Dr. Jaglas Herber Hibiskus. Non-alcoholic aperitif made from hibiscus blossoms and elderberry, tart and deep red – the base for the Hibiscus Spritz.
Dr. Jaglas Herber Hibiskus – San Aperitivo is a non-alcoholic aperitif from Berlin: hibiscus blossom extract and elderberry juice with sugar and natural flavor, 0.0% vol, 500 ml in the apothecary bottle. Not a syrup, not a juice, not a soda – an aperitif base that becomes a long drink when mixed with tonic and lime.
Herber Hibiskus by Dr. Jaglas is the bottle ordered most frequently from our Berlin range, far ahead of all the elixirs. The first warm evening of the year, a balcony, two glasses: three parts hibiscus, one part tonic, half a lime, ice. The glass contains a deep red aperitif that tastes of flowers, berries, and a hint of smoke, and leaves no after-effects the next morning. It fills the moment before dinner usually occupied by an alcoholic bitter – for guests who are driving, for weeknight wind-downs, and for anyone who wants to start their evening with a clear head.
Tart from the blossom, sweet from the elderberry, smoky at the finish
Herber Hibiskus tastes first of hibiscus blossom: tart, slightly acidic, floral – the note you know from hibiscus tea, only denser and darker. Behind this comes a sweetness that Dr. Jaglas balances with elderberry, rosemary, bitter orange, and vanilla. The finish is subtly smoky and ends on a refined note that the producer itself compares to whisky.
The color is a deep red that remains even when mixed with tonic in the glass. With 9.6 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters, the hibiscus is the most restrained variety among the San aperitifs – when diluted in a long drink, the glass remains tart rather than sweet. The flavor comes from hibiscus blossom extract, elderberry juice, and natural flavor; this is stated on the label and is essential here.
Those looking for a fruity-sweet aperitif will be better served by the San Limello with lemon and ginger. The hibiscus is the tart variety in the range – for people who enjoy tonic neat and look for bitterness in an aperitif.
Three parts hibiscus, one part tonic, half a lime
The Hibiscus Spritz is the recipe Dr. Jaglas recommends itself: three parts Herber Hibiskus, one part tonic water, the juice of half a lime, ice cubes, served in a wine glass or tumbler. Because the blossoms dye the drink red, berries or a sprig of rosemary work well as a garnish – both look like they belong, and the rosemary brings out the herbal note.
Most find the hibiscus too intense neat on ice – Dr. Jaglas explicitly recommends it as a base for long drinks. Besides tonic, highly carbonated mineral water works well; for a more festive version, non-alcoholic sparkling wine. With 10 cl of hibiscus per glass, the bottle is enough for five drinks. If you want the aperitif pre-mixed, you can find it as Hibiscus Spritz with dealcoholized Sparkling Riesling in a 750 ml bottle.
Goat cheese, dark chocolate, figs, and nuts pair well with it – a board with these four items and a pitcher of Hibiscus Spritz make for a perfect balcony dinner. Before a meal, this tart opening plays the role usually held by a classic bitter, only quieter and without alcohol.
Our tip: Rub the sprig of rosemary between your palms before garnishing and add a few raspberries to the glass – the berries absorb the tartness, and the rosemary provides fragrance with the first sip.
From the pharmacy to the apothecary bottle: Berlin, Choriner Straße
Dr. Jaglas is a Berlin-based manufacturer located at Choriner Straße 40, originating from a family of pharmacists. For decades, the Jaglas family has used medieval monastery recipes, classic compendia, and herbal lore – first for high-proof elixirs in apothecary bottles, then for non-alcoholic aperitifs under the name San. Herber Hibiskus is our best-selling one.
The manufacturer describes its production method as hand-maceration in small batches, certified herbal quality, and slow maturation over several months; individual production steps are based on the Pharmacopoea Germanica, the old German pharmacopoeia. For the hibiscus, this means: an extract of real blossoms and a recipe derived from herbalism, balanced with elderberry, rosemary, and vanilla so that the blossom supports the profile instead of dominating it.
The name San Aperitivo stands for the Berlin aperitif culture that Dr. Jaglas intends with this bottle: the brief hour before dinner when a glass is on the table and no one is looking at their phone yet. According to the manufacturer, the hibiscus was developed in reference to the Berlin urban quarter AM TACHELES and the residential building VERT by architects Herzog & de Meuron – an aperitif meant to belong to a specific place. We take that for what it is: a Berlin story that tastes tart and red in the glass.
The aperitif for guests who are driving and for weeknight evenings
Herber Hibiskus is the bottle for people who enjoy the ritual of an aperitif and want to leave the alcohol out. A Tuesday evening wind-down, guests with a car, a friend taking a break, Sunday brunch with children at the table – in all these moments, there’s a red glass on the table that tastes like something special. As a gift, the apothecary bottle with its red contents is a guest gift that sticks around and sparks conversation as soon as it's opened. For those living alcohol-free, it’s finally a bottle worth gifting that is more than just juice.
Those who want to explore the range should add the San Pompello with pink grapefruit – together with the Limello, these are the three San aperitifs featured on our Dr. Jaglas page, alongside the alcoholic elixirs. The hibiscus is not suitable for those expecting a sweet, fruity drink – it remains tart, even with tonic and lime.
Hibiscus blossom, elderberry, a hint of smoke – the non-alcoholic aperitif from Berlin that has been filling our glasses most frequently for years.
