Don’t let the red color of the Reef Surfer confuse you! This Singanga bar original special drink was made by Bartender Ector, who has been a part of the Hamanasi family for over 6 years. On the day he first made the Reef Surfer, the waves were rough and he thought of riding the waves!
Ector was originally inspired by the Hibiscus he saw around the resort, so he experimented with dried hibiscus sorrel. Sorrel is actually a name used in the English speaking Caribbean for the Rosselle plant (Hibiscus sabdariffa). It is an African, most likely West African, native annual or perrenial herb with flowers that form a fleshy, deep crimson fruit. In the 16th & 17th centuries, it was brought to the Caribbean islands and the Americas by enslaved Africans. It has been used culturally since to make red drinks.
Ector first made a tea with the sorrel, water and a splash of lime which brightens the appearance of the sorrel tea. Then he used the tea as a base in his new drink. All his new drinks are created with his understanding of the ingredients, trial and error process, and, of course, love. Try your hand at Ector’s reef surfer!
Ingredients
For the sorrel tea:
- 3 cups boiling water
- A handful or about ½ cup dried sorrel hibiscus flowers/fruits
- ½ lime juice
For the simple syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup cane sugar
For the cocktail:
- ice
- 1 oz gin
- 1 oz vodka
- ½ oz triple sec
- ¾ oz lime juice (about one lime)
- 4 oz orange juice (about 1-2 oranges)
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 3 oz sorrel tea
Directions
Step 1: Preparations
- Make the sorrel tea: Add sorrel to water and boil until it has a deep red/maroon color. Add a touch of lime to brighten the color. Let cool.
- Make simple syrup: Add sugar to boiling water and stir until the sugar dissolves. Let cool.
Step 2: Mix the cocktail
- Pour gin, vodka & triple sec over ice in a tall glass
- Add lime juice, orange juice and simple syrup
- Gently pour sorrel tea over a bar spoon so it floats on top
- Garnish with dried sorrel flowers, fresh mint and a lime
- Take a photo of your beautiful cocktail
- Stir and enjoy!
