Mauby
A bittersweet bark-brewed cooler
Mauby
Mauby is a traditional Caribbean drink brewed from the bark of the mauby tree, sweetened with sugar and infused with spices such as cinnamon, clove, and aniseed. The bark is boiled to make a concentrate, which is then sweetened and diluted to taste. The result is dark, refreshing, and distinctive: somewhat like root beer up front, with a clean spiced sweetness and a lingering bitter finish that takes a sip or two to appreciate.
It is an old-fashioned, no-nonsense drink found across the Eastern Caribbean and known by many names from island to island. In Antigua you will see homemade mauby sold in recycled bottles at the public market in St. John's and at food fairs, as well as commercially bottled versions on supermarket shelves.
Locals will tell you mauby is good for the system, and it has long been treated as a wholesome everyday cooler. If you want to drink like an Antiguan rather than reach for a soda, a cold bottle of mauby is the local choice, especially poured very cold against the midday heat.
A word of honest advice for first-timers: mauby divides opinion, and the bitter finish can be a surprise if you expect a sugary soft drink. The trick is to try it well chilled and to give it a second sip, since the bitterness mellows as you go. Homemade versions vary a lot in strength from vendor to vendor, so if one is too bitter, another may suit you better. Pick up a bottle at the market in St. John's alongside a black pineapple and you have a genuinely local, non-alcoholic taste of the island.
Key ingredients
How to make Mauby
- 1
Rinse the mauby bark under cold water to remove any dust, then place it in a large pot with cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and aniseed.
- 2
Cover with water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the water turns deep reddish brown and tastes strongly bitter.
- 3
Remove from the heat, cover the pot, and let the mixture steep and cool overnight to draw out the full flavor and color from the bark.
- 4
Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container, pressing the bark lightly to extract the last of the concentrate, then discard the solids.
- 5
Stir sugar into the concentrate until fully dissolved, tasting as you go, since mauby should stay pleasantly bitter under the sweetness rather than purely sweet.
- 6
Dilute the sweetened concentrate with cold water to taste, usually two to three parts water to one part concentrate, until it reaches a light, refreshing strength.
- 7
Chill the mauby thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or leave it loosely covered at room temperature for a day or two if a natural fizz is wanted.
- 8
Stir well and serve very cold over ice.
A home-style reference method; every family and kitchen has its own version.
Mauby questions
What is mauby?
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What does mauby taste like?
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Where can I try mauby in Antigua?
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