This refreshing Jamaica Drink is made from dried roselle hibiscus flower and the vibrant red color and tart, tangy flavor make it a favorite among many. It’s served cold over ice with a bit of sugar or honey to balance out the tartness.
Agua De Jamaica
Homemade agua de jamaica is easier to make than you think! A classic Mexican drink made with dried roselle hibiscus flowers infused in hot water. It’s just like making tea.
Want to have something different but healthy to drink? Agua De Jamaica is a refreshing tea that is full of vitamin C, minerals and lot of invigorating flavor. It’s a family favorite!
Agua De Jamaica is one of the most popular Agua Frescas in Mexico just like Agua De Sandia, Agua De Pepino or Agua De Piña. It’s a crowd favorite that never disappoints.
What exactly is Jamaica?
The correct term for Jamaica in English is Roselle (en Español es rosa deJamaica) – Hibiscus sabdariffa. The drink it’s not made out of those ornamental hibiscus plants like you see in the photos with the drinks.
Jamaica has many health benefits including lowering blood pressure, reduce levels of sugar and fats in blood, reduces inflammation and other amazing uses.
Ingredients
You only need two ingredients (not counting water) to make this traditional Agua de Jamaica drink: hibiscus petals & sugar.
Hibiscus Tea is a little tart and it requires sugar to make it easier to drink. However, you can use a natural sweetener if you’re trying to avoid sugar. To make 16 cups, you’ll need:
- 2cupsdried Jamaica flowersalso known as hibiscus or flor de Jamaica
- 16cupswater
- 1cupsugar
Variations
- When cooking your hibiscus petals, add spices like a cinnamon stick, a pinch of allspice or a little fresh ginger.
- Add mint leaves to add more refreshing taste.
- Once it’s cooked, add fresh lime juice for extra brightness.
Buying guide
Firstly, you can check out your regular grocery store. They may carry dried hibiscus flowers in the bulk section or in the tea aisle. Also try a Latin or Asian store since it’s very likely they will carry it.
If you prefer to shop online, you can find a wide variety of dried hibiscus flowers on websites like Amazon, Etsy, or any tea stores.
Regardless of where you decide to buy your dried hibiscus flowers, be sure to store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark place to maintain their freshness and flavor.
How to make this Jamaica Drink
- First, place to 2 cups of dried Jamaica and 8 cups of cold water in a medium pot.
- Bring the Jamaica & water to a soft boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add the sugar at this point and stir well until all of the sugar is dissolved. NOTE: We want to make sure we do this process while Jamaica is still hot so that the sugar dissolves easily.
- Add the remaining of the water and let it cool & steep for at least 2 hours (I let mine sit overnight covered on my counter since I like it to have a strong flavor!)
- When ready, use a fine mesh strainer to remove the flowers from the liquid and pour into a large pitcher. Discard the petals.
- Taste for sugar and water and add more if necessary.
- That’s it! Keep in refrigerator until ready to use and serve over ice just like iced tea.
How to Store
- Fridge:It should be stored in an airtight container, such as a glass jar or plastic bottle, and refrigerated immediately after it is made. The container should be tightly sealed to prevent air from entering, which can cause the juice to spoil more quickly.
- Freezer:Use a freezer-safe container like a plastic jug. It’s important to leave some space at the top of the container as the juice will expand when it freezes.
- Defrosting:When you’re ready to use the frozen drink, simply remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, you can also thaw it at room temperature for a few hours.
Pairing suggestions
This Mexican agua fresca is one of the most popular and common drinks you’ll see at restaurants and street vendors along with Horchata. It goes with all kinds of Mexican recipes from tacos to antojitos. I hope you give it a try!
Health Benefits
Not only is Agua de Jamaica a refreshing and delicious beverage, but it also has several health benefits. For starters, hibiscus is known to lower blood pressure, making it an excellent choice for those looking to improve their cardiovascular health. It’s also high in antioxidants, which help protect against cell damage and inflammation.
MORE OF MY Favorite…
Aguas Frescas Recipes
- Agua De Tamarindo
- Agua De Sandia (Watermelon Water)
- Agua De Melon
- Agua De Pepino
- Agua De Chia Y Limon
I hope you like this recipe!Share it, or leave a rating and comment below. For questions that need an answer right away, pleasecontact me and I’ll get back to you asap. Gracias!!!! xx, Ana
Print Agua De Jamaica Recipe:
Jamaica Drink (Jamaica Agua Fresca) Recipe
Servings 16 cups
Ana Frias
5 from 57 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
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This Jamaica Drink is made from dried roselle hibiscus flower and the vibrant red color and tart, tangy flavor make it a favorite among many.
16cups
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried jamaica flowers also known as hibiscus or flor de Jamaica
- 16 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
In a large pot, place the 2 cups of dried Jamaica and 8 cups of water.
Over medium high heat, bring it to a soft boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Add the sugar and stir well until all of the sugar is dissolved.
Add the remaining of the water and let it cool (I let mine sit overnight covered on my counter since I like it to have a strong flavor!)
Strain. Taste for sugar and water and add more if necessary.
Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve over ice.
Muy Delish Notes:
Storing
- Keep in refrigerator in an air tight container until ready to use and serve over ice.
- You can make a concentrate (without adding the last cups of water) and keep refrigerated for up to 1 month.
No calorie sweeteners options
- To keep the sugar intake low, just add stevia or truvia instead of sugar.
Good to know
- Agua De Jamaica is made from Hibiscus Sabdariffa
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Nutrition
Serving: 8oz | Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Sodium: 5mg | Sugar: 12g
The nutritional information and US conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or unit conversion tool.
Grow your own Roselle Hibiscus plant!!
Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa), is usuallygrownin tropical and subtropical areas (USDA zones 8-11). Roselle plantcare is relatively easy! Last year I sowed my seeds in March and harvested the hibiscus calyxes around October/November. Just sow your seeds orplantyour cuttings in sandy loam that receives full sun and water regularly.
The beauty is that it does not need much fertilizers but I fed it with fish emulsion at least once a month to keep it happy and healthy.
Tip: This plant does not like the cold but loves the heat! So if you need to protect heat sensitive plants, Roselle Hibiscus is a great plant to grow around them to protect from the blistering summer sun.
My plants from a few years ago! How gorgeous are they?
Cheers!
