A floral, ruby-hued take on the classic margarita, our Margarita Rosa blends chilled hibiscus tea with tequila (we used the non-alcoholic version from Free Spirits) for a drink that’s vibrant, tart, and wonderfully crushable. Lime juice brings the classic margarita snap, agave nectar rounds the acidity, and our Spiced Cherry bitters add gentle bitterness and depth—turning this into something far more complex and satisfying than your standard “virgin margarita”. The hibiscus doesn’t just color the drink; it adds tannin and a cranberry-like brightness that keeps this non-alcoholic cocktail recipe refreshing, structured, and sure to be a crowd pleaser.
This recipe was perfected using non-alcoholic tequila, but you’re welcome to use full-strength tequila or combine both styles to make a low-ABV cocktail.
A vibrant hibiscus margarita—bright, tart, and delicious with or without alcohol.
Ingredients
1 ½ oz non-alc tequila (like Free Spirits)
1 ½ oz hibiscus tea, chilled
¾ oz lime juice
½ oz agave nectar
7 dashes ATB Spiced Cherry Bitters
Directions
Brew and chill hibiscus tea in advance.
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake hard for 6–8 seconds.
Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge.
Recipe Note
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Your standard “virgin margarita” is just a margarita with the tequila removed—what you’re left with is nothing more than limeade in a fancy glass, without the structure or complexity that makes a margarita a margarita. Here, we replace the tequila with a non-alcoholic tequila to keep the earthy, vegetal notes that define the drink, and then layer in chilled hibiscus tea, which adds tannin, depth, and a subtle cranberry-like tartness. The result is a non-alcoholic margarita with a flavor profile remarkably close to the full-strength version, but with none of the intoxicating effects or the next-day hangover.
ABOUT NON-ALCOHOLIC TEQUILA Non-alcoholic tequila alternatives typically use agave distillates, extracts, and natural flavors to recreate the grassy, mineral, and peppery character of full-strength tequila—without the alcohol. This makes them far more effective in a margarita than simply removing the spirit altogether.
Two of our favorite non-alc tequilas are Free Spirits Tequila, a reposado-style option with smoke and spice notes, and Almave Blanco, which is bright, vegetal, and distinctly green-agave forward. Either works beautifully in this recipe, but you can use any non-alcoholic tequila you enjoy, full-strength tequila, or even a mix of the two for a lower-ABV version.
USING BITTERS IN NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS Cocktail bitters provide depth and balance, rounding out sweet and sour flavors while adding bite. Since All The Bitter is completely 0% ABV (unlike traditional bitters, which are around 45% alcohol), you can use as much as you like to dial in flavor and complexity without affecting the ABV of your drink.
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