Coffee cascara is relatively new in the United States, but it has been used to prepare a beverages for a long time in some other parts of the world.
In Bolivia it is called Sultana, and in Yemen, it is known as Qishr, and it is known to be regularly consumed. In Ethiopia, the cascara beverage is known as Hashara. The people in these countries add different spices to make it more fragrant.
What is Cascara Coffee Cherry Tea?
As the name suggests, cascara tea refers to tea made from the fruit shells of coffee cherries. It is being made using the husks left behind after the removal of the coffee beans. After that, they are dried, which is resulting in a product similar to tea. Subsequently they are packaged and used to make a highly beneficial herbal tea.
In the past, once the coffee beans were separated from the fruit, the common practice was to discard the fruit and compost it.
Today, cascara is popular amongst not only the coffee lovers but also tea drinkers and consumers of healthy products, because the coffee cherry fruit contains a high amount of polyphenols. They can help managing blood pressure levels and keep your blood vessels healthy and flexible, promoting good circulation. As an additional benefit they also help reduce chronic inflammation, another risk factor for heart disease. Polyphenols can also reduce and help control your blood sugar levels.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/polyphenols
Making Hot Cascara Tea
- Place a half an ounce (about 3 tablespoons) of loose dried coffee cherry in a tea strainer. Pour 10–12 ounces of hot water (203-212 F) over the infuser.
- Let the coffee cherries steep for four to seven minutes.
- Remove the infuser and enjoy!
Making Cold Cascara Tea
There are two different ways to brew cold cascara tea.
- You can either brew it hot using slightly more coffee cherries and a longer steep time.
- Let the tea cool, add ice and enjoy.
- Alternatively, place 6 tablespoons of dried coffee cherries in 12 ounces of cold water and allow it to steep overnight (about 12-16 hours).
Where to get Cascara Coffee Cherry Tea?
If you are interested in getting the Cascara tea, we have our coffee cherry tea coming from our good friend and partner Ricardo Pérez Barrantes and his daughter Mariana who product it from the coffee cherries from their Santa Lucia coffee farm. Learn more about it and order your bag by clicking on the link.