Hibiscus Tea
Ingredients
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- 2 cups dried hibiscus flowers – rinsed
- 8 cups water
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- lime – wedges (for serving)
- ice cubes – for serving
Instructions
1. Place the dried hibiscus flowers in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water; drain well.
2. Combine the water and granulated sugar in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 3–5 minutes.
3. Stir in the flowers, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 10–15 minutes, until the liquid is deep ruby and the flavor is bright-tart with a rounded sweetness.
5. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof pitcher; discard the solids.
6. For hot hibiscus tea, serve right away.
7. For iced hibiscus tea, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
8. Serve over ice cubes and with lime wedges for squeezing.
Hibiscus tea is a vivid ruby-red herbal infusion made from the dried calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa. It tastes brightly tart—akin to cranberry—with a clean, floral finish and a palate-cleansing snap. Enjoyed hot, it’s soothing and aromatic; poured over ice, it’s intensely refreshing and thirst-quenching.
The drink has deep roots across Africa and the broader Afro-Arab world, where it is known as karkadé in Egypt and Sudan and bissap in West Africa. Through trade and migration, it spread to the Caribbean and Latin America, where it appears as agua de jamaica and sorrel during festive seasons. Despite regional names and garnishes, the core preparation—steeping hibiscus in water and sweetening to taste—has remained consistent for generations.