How to Make Hibiscus Tea (Agua De Jamaica + Flavor Variations)
How to make hibiscus tea, either as a warm, soothing herbal tea OR a sweet, tangy and refreshing cold brew or iced tea (aka Agua de Jamaica). Just 2 ingredients and multiple flavor variations!
Boil the water either on the stovetop or in a kettle.
Once boiled, place the hibiscus petals in a teapot or pitcher and cover with the water. Allow it to steep for 4-5 minutes, then strain, sweeten, and enjoy.It’s best to use a strainer to place the petals, so removing them after the steeping process is easier.
Cold Brew Hibiscus Tea
Add the hibiscus petals to a pitcher filled with the water (room temperature or cool is fine) and stir.
Place it in the fridge to steep overnight or for up to 2 days. It can take a minimum of 4 hours but steep to your desired color and flavor. Then strain to remove the petals and serve.If you want to sweeten the cold brew, it's best to use a liquid sweetener like simple syrup or maple as they are easier to dilute in the cold tea.
Storage Instructions
You can store any leftover hibiscus tea in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This makes it a great make-ahead drink, too. It can be enjoyed straight from the fridge or reheated first.You could also pour leftovers in an ice cube tray or even turn them into hibiscus tea popsicles.
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Notes
Adjust the sweetness: according to personal taste. Some prefer it very tart and some as a sweet tea.
Adjust the strength: feel free to play around with the ratio of hibiscus to water and how long you leave the tea to steep. However, be careful not to steep the petals too long, or the tea becomes bitter. It's better to increase the ratio of flowers instead.
Hibiscus stains: so be careful with what you choose to wear and the surfaces used when preparing hibiscus drinks. If you have issues with staining, you may be able to help using these methods.
Optional add-ins and variations:
Herbs: lemongrass, mint leaves, basil, rosemary, and lemon balm pair well with the tea.
Citrus: you can add a splash of lemon juice or lime juice before serving or infuse the drink with more flavor with the zest/peel of lemon, lime, or orange.
Whole spices: adding a cinnamon stick or two is one of my favorite additions. You could also experiment with allspice berries, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds, or saffron.
Ginger: add a few slices of fresh ginger to infuse with extra zing.
Hibiscus pineapple tea: follow this method for pineapple skin tea, adding the flowers in the last 10 minutes of steeping time.
Florals: adding a small amount of orange blossom water, rosewater, lavender, or rosehip will increase the floral notes.
Fruit: increase the flavor with the addition of fruit, either in muddled form or as juice. Options include a mango hibiscus tea recipe, raspberry hibiscus tea, strawberry, peach, cranberry, blueberries, quince, lychee, tamarind, pineapple, watermelon, etc.
You can enjoy the hibiscus drink as is, dilute it with water/soda water, or even use it with a fruit juice blend or within cocktails (i.e., with rum, vodka, or tequila)!Check the blog post for how to prepare Aqua de Jamaica tea concentrate, as well as answers to top FAQs and more top tips!