Cold jug

Agua Fresca Hibiscus Guava No Sugar

The red jug without added sugar

3.6 from 12 ratings

From $24.99Price shown at our last check and set by the store, not by us.

Nothing is added to sweeten this one. Dried hibiscus flower, pieces of dried guava and whole chia seeds go into cold water and turn it deep red, exactly as the sweetened version does. What changes is the finish: the sour bite of the jamaica runs the glass from front to back, with the guava sitting behind it as fruit rather than as candy.

Poured plain over ice when the heat is up and the glass needs to taste sharp.

One pouch

500 g

$24.99

On the shelf now

50 servings, about 10 g each

A serving here is a weight, not a glass. We divide the pouch by the number of servings printed on it, so the grams add up whatever size cup you drink from.

What goes into it

Tart flower in front

With no sugar added, the hibiscus has nothing to hide behind. The calyces come through sharp and dry, the way a jug tastes before anyone reaches for the sugar bowl, and the dried guava rounds the edge off without softening it.

Fruit doing the work

Real dehydrated guava bits carry whatever sweetness there is in the glass. They swell in the pitcher as it stands and give the drink a fruit smell that arrives well before the first sip does.

Chia, same as ever

Whole chia seeds go into the blend untouched. Give the jug five minutes and they soften and hang in the water alongside the guava. Drink it as it pours or run it through a strainer if you want the glass clear.

Sweeten at the table

Because the pouch leaves the sweetening to you, the jug can go either way. Pour it plain over ice, or stir something into your own glass and leave the rest of the pitcher as it is for whoever prefers it dry.