Hibiscus made with cold water, the Sudanese way

كركديه

One flower, cold water, overnight. That's the whole drink. Naturally caffeine free, so the kids drink it too.

Get the dried karkadeOrder a six pack
Three pouches of Karkade dried hibiscus, product of Sudan, packed in Western Sydney.
  • Original
  • Unsweetened
  • Lemon and Mint
  • Cranberry and Pineapple

The short version

Caffeine
None
Naturally caffeine free. It's a flower, not a tea leaf.
Six packs
From $21
300ml or 500ml, four flavours, delivered across Sydney.
Shipping
Free over $100
Dried hibiscus posts anywhere in Australia, tracked. Or pick it up free from Westmead.
Dispatch
1 to 2 days
It's on the shelf here in Western Sydney, not coming from overseas.

The bottle

Six packs, delivered

We bottle it ourselves, 300ml and 500ml, in four flavours. Order six packs online and we'll deliver them across Sydney, or pick them up free from Westmead.

300ml six pack: Original or Unsweetened $21. Lemon and Mint or Cranberry and Pineapple $24.
500ml six pack: Original or Unsweetened $24. Lemon and Mint or Cranberry and Pineapple $27.

Bottles aren't posted. They're fresh, so they're delivered in Sydney only. Delivery is $15, free over $100.

Running a club day, a school event or a family gathering? Tell us the date and the headcount and we'll quote it. Stocking a cafe or shop? See wholesale.

Order a six pack
Two bottles of Karkade hibiscus tea in the finished label, product of Sudan, packaged in Australia
Real bottles, real label. This is what turns up.

What you're getting

Deep red, sharp, clean

It's tart. That's the whole character of it, the way a cranberry is tart, and it's why it works over ice on a hot day when nothing sweet will do.

Sweeten it and it softens into what gets poured at a Sudanese wedding. Leave it alone and it's sharper, and plenty of people prefer it that way. Try it plain first, then decide.

No caffeine in it at any strength, so it's the same drink for the kids as it is for you.

Get the dried karkade
Bottles of Karkade on ice at the stall
Served cold, straight off the ice. Make it the same way at home.

Make it at home

Whole dried calyces, product of Sudan, sifted and picked by hand, packed by us in Western Sydney.

Pick your bag

Free shipping over $100
300g$21

About 20 litres of drink once you let it down. Call it 80 glasses, which comes out around 26c a glass against $4.50 for a bottle from us.

600g$39

About 40 litres of drink. The one most families come back for once they know how they like it.

1.2kg$72

About 79 litres of drink. For the house that always has a jug going.

Not sure which bag? Start on 300g, then come back for a bigger one once you know how you like it. Buying for a cafe or a shop? Ask us for wholesale prices.

We use 100g to a litre. That's a lot of flower and we're telling you on purpose, because that's where the depth comes from. What comes out is a base, not the drink. Strain it, sweeten it, then let it down with cold water until it tastes right. Keep the calyces and they'll go again. Between the letting down and the second steep, a kilo comes out around 66 litres.

We sift it and pick it by hand. Stalk, seed, split calyx and dust all come out before anything goes in a bag. It's slow and it costs us yield, and it's the reason ours isn't the cheapest bag of dried flowers you can find.

Choose your size

Three stepsكيف تحضره

Hot works if you're in a hurry, but it won't go as deep. Cold and slow is the Sudanese way and it's worth the wait.

  1. 1 100g to a litre That's our measure and we don't skimp on it. What you're making is a base, so it should come out too strong to drink on its own.
  2. 2 Cold water, overnight Not boiling. Cover it, leave it in the fridge eight hours or more. This is the part people skip and it's the part that matters.
  3. 3 Strain, sweeten, let it down Sweeten to taste, then add cold water until it tastes right to you and pour it over ice. Keep the calyces, they'll give you a second jug.
The longer guide

The drinkالمشروب

Six packs from $21, delivered across Sydney. Dried karkade posted anywhere in Australia, free over $100.

See everything

Questions we actually get

Everything people ask us at the stall, written down so you don't have to.

Is it really caffeine free?

Yes. Naturally, not decaffeinated. It's a flower, not a tea leaf.

Do I have to sweeten it?

No. It's tart on its own and plenty of people drink it that way. At home most families sweeten it. Try it plain first and decide.

How long does a jug keep?

Three or four days in the fridge, sealed. It's fresh with nothing added, so treat it like fresh juice.

Where does it come from?

Sudan. Whole dried calyces, sifted and picked by hand, packed by us in Western Sydney. Not cut, not powdered, not a teabag full of dust.

How does shipping work?

The dried hibiscus is shelf stable, so it goes anywhere in Australia with tracked Australia Post. Free over $100. Bottles are delivered in Sydney only, $15 or free over $100. Pickup from Westmead is always free.

Can you do drinks for our club day or event?

Yes. We bring the tent, the ice and the bottles, or bulk karkade by the litre. Tell us the date and the headcount on the Kitchen page and we'll quote it.

Allergens

One ingredient, dried hibiscus calyces. It's packed by hand in a kitchen that also handles peanut, sesame, wheat and milk, so we can't promise it's free of traces. Email us if you need to know more before you order.

One honest note. Hibiscus can interact with some blood pressure medication and it isn't recommended in large amounts during pregnancy. We're not doctors and we're not going to pretend otherwise. If that's you, ask yours.

Get a club day quote

Karkade

Start with a 300g bagكركديه

It's the one most people start on. About 20 litres of drink out of a $21 bag, which is enough to work out how you like it.

Catering a day for a club or a family gathering? That's the Kitchen. Buying for a cafe or shop? That's wholesale.

Get the dried karkade