Caribbean Sorrel Drink is my Christmas drink obsession!
This wonderful Trinidad sorrel drink is a holiday standout because it is prepared with Hibiscus flowers and spiked with rum.
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Sunita, originally from Trinidad, introduced me to this incredible beverage prepared with flower buds.
Her brother was so kind to send us some pictures from the flower fields growing right now in Trinidad and Tobago, an island nation in the Caribbeans.
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What is Hibiscus Sorrel?
Hibiscus Sorrel drink is a traditional Christmas beverage from the Caribbeans, prepared with the Roselle hibiscus flower variety.
The ruby-red sorrel drink is popular during the holidays on the islands such as Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Jamaica. The dried flowers color the infused water red.
Sorrel drinks should not be confused with the green, sour sorrel leaves! Sorrel leaves have nothing in common with the sorrel beverage, except the name because it's another plant variety.
How to make it?
Step 1
Pour water and roselle into a pot with spices, cinnamon, clove, and star anise.
Step 2
Steep the Roselle flowers and spices to infuse the water.
Take from the heat, strain, and allow it to cool completely.
Step 3
Add ice cubes to the glass, sweeten and pour in cooled hibiscus tea.
Add white rum (optional) and mix it up.
📖 Recipe
Trini Sorrel Hibiscus Drink Recipe
Ingredients
- 6.5 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Dried Roselle Hibiscus Flower Buds see Notes
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 8 Cloves Whole
- 1 Star Anise optional
- Sugar or Simple Syrup or Honey as per taste
- Rum optional
- Ice Cubes
Instructions
- Pour the water into a pot and keep on the heat.
- Add the roselle hibiscus flowers, as well as the cinnamon stick, cloves, and the star anise.
- Mix and bring to a boil. Take from the heat and let it all steep covered for about 20 minutes.
- Sweeten with sugar when it's still hot or add corn syrup to the glass later.
- Pick out the spices, let the sorrel drink cool down.
- Serve with rum (or not) and ice cubes cooled and mixed.
Notes
- Dried Roselle flowers tend to be more intense in taste. So when using fresh flowers you might want to adjust the amounts by adding some and taste testing it.
- You can add sugar during the cooking process or let cool and pour into glasses with liquid corn sugar.
- You may or may not add rum to your Sorrell. I use white Caribbean rum. You can prepare an alcohol-free version by just skipping the rum.
- Recipe adapted from the Naparima Cookbook
Nutrition
Variation Ideas
Here are some ingredients that you can add for flavor.
- orange zest — use zest from untreated (no pesticides) oranges. Add it to the other ingredients during cooking process.
- lemon or lime slices — Get lemon or lime without pesticides because you don't want those poisons in your carefully crafted drink.
- pimento — aka allspice, can be used instead of cinnamon, star anise and cloves. If you ever come across pimento leaves, try adding 1-2 fresh or dried leaves to your brew, it's fresher and just amazing.
Storing and Serving
You can serve your sorrel drink in a glass, in a pitcher, or you can turn it into a part bowl.
Keep it cooled at all times.
The cooked dried flowers need to be strained and discarded right after the cooking process.
The infused spiced sorrel drink is good for at least 3 days if refrigerated.
Rosell Hibiscus Flower Info
Roselle is the red bulbous hibiscus variety. People call Roselle sometimes sorelle too and in some parts of America, it is better known as flor de Jamaica.
The flower of the roselle plant is used as an infusion in the American/Caribbean peninsula and in Africa. In Asia, local regional tribes and people tend to use the roselle leaves instead of the buds.
Red Roselle flower buds can be used fresh or dried. That way the flower buds are infused in boiling water or alcohol such as rum.
Roselle originated in Africa and people prepare a plain roselle infusion (minus the spices) all year round in the French-speaking African countries.
FAQs
Skip adding sugar altogether. I still recommend adding some sweetness to the drink to balance the tartness of the flowers.
Yes, just skip adding the alcohol.
Yes, per Roselle hibiscus flowers cup, add about 2 teaspoon Black Tea to the cooking process and the spices as per recipe. Steep for 5 minutes and strain. Add some ice cubes to serve it cooled.
Please consult your doctor.
More flower recipes
I am from Jamaica. we make Sorrell every year. We put every thing in the pot with ginger and bring to a boil
The ginger give it a delicious taste you can put other ingredients too.. I use lots of ginger to bring out the.taste strain in a container mix with sugar, wine, and rum. Let it sit for awhile and then strain and bottle place in the refrigerator. You can have it with anything.
food. Love to have it with Jamaican Rum Cake or with my dinner
Hi Barbara, thanks for sharing. I'm looking forward to trying your version soon.
👍
Hi,
great suggestion for a drink, .
However, I am in Trinidad now, but cannot find hibiscus flowers fresh or dried. Not in the Port of Spain market, nor in shops or pharmacies..
Any suggestions where I might buy some?
Thanks
Hi Simon, ask for roselle flower or show the locals the picture of the flowers in the post. Someone will maybe get you some or at least direct you towards a place where you can buy some dried flowers. The season for the flowers is not now, it's in winter, November, December, January. Hence why it's popular for Christmas.
Amazon usually has many products from far off locales.
Trinis make this a little differently
We boil the water firstturn off the fire then put the dry leaves cinnamon and other spicesi in cover and let steep for one hour or 24 hours. Strain and sweeten to taste serve chilled
Hi Lynn, thanks for sharing your Trini version. That gives everyone a different perspective on the Trini recipe further on top.
So delicious and beautiful, love the lighting and styling in the photos. Thank you for sharing, Helene! 🙂
thanks for your feedback. Glad to read that you enjoyed it 🙂