Name: Hibiscus Guava Agua Fresca
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 10 hibiscus tea bags; 28 ounces water , room temperature; 14 ounces guava nectar, chilled; 4 ounces recipe with mint; 2 ounces lemon juice , plus lemon slices for garnishing; ¼ cup fresh mint leaves

Why This Recipe Works

Our goal here was a fruity, refreshing nonalcoholic cocktail that would go down easy at an outdoor party on a hot summer day. To this end, we started by brewing hibiscus tea using our favorite room-temperature brewing method for iced tea. We then sampled our hibiscus tea mixed with every variety of fruit juice we could imagine—including passion fruit, orange, pineapple, and pear—and settled on the sweet, mildly tart taste of guava nectar as the winner. To sweeten our juicy, eye-poppingly pink tea, we favored mint syrup, which brought an herbal lift to the flavor. You could also try Herb Syrup made with basil, tarragon, or thyme in this drink instead of the mint, or try the Ginger Syrup. A small dose of lemon juice added some citrus acidity to round out the flavors perfectly and make it even more refreshing after a long afternoon in the sun.

Before You Begin

For the best flavor, look for hibiscus tea that is 100 percent hibiscus. You can find guava nectar in the international aisle of most well-stocked supermarkets; if not, you can substitute pineapple or mango juice.

Instructions

Tie strings of tea bags together (for easy removal) and place in serving pitcher or large container along with water; let steep for 45 minutes. Discard tea bags. Stir guava nectar, herb syrup, and lemon juice into tea. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

Stir agua fresca to recombine, then serve in chilled collins glasses filled with ice, garnishing individual portions with lemon slice and mint leaves.