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Agua de Jamaica – Sweet. Tangy. Refreshing. YES PLEASE! Think cranberry juice but three to five time better!
Most taco shops charge astronomical prices for an 8 oz container of this refreshing drink. That’s just plain insane!
You can make a full pitcher of this DELICIOUS drink for that amount at home. Let me show you how it is done.
How to Make It
Jamaica, or Ha-mai-Kah, not pronounced like the country.
In a nutshell, it’s basically hibiscus tea. You might hear it referred to as “Hibiscus Water” or “Jamaica Drink.”
Made from dried hibiscus flowers. Or in Spanish, we call it “flor de jamaica.”
More Agua Fresca Recipes:
Agua de Melon
Pineapple Agua Fresca
Watermelon Agua Fresca
Cucumber Lime Agua Fresca
- Boil water.
- Add the dried hibiscus flowers.
- Let boil for 10 minutes and turn off the heat so it can steep.
The water will concentrate and will take on a deep red color as well as a thick consistency – almost like a thin syrup.
Other Steeping Methods
- Let the flowers soak in warm water for 2 hours, and it will turn out just the same.
- Do a cold brew of the dried flowers overnight. Then take the leftover flowers for a hot brew the second batch This is a two in one bonus!
- Strain the tea.
- Using the back of your cooking spoon strain the tea into a pitcher.
- Add water.
Most of the flavor from the flowers will be used after it is steeped. Any more batches will be weak.
You can make this drink well in advance. It will be good for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Other Additions to the Tea:
Cinnamon stick
Cloves
Ginger
Mint
Great Idea! Freeze any leftovers and make ice cubes with it. Or, pour the Jamaica Water into popsicle molds for a yummy summer treat.
For my diabetic friends, you can use any sugar substitute. Or, sweeten it up with piloncillo.
There are creative uses for hibiscus like Hibiscus Beer
Some people will even use the leftover flor de jamaica for tacos. Yes! Tacos! Simply swap out the chicken in chicken tinga and instead use leftover hibiscus flower.
Drink Weight Loss
When you’ve eaten one too many tacos and your pantalones are too tight, make this drink. It is a natural laxative.
Pro Tip
This recipe will make quite a bit of concentrate. Make some that day, then leave the concentrate for another day.
Drink Benefits
- It can help high blood pressure
- It can help people with high cholesterol.
For 21+ readers, splash or two of vodka or tequila for an adult beverage.
Mexican Picadillo, Potato Tacos Dorados, or Chorizo con Papas go great with a tall glass of this yummy drink.
More Mexican Drinks:
Agua de Platano
Agua de Tamarindo
Strawberry Agua Fresca
Pineapple Banana Agua Fresca
This beverage goes perfectly with just about any authentic Mexican recipes.
Agua de Jamaica is light, just right, and easy to enjoy!
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Agua de Jamaica (Jamaica Drink)
Ingredients
- 12 cups water
- 1 1/2 cup Dried Jamaica flowers (or hibiscus flowers)
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Boil 4 cups of water.
- Add the jamaica flowers.
- Return to boil for 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat and cover. Let cool.
- Strain into a pitcher.
- Press down on the flowers with the back of a cooking spoon to extract the liquid.
- Add remaining water and sugar to the pitcher.
- Stir to combine.
- Add more sugar if needed.
Video
Notes
- Let the flowers soak in warm water for 2 hours, and it will turn out just the same.
- Do a cold brew of the dried flowers overnight. Then take the leftover flowers and hot brew the second batch.
Nutrition
This post was recently updated with new pictures. You might remember the old ones.
We’re big on tea, we have a cupboard overflowing with different kinds, though we’ve never had hibiscus tea before! We must hunt this down 🙂
You might need to order it online. We live in an area with a high concentration of Mexicans. Luckily, we can find it in the market.
Where do you buy it Maggie? I love Jamaica!
I usually buy it at the Mexican markets, even regular grocery stores will have it now. Or, if you scroll up, there’s a BUY IT HERE or http://amzn.to/2hxm3Ad (Affiliate).
I will have to try this I normally have this refreshing drink with ginger
Yes. Agua de Jamaica tastes great with ginger!
This sounds so refreshing! I love hibiscus anything!
Me too. 😀
Yum. I’ve had this but never made it myself. I’m partial to horchata but jamaica is a close second. :]
I’m the other way around. I’m partial to jamaica and horchata is a close second. LOL!
Have to try this in Summertime! Thank you for sharing!
It’s so yummy! Glad you enjoyed this
Awesome recipe. I was went to try this – as I was boiling water, I had a brief panic attack. Was I about to deliver a baby? I don’t even know this lady – I’m not even a doctor, I just tell people I am. I am in over my head. I ran back to reread your blog and then it became clear. I’m NOT delivering a baby. Whew. You have no idea how freaked out I was.
PS: I’ve had this at Ethiopian restaurants as well as Mexican.
LOL. I’m a bit of a goofball. 😀
Hibiscus is my favorite flower! I have to try this tea!
You must make it. You’re going to love it.
This looks delicious! What a perfect drink to serve at brunch
Agreed! It’s great any time of the day.
Oooh I LOVE hibiscus tea and this looks so delicious!
Thank you! Cheers.
Mmm, this looks tasty! Definitely saving to Pinterest to try it myself!
Thanks for pinning!
This sounds incredibly light and refreshing. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Thank you!
How long does it need to steep once the heat is tuned off? Making it for my dad who is from Mexico…. hoping he likes it 😉 but I’m using stevia instead of sugar…
My dad is diabetic. I used Stevia all the time. It’s a tea. So, it steeps for just a few minutes. Hope he likes it. 🙂
That flower is not hibiscus, it is called sorrel.
Dried hibiscus flowers are known as “sorrel” in Jamaica and in most of the Caribbean. In Latin America, it is referred to as “jamaica” and is used to make Agua de Jamaica.
Just got home from a visit with my brother in Guatemala. They introduced us to this drink – can’t wait to make it myself!
I found flor de jamaica at Von’s a couple of years ago. Made the tea for the holidays in two batches. One with sugar and one with stevia (for the diabetics). Everybody loved it! You’ve inspired me to do it again! Thank you!
So easy and delicious!
Awesome.
Glad you enjoyed this!
Such a delicious tea! I reduced the sugar slightly and it still tasted amazing. And the color was beautiful.
So glad you enjoyed this Kristina!