Starbucks Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers® – How to Make Your Own From Home!

In this post: Starbucks Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers® is a delightfully fruity and floral blended beverage from Starbucks. Here’s how you can make your own DIY version from home!

Nothing says spring and summer like Starbucks Refreshers®! But, if you’re like me, you don’t always want to go out to get your favorite drink. That’s why today I’m sharing this homemade Starbucks Very Berry Hibiscus® recipe!

What is the Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher®?

The Very Berry Hibiscus Lemonade Refresher® was one of Starbucks®’ most popular refreshers up until it was discontinued in 2021. This caffeinated cold drink has a fruity and flowery flavor that makes it the perfect thirst-quenching drink for warm spring and summer days.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Starbucks Very Berry Hibiscus® recipe:

• is quick and easy to make
• doesn’t require fancy equipment
• is totally free from the most common food allergens

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Hibiscus tea bag: deep red herbal tea with a cranberry-like tart flavor.
• Water: which will get boiled to steep your tea.
• White grape juice: you could use almost any fruit juice or plain cold water.
• Fresh blackberries: Starbucks® doesn’t use fresh blackberries (for obvious reasons), but I like to add fresh blackberries for an extra taste of summer.
• Ice cubes: this drink wouldn’t be quite as refreshing if it were only room temperature 😉

Optional Ingredients

• Green coffee extract: you could try using green tea or traditional coffee.
• Mint leaves: used as a garnish in this recipe.

How to Make a Very Berry Hibiscus® Drink at Home

1. Measure out the water and boil it in a kettle.
2. Pour the hot water over a hibiscus tea bag. Steep for at least 7 minutes.
3. If you want to use green coffee extract, add it now.
4. Let the tea cool for a bit. Stir the now-cooled tea into the grape juice.
5. Add the blackberries.
6. Add the ice cubes. Garnish with mint leaves and serve!

FAQs

What does a Starbucks Very Berry Tea® taste like?

It has a fruity sweetness from the blackberries and white grape juice which complements the tart sourness of the hibiscus tea and green coffee extract. However, the best way to describe the Very Berry Hibiscus® is refreshing.

Does a Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher® have caffeine?

If you choose to include the green coffee extract, this drink will have about 13-20 mg of caffeine in it, which is far less than the average 135mg caffeine consumption by the average adult. But if you want this drink to be completely caffeine-free, you can omit the green coffee extract!

What type of berries are used in this drink?

Starbucks® uses frozen or freeze-dried blackberries and I use fresh blackberries. That being said, you could include any berries you want; raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc.

How many calories does it have?

This recipe has about 160 calories in it. However, you may find that this recipe makes more than one serving depending on how much you like to drink at one time. When split into two servings, this recipe has 80 calories per serving.

What is the hibiscus flower?

It’s a beautiful flowering plant native to Asia, Africa, and India. The part used in tea is actually the outer leaves, not the petals themselves.

Where can I buy dried hibiscus flowers?

You can usually find dried hibiscus flowers at a health food store or large grocery store.

Can I make it ahead of time?

You can make this drink a few hours ahead of time but you should never leave it overnight!

Is the Very Berry Hibiscus® from Starbucks® discontinued?

The Starbucks Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher® was discontinued in 2021 due to lesser demand for the drink. However, Starbucks® has said the drink will eventually return to the menu. Until then, you can make this homemade recipe!

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