspoon of dried hibiscus flowers to an 8 ounce cup.
2. Pour boiling water over them.
3. Cover and steep 5 to 10 minutes. A longer steep makes it darker and more tart.
4. Strain and drink. Sweeten to taste if you like.

How to make agua de jamaica

This is the classic Mexican agua fresca, and it is the drink most people are really after. It is made as a concentrate, then diluted and chilled.

1. Simmer half a cup of dried hibiscus flowers in 4 cups of water for 10 minutes.
2. Strain out the flowers, pressing them to get all the colour and flavour.
3. Sweeten the hot concentrate to taste. Coconut sugar or agave stirs in easily while it is warm.
4. Add 2 to 4 more cups of cold water to reach the strength you like, then chill.
5. Serve over ice, with a slice of lime if you have one.

The ratio is forgiving. More flowers and less water gives a deeper, more tart drink, and more water stretches it into a lighter cooler.

How to make iced hibiscus tea

For a quick iced tea rather than the full agua fresca, brew it double strength, 2 teaspoons per cup, strain, then pour it over a full glass of ice so it dilutes as it chills. The colour is worth it on its own: a deep ruby that looks like it should be complicated and is not.

What does hibiscus tea taste like?

Tart and fruity, close to cranberry, with a clean sour edge. It is refreshing rather than mellow, which is why it is usually sweetened and served cold. If it is sharper than you like, add more water or a little more sweetener rather than steeping it for less time.

Does hibiscus tea have caffeine?

No. Hibiscus is naturally caffeine free, hot or iced, which is part of why agua de jamaica is a drink for any time of day.

What is hibiscus, or flor de jamaica?

Hibiscus tea is made from the dried deep red flowers of Hibiscus sabdariffa. In Spanish the flower is flor de jamaica, and the agua fresca made from it is agua de jamaica. Ours are organic or wildcrafted petals from Egypt, just the dried flower and nothing added. The same flower makes three drinks: hot tea, iced tea, and the sweetened agua fresca. We make no health claims for it. It is simply one of the best tasting and best looking caffeine free drinks you can make.

Who should not drink hibiscus tea

• Do not use it during pregnancy or while nursing.
• It is not recommended for anyone under 18.
• If you have a medical condition or take prescription medicine, speak to your doctor first.

How to store dried hibiscus flowers

Keep them tightly closed in a dry place at room temperature, 59 to 86°F. Kept dry and sealed, the dried flowers stay good for a couple of years.

Suhail Rivera is the founder of Alkaline Herb Shop, which sources and sells the dried hibiscus flowers described in this article.