Today we’re going to be making a pineapple agua fresca. If you haven’t made an agua fresca before you should definitely give it a go! While the name of this drink might sound intimidating, creating it certainly isn’t. It’s a quick, light drink that will be a hit with everyone! Made from macerated fruit, sparkling water, and iced tea, it'll have you feeling refreshed and cooled down in no time.
Having a party? This drink is quick and easy to make but will impress your guests and help them to be cool and comfortable at your event. Serve it in tall glasses garnished with a wedge of pineapple on the side -- and maybe even a little umbrella for a bit of fun. Or make up a large pitcher for people to help themselves. We’ll also be providing an optional boozy twist on this drink at the end of the recipe, if you really want to get the party started!
How to Make Pineapple Agua Fresca
Today’s recipe utilizes Pineapple Pop pineapple herbal tea. Prepare your iced tea according to your preferred method. You can brew it hot, though I personally prefer using the cold brewed tea method. Whichever you choose, be sure to make your tea nice and strong for the best flavor in your pineapple agua fresca.
If you brew hot, place your tea in the fridge to cool down. It’s important not to use ice cubes to cool the tea down, as they will water down your flavor. We will be adding carbonated water later on, so we don’t want to weaken the flavor unnecessarily.
Using iced tea in your agua fresca means that your drink will carry over some of the notes from whichever blend you select, so you can get as creative as you like. If you want a slightly different flavor profile, try using Pineapple Sage herbal tea instead. (I also think it’d be lovely to make a strawberry agua fresca using the Noble Blend strawberry green tea.)
You can use canned pineapple if you don’t have access to the fresh fruit. Fresh pineapple does have a much better flavor and color, so if you can I’d recommend sticking with fresh over canned.
To make this drink you, will need some equipment such as a blender or muddler. I would recommend using a blender as it is a much more effective and efficient way to get your fruit to a nice consistency to add into the drink. The smoother your fruit consistency is, the nicer your agua fresca will be.
Pineapple Agua Fresca
Ingredients:
- 1 small fresh pineapple
- 1 cup of Pineapple Pop tea, brewed
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla sugar
- 1 bottle of carbonated water
Directions:
Prepare your iced tea according to your preferred method. Remember to brew it strong!
Peel, core, and chop up your pineapple. Place into blender along with sugar and your cup of iced tea. Blend until smooth. The finer you can get the fruit to become, the better! As pineapple can be a bit fibrous at times, you may need to blitz several times in order to get the desired consistency.
Once you have your fruit mixture to a nice consistency, pour into a cup or pitcher until approximately half of the vessel is filled.
Top with carbonated water, either store-bought or via your soda stream. Serve immediately.
A Boozy Twist
If you’re feeling more adventurous, add some rum! Add approximately 3 tablespoons of rum into your blender with your fruit mix. Blend and continue the recipe as above.
You can add more rum to taste at the end prior to serving if you like. If you’re just wanting a little something extra but don’t want to overpower all those lovely pineapple and tea flavors, err on the side of less is more.
I hope you enjoyed this sweet and refreshing pineapple agua fresca. Now go relax!
