The Latinidad Is Libre: A Mauby Cocktail

RECIPE: Reprinted with permission from Caribbean Cocktails: Drinks and Bites from the Afro-Latino Diaspora. Text copyright © 2026 by Nelson German. Photographs copyright © 2026 by Eduardo Gonzalez. Illustrations copyright © 2026 by Fanesha Fabre. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

Photo: Eduardo Gonzalez

May 27, 2026

A boozy ode to a traditional Caribbean drink.

In their book Caribbean Cocktails: Drinks and Bites from the Afro-Latino Diaspora, authors Nelson German and Andréa Lawson Gray explore Latino culture through various cocktails and food. One such cocktail features mauby, a Caribbean drink made from mauby tree bark, spices, and sweeteners. The drink was originally created by the indigenous Taíno people in the Caribbean who brewed medicinal teas from plants.

But for those who can’t get a hold of mauby syrup, they recommend swapping in tamarind syrup with a couple dashes of bitters. “This cocktail is an ode to mauby, blending its deep, spiced complexity with coconut water and finishing with the crisp, refreshing lift of a sour beer float,” they write.

Ingredients

3 oz. coconut water
1 1/2 oz. white rum
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. hibiscus syrup
1/2 oz. mauby syrup (or use tamarind syrup plus 2 dashes of aromatic bitters such as Angostura or Peychaud’s)
2 oz. sour beer, to float

Tools:swizzle stick/barspoon, fine-mesh strainer, small saucepan
Glass:highball or mug
Garnish:lime wheel

Preparation

Fill a glass with 1 cup of ice cubes. Pour in the rum, coconut water, lime juice, hibiscus syrup, and mauby syrup. Using a swizzle stick or barspoon, mix for about 7 seconds, until well incorporated and chilled. Float the beer over the top by slowly pouring it over the back of a spoon. Garnish.
Chef’s NoteThis drink can be batched and refrigerated for up to 3 days in advance. For best flavor, batch without lime juice; then add lime juice just before serving to preserve brightness and prevent bitterness. Float sour beer on top just before serving. Do not freeze.
Hibiscus Syrup (Sorrel Syrup)Makes about 1 1/2 cups. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine 1 cup of prepared sorrel and 1 cup of sugar. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves, then bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes—it should be fragrant. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container, discarding the solids. Cool completely; then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Chef’s NoteFor a less-sweet syrup, use 3/4 cup sugar instead of 1 cup. Adjust sweetness to taste when using in cocktails. If you don’t have sorrel, you can substitute strong hibiscus tea (steeped double strength). Add ginger, clove, and cinnamon during simmering if you’d like a closer flavor match.