(Copycat) Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher

I happen to love Starbucks. Usually I go for a coffee drink, my favorite being an americano, but if I’m in the mood for a cold beverage, my favorite is the very berry hibiscus refresher. It’s lightly sweet and as the name suggests, it’s very refreshing.

My husband, Steve, and I will often walk up to our local Starbucks and now that the weather is warmer, this is a go-to drink for both of us. We’re usually super thirsty (it’s about a 1 mile walk) when we get there and it’s a perfect thirst quencher. But, the downside of getting this at Starbucks is the cost…it’s not cheap.

So, I started thinking and realized I could probably come up with a pretty close copycat version to make at home for a fraction of the cost. I’m not exactly sure what Starbucks puts in theirs, but I decided to start with hibiscus tea for mine.

Since I know there’s caffeine in the refreshers, I also added some green tea to the mix. To sweeten mine, I used a touch of agave nectar and, of course, I didn’t forget the blackberries. They shake theirs up, so I put mine in a martini shaker and gave it a good shake to mix everything up.

Then came the test, did it taste like a refresher? I went to Starbucks, bought one  for “research” and put them head to head.

The result? I think it’s a pretty close match and so did Steve, so now I’m passing it on to you!

(Copycat) Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher 

Close up shot of the copy cat very berry hibiscus refresher in a plastic cup with a straw and berries next to it.

For tea:

  • 3 hibiscus herbal tea bags
  • 3 green tea bags
  • 1 quart boiling water
  • ice
  • cold water

Combine tea bags and boiling water in a 2-quart pitcher.

Let tea steep for about 10 minutes.

Fill pitcher with ice and cold water.

Refrigerate.

For 16 oz refresher:

  • 12 oz hibiscus-green tea
  • 1/2 cup ice
  • 1/4 cup blackberries (fresh or thawed frozen)
  • 1 tsp agave nectar (more if you like it sweeter)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker (a martini shaker works great).

Shake for a good 20 seconds to break up the blackberries.

Pour into a glass.

Photo of the copy cat very berry hibiscus refresher in a cup with a straw with fresh berries next to it.

ENJOY!

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The Country Cook

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4 Comments

    1. There would be some caffeine from the green tea, but you could certainly use decaf green tea if you want to avoid caffeine.

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