On the hunt for a tropical and refreshing fruit drink? This fresh guava fruit juice is all pulp, spice, and sweetened goodness—perfect to quench that thirst on hot summer days. Perfect for those backyard get-togethers.

Mason jars packed with ice and guava fruit juice and topped with cherries

Another tropical fruit juice that we just loved making was guava.

Since moving to the US, I hardly get to see fresh guava. It’s actually considered to be “exotic” like a soursop. So when I saw it at the farmer’s market I grabbed a few to make some juice and reminisce.

This refreshing drink uses the whole fruit and comes together with just a few ingredients, really, only three main ones when you break it down.

A fresh fruit, refreshing drink that takes me back to growing up in Tobago.

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What are guavas

This tropical fruit is native to the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. It has yellowish or green skin, and the inside can be white or pink, depending on the variety. Ripe guavas are sweet, almost strawberry-sweet, and have a strong scent, especially when they’re in abundance. I still remember the thick, sweet smell from when my dad made guava jam or when they’d fall and start to ripen (or rot!) on the ground.

The benefits of guava juice

Guava is more than just delicious it’s packed with flavor and tropical charm. The fruit (and even the leaves) have long been used in Caribbean households for all kinds of things, from juice to jams and even teas.

It’s also a naturally good source of Vitamin C and antioxidants, which makes it feel like a little pick-me-up in a glass. While we enjoy it mostly for the taste, many people also appreciate the nutritional perks that come with it.

Want to dig into more info about guava’s nutrients and traditional uses? There are some great articles online that explore the fruit in detail.

How to choose the best guava for juice.

Guavas are ready for juice when it’s yellowish on the outside. Touch it to make sure it is not hard to touch. You want the skin to be tender. It will dent a little when lightly touched.

Make sure there are no blemishes or bruises on the skin.

The aroma will also be very strong once it is ripe.

If you happen to get green ones and are leaving them to ripen, have them in a cool area at all times. Make sure none of the skins are broken cause it will encourage fruit flies.

Also, try not to touch them too much in the ripening stage. This can lead to getting a few blemishes and I realized while ripening those areas start to get darker faster.

How to make guava juice

Now that you have picked your best guavas now it’s time to make this really easy recipe for this delicious juice.

Ingredients you will need

Ingredients for guava juice: fresh guavas, sugar bay leaf and cinnamon

You will need:

Ripened guavas – I used white guavas (because that was what I found but it’s the same with any fresh ones you have). Obviously, if you use pink ones, the juice would have a pink color.
Sugar – granulated sugar is best, to not distort the color of the juice
Water
Bayleaf
Cinnamon sticks
Essence – vanilla and/or mixed
Bitters
A little rum – this is optional

Instructions

Chop up the guavas. The inside flesh is what is the real fruit flavor. So we want to get access to it when we are boiling it. You can also get to taste it here to see how sweet it is.
Put the chopped fruits in water along with the bay leaf and cinnamon sticks. Leave back about a cup of water. But make sure that the water is at least the same level as the fruit in the pot.
Bring them all to a boil, remove from heat, and leave it to cool.
Once it’s cool, strain the liquid into a large bowl using a strainer (or muslin cloth if you don’t have a juice strainer) to get the juice from the blended mixture.
You then need to sweeten up the strained guava juice with the remaining water, and sugar and add your flavoring of essences, bitters, and if using rum.
I suggest tasting as you make. The flavor of the fruit will vary so you might need less or more water and sugar than I suggested. My recipe is a base.

Pulp VS no pulp

Some people like to have guava pulp included in the juice, and some people do not. I am the latter. No pulp, please.

If you like pulp, just blend the softened guava with the boiling liquid (after removing the bay leaf and cinnamon sticks), then strain. I personally skip the pulp. Smooth juice only, please.

I would still strain since guava has seeds and you don’t really want to drink them. But if you don’t mind seed grits, then you can skip that step.

close up of a mason jar of guava juice with ice and cherries

Tips and Tricks

Make sure you wash the guavas well. This fruit is very much prone to worms, so make sure you give them a good wash to rid away any debris that might be hanging around.
Make sure the guavas are ripe. Green guavas are very sour. Once the flesh is soft you are good to go.
If you want a thinner juice, you can always add more water when “sweetening” up.
You can also add in some lemon or lime juice if you want it to be a little tangy in flavor. You will then need to add more sugar to taste.
You can also add a little bit of grated ginger to the mix, like a tablespoon, when it’s boiling on the stove.

How long does this juice last

Guava juice ferments quickly and can start to taste wine-like if left out too long. Don’t leave it unrefrigerated for more than 6 hours.

Once chilled, it’ll keep for 7–8 days (a bit shorter if you leave in the pulp).

We used to make big batches when the harvest was heavy. Boil, strain, and freeze the juice unsweetened. When you’re ready to use it, just defrost and sweeten to your liking.

Guava juice, though chilled, is best served with a handful of ice.

Glasses and mugs of guava juice with cherries

I just love getting fresh juices when we can. It’s not until you don’t have access to things that you realize how lucky you are.

If you want to try some more drinks that I use fresh fruits to create, check these out:

Recipe