A FESTIVE SHANDY THAT IS THE MOST STUNNING COLOR & TASTES DIVINE!
I will never say no to a good shandy at a bar in the summertime but y'all...I am so excited to share an especially festive holiday take with you this week on the blog. This one is a gorgeous red and will look so beautiful on your table this holiday season. Needless to say, I am obsessed with the color of this one. I've long wanted to develop a magical recipe using hibiscus for you all and this one is the ONE to beat.
I teamed up with the one and only, Rupee Beer- known and recognized for bringing Indian craft beer to the world to develop this stress-free AND stunning recipe perfect for any holiday gathering you're hosting this time of the year.
Rupee is the go-to pairing for Indian food and not by chance. Crafted by a renowned Indian chef and master beer brewer- it was specifically made with less carbonation to ensure that it stands up nicely to spicy Indian dishes. I for one will be pairing this one with my mom's delicious Andra-style chicken biryani. She makes it every year when we are all back home for the holidays and nothing says comfort like this incredible recipe for me!
Before I travel back home to Seattle to spend time with my family, don't you worry...I've got some other incredible recipes coming your way! Quite a few! :) I hope you love what I've whipped up this season and appreciate you coming along the ride with me.
THIS RECIPE WAS MADE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RUPEE BEER.
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INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup of dried hibiscus flowers
2 cups of cold filtered water
10-12 fresh mint leaves
1 16 oz of Rupee Premium Lager Beer
Hibiscus flowers in syrup, optional for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Make your hibiscus tea by placing 1/4 of dried hibiscus flowers in a mason jar (or container that has a lid) with two cups of cold filtered water. Add in 10-12 mint leaves in the jar.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. For a deeper flavor, chill up to 5-6 hours or overnight. Be careful not to brew the tea any longer, as hibiscus is quite tart and the longer you brew the tea- the more tart tea you have to work with!
To serve, start by straining 6 oz of the hibiscus-mint cold brewed tea into a pint glass.
Then, top with 10 oz of Rupee beer.
Optional, but for an extra touch- garnish with hibiscus flowers on a cocktail pick. Serve immediately!
~ Serves 1
Notes
I highly recommend making your tea with dried hibiscus flowers, but you can use a store-bought version as well. I've found that dried hibiscus flowers are becoming easier to find. I've seen them at quite a few local grocers. You can also use hibiscus tea bags or a store-bought iced hibiscus ice tea. Versatility! If you do, just be sure to add in your mint when steeping to get the maximum flavor.
Let's talk sweeteners. I prefer the crisp tartness of hibiscus tea without any added sugar- but you can also sweeten the tea with a simple syrup if you'd like before assembling the shandy. Another great option is to use the hibiscus flowers in rose syrup. I used this one for this recipe. The syrup adds a little bit of sweetness (not too much) and is the perfect sweetness level for me. The best thing about this drink is that it is easily customizable! You can always add a little or a lot of sweetener based on your preference - just be sure to use simple syrup or agave versus raw sugar. Since you are using iced tea for this recipe, you want to make sure the sugar dissolves and doesn't just fall to the bottom of your glass.