Cascara Tea (Coffee Cherry Tea)

Before you start

Cascara is the dried skin and pulp of the coffee cherry, the fruit that surrounds the coffee bean. In some coffee-growing regions it has long been steeped as a drink; in Yemen and Ethiopia related husk infusions are known as qishr or hashara. Brewed like tea, cascara tastes nothing like roasted coffee: expect dried cherry, hibiscus, raisin and a light honey sweetness, with a reddish amber color.

Cascara is easy to brew but sensitive to two things: the quality of the husks and the steep time. Good cascara is clean, sweet-smelling and dry, with no musty or fermented odor. Use water just under boiling and taste as you go; past about 6 minutes some batches pick up a woody bitterness. A cold-brew version gives a softer, juicier result that works well over ice.

Ingredients

• 20 g (about ⅓ cup) dried cascara
• 500 ml (2 cups) water — plus more for rinsing
• 1 to 2 tsp honey — optional
• 1 strip orange peel — optional

Method

1. Weigh the cascara and break any very large pieces in half with your fingers. Smell it: it should be fruity and sweet, never musty.
2. Heat the water to about 93°C (200°F), just off the boil.
3. Put the cascara in the French press or teapot. Pour over a splash of hot water to wet the husks, wait 30 seconds, then add the rest.
4. Steep for 4 minutes and taste with a spoon. If it is still thin, steep up to 2 minutes more; it should taste like a deep, fruity infusion with a soft tartness.
5. Press the plunger down or strain the tea into cups. Stir in honey and add a strip of orange peel if you like.

Tips for success

• Weigh rather than scoop. Cascara pieces vary a lot in size, so a tablespoon can hold very different amounts.
• A second steep of the same husks with fresh hot water for 6 to 8 minutes gives a lighter but pleasant cup.
• Cascara from different coffee farms tastes quite different. Washed and dried husks from one origin can lean cherry-like, while another leans toward tamarind or tobacco.

Substitutions

Honey

Simple syrup or a little cane sugar keeps the fruit flavor cleaner. Maple syrup adds a caramel note that suits the raisin character.

Hot brew

Cold brew needs only time: combine 30 g of cascara with 1 liter of cold water and refrigerate for 12 to 16 hours, then strain. It is less tart and slightly sweeter.

Orange peel

A slice of fresh ginger or a single cinnamon stick in the pot gives a warmer, spiced cup.

Variations

Cascara soda

Make a strong syrup by simmering 50 g cascara in 250 ml water with 200 g sugar for 10 minutes, strain, and mix 30 ml with 150 ml of soda water over ice.

Iced cascara lemonade

Mix 150 ml of chilled cascara with 30 ml of lemon juice and 15 ml of simple syrup over ice.

Troubleshooting

It tastes woody or bitter

The steep ran too long or the water was boiling. Cut the steep to 4 minutes and use water just off the boil.

It tastes flat and weak

There was too little cascara or the husks are old. Use 20 g per 500 ml and buy cascara from a recent harvest.

It smells musty or sour before brewing

The cascara was stored damp and may have spoiled. Discard it rather than brewing.

Storage

Drink hot cascara fresh. Refrigerate cold brew in a covered jar and use within 3 days. Keep dried cascara in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place and use within about 6 months.

Safety notes

Cascara contains caffeine, usually less than brewed coffee, but the amount varies widely between batches. The FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults; adjust for your own sensitivity.