How to make the common mexican drink jamaica?

Question

I need to make enough cold jaimica drink for 20 people. How much jaimica, and how do I make it?

Answer 1

Jamaica - Hibiscus sabdariffa

Although referred to as "jamaica flowers" these are actually hibiscus calyxes (the cover over the blossoms before they open). The flowers are used in Mexico for a tangy deep red "cooler" called Aqua de Jamaica.  Other names for the "jamaica flowers" include "hibiscus flowers", "roselle" and "Jamaica sorrel".  In Mexican grocery stores the common terms are either "jamaica" or " flores de jamaica".

The plant is native from India to Malaysia and is now widely grown throughout the tropics and subtropics.

Aqua de Jamaica

2 cups (approx 2 ounces) jamaica flowers

3/4 cups sugar

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil, and the flowers and the sugar and stir why the mixture boils for about a minute. Pour into a non-staining, noncorrosive bowl and allow to steep for about 2 hours.

Strain the mixture through a sieve pressing to extract as much liquid as possible.   Taste, if too "tangy" add more water, if too "tart" add more sugar. Cover and refrigerate until time for serving.

Serve over ice in tall "ice tea" style glasses or large wine goblets.

Answer 2

are you trying to make it homemade. You mean you want to make the hibiscus flower drink called jamaica; right? well, I have only used jamaica powder (and occasionally jamaica pop); but if you go to a mexican market just buy jamaica in produce if they have it-I don't know if they will-but if not buy jamaica powder. Or you can buy the jamaica premade pop but if you want to make that yourself just get yourself some carbonated water and some jamaica powder. I have been drinking this stuff for years as I have been in 13 of the 27 mexican estados even though I am from the USA. I'm a real jamaica lover. Ask someone in produce "how close to homemade can I make this? what do you have where I can make it completely homemade?" in a mexican market.