Non-alcoholic recipe
Hibiscus Cranberry Spice
Hibiscus and unsweetened cranberry make a sharp ruby sour, with lime and ginger syrup bringing freshness and warmth without pink peppercorn.
Ingredients
- 75 ml chilled plain hibiscus tea
- 60 ml chilled pasteurized unsweetened cranberry juice
- 20 ml fresh lime juice
- 15 ml 1:1 simple syrup by weight
- 15 ml ginger syrup (NA-013 shared preparation; 1:1 sugar:water by weight)
Preparation
Steep 3 g food-grade dried hibiscus in 150 ml water at approximately 90°C for 7 minutes; strain and chill. Make ginger syrup from 100 g sugar, 100 g water and 20 g thinly sliced fresh ginger: simmer gently 5 minutes, cover off heat 10 minutes, strain the ginger syrup, weigh it, and add cooled boiled water to bring the finished ginger syrup to 200 g; chill. Make simple syrup from equal weights sugar and water. Shake 75 ml hibiscus tea, 60 ml cranberry juice, 20 ml lime juice, 15 ml simple syrup and 15 ml ginger syrup with ice for 10 seconds. Fine-strain into a double rocks glass over fresh ice; garnish with a lime wheel.
Glassware
Double rocks glass over cubed ice
Garnish
1 lime wheel
History
Hibiscus–cranberry mocktails are already published, including versions using cranberry syrup or sparkling water. The Mixology proposal uses unsweetened cranberry juice, lime and measured ginger syrup; it is not represented as a traditional recipe or unique invention.
Mixology View
Hibiscus, cranberry and lime are all tart. The two measured syrups are intended to keep the acidity in check while ginger supplies a clean finish; their sweetness still depends on preparation. This is a desk estimate, not a tasting result.
Ingredient note
Use food-grade hibiscus tea and culinary ginger, not ornamental flowers or essential oils. People who are pregnant or have medical concerns should check whether hibiscus tea is suitable for them. This version contains no pink peppercorn.