This Ruby Hibiscus Water Made Me a Next-Level Bevy Connoisseur

I’m a big beverage girl. I’ll make grocery store trips just to stock up on hoarder-level  collections of drinks; my worst beverage-related memory is carrying a truckload of cans and bottles in a brown bag for 12 blocks and the insurmountable weight of my drink haul ripping a hole right through the bottom. (A random good Samaritan pulled over in his car and gave me his tote—a true MVP.) But my thirst for specialty beverages never waivered despite my moment of humiliation. De La Calle’s Tepache, La Croix, High Noon, Perrier, single cans of Cherry Coke Zero, and Poppi are just a few of the many drinks that enrich my soul and cure my need to wet the ol’ whistle. That’s not to mention my daily cafe habit that depletes me of my moolah: coffee, tea, matcha, lemonade—I want it all. 

Still, I’m always impressed when I meet a new bev that impresses me with its originality—and lately, that’s been Ruby Hibiscus Water, which provides me with a calming hit that could rival the almighty Juul (RIP).

I’m a huge fan of Starbucks’ Passion Tango tea, made with lemongrass and hibiscus, so when I saw this in the local bodega, it immediately called my name. I didn’t think it was going to be anything too special given its general similarity to tea, but, of course, I still copped it. I go weak in the knees for aesthetic packaging—sue me. 

I first tried a sparkling version of the tea—there are both carbonated and non carbonated flavors—because I love all things bubbly. I cracked open the blood orange flavor, reveled in the ASMR fizzing sound, took a sip, and was immediately transported into the Italian countryside. It reminds me of a lightly sweetened version of those super-tasty San Pellegrino Aranciata drinks. The refreshing citrus is perfect for a summer day, while the lightly sweetened carbonation feels like you’re sipping on a Fanta, but over here, we’re ~organic~. There’s no added refined sugar, too; it’s simply sweetened with fruit.  

As it turns out, Ruby Hibiscus Water is a more punchy, tart version of hibiscus tea. It’s made with cut and sifted hibiscus leaves, just like your standard hibiscus tea, but the leaves are then ambient brewed,  a process that quickly brews tea and gives it more flavor while also making it less tannic and astringent. The strain used in this delicious bev is hibiscus sabdariffa, which is native to Southeast Asia and West Africa and is sourced from an ethical farm in Burkina Faso. The drink comes in both unsweetened or lightly sweetened, as well as in a variety of non carbonated flavors such as ginger cherry, pomegranate lime, and Concord grape. If you’re looking for an upgrade from La Croix, there’s also the sparkling line that hooked me. 

After my initial rendezvous, I was longing for more. Soon after, I stomped straight back to my local Whole Foods and got the original unsweetened hibiscus water. There were only two bottles left, so I got lucky. At that moment, I was dying of thirst after a run in the scorching heat, so I popped that sucker open right at the store. With notes of dried cherries, cranberry, pomegranate, and green apple, it brought me back to my Snapple days, but in a more sophisticated form—I felt rejuvenated, hydrated, and bougie sipping out of the miniature glass bottle. 

Turns out, I’m not the only one enamored of this stuff. One reviewer on Ruby’s website says it is impossible to sip, and I agree—you will want to throw it back like a Kamikaze shot because it’s just so tasty. “[It] must be chugged. Your taste buds will not allow you to stop drinking until it’s gone,” the review reads, and that statement is right on the money. We dare you to try to make a bottle last more than 10 minutes.

TL;DR: Ruby HIbiscus Water is now officially a member of my iconic drink lineup. Do I still spend money on iced tea at the cafe? Duh. But the habit is slightly more under control these days. I still have to try ginger cherry, pomegranate lime, and sparkling Concord grape, but let’s just say they’re on my wishlist (aka, already in my virtual Whole Foods cart).

Get crackin’ and sippin’.

Ruby Hibiscus Water is available for purchase on its website. 

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