Plan ahead or take our shortcut to make everyone’s favourite zesty drink at home.
About the cocktail
Alcoholic lemonade is having its day in the sun. After all, these sweet, fizzy and zingy drinks are the ultimate sipper on sunny days. And while we’re big fans of all the prepackaged hard lemonades filling everyone’s esky at the moment, there’s a definite way to upgrade: making it from scratch. Just like how that cloudy, rustic pub squash beats clear lemonade every time, we reckon our DIY Alcoholic Lemonade is the ultimate treat for adults. Here, fresh lemons do most of the heavy lifting – they really do impart a fresh and zippy flavour. And while the process takes a little time (you’ll need to start a day ahead), it’s mostly hands-off – you just have to wait for those essential oils in the lemon peel to mingle with the sugar. Beyond that initial process, everything comes together with minimal fuss. Lemon juice adds plenty of fresh acidity, vodka brings a neutral alcoholic kick, soda provides the fizz, and an optional hit of orange blossom water gives some floral complexity. The great thing about this recipe (besides that fresh, citrus zing) is that it makes a good-sized batch. Next time you host a family gathering, barbecue with friends or al-fresco Christmas lunch, pop a jug of DIY Alcoholic Lemonade up the adults’ end of the table and watch those eyes light up.
Ingredients
2 lemons, unwaxed and washed 100g caster sugar 100mL water 250mL vodka 1L soda 8 dashes orange blossom water, optional Glass: jug and rocks glasses Garnish: 1 orange and 1 lemon sliced into wheels, plus handful of mint leaves
Method
Starting a day ahead, peel the lemons, and add the peels and sugar to a plastic container. Massage well and let the mix macerate overnight. Refrigerate the peeled fruit separately The next day, add the juice of the peeled lemons to the macerated mix (around 100mL), along with 100mL water Mix well, and once the sugar is fully dissolved, strain and discard the peels In an ice-filled jug, add 250mL of the lemon mix along with the vodka, soda and orange blossom water, if using Give it a thorough gentle stir Garnish with the orange and lemon wheels, and mint leaves Serve in ice-filled glasses with orange wheels as garnish
Dan’s top tips
It’s the lemons that reign supreme in this recipe. The key is to find unwaxed fruit. Supermarket lemons are usually coated in a thin wax to keep them fresh for longer, but it means the peel’s flavours and aromas are trapped – not good news for our alcoholic lemonade. You should be able to find unwaxed lemons at your local grocer or market or, better yet, off your neighbour’s lemon tree. Honestly, there’s not all that much to making this DIY Alcoholic Lemonade, it just takes some time. The first step – combining sugar and lemon peel, and then lemon juice to make what’s called a ‘lemon sherbet’ – is best done the night before (or at least first thing in the morning). That said, if you’re in a rush or don’t quite feel like taking on the full recipe, there is an excellent shortcut. For that, you’ll need 15mL fresh lemon juice, two heaped teaspoons of caster sugar, 30mL vodka, 120mL soda water and some ice. Simply mix it all together to lose a little fizz and dissolve the sugar, whack in some lemon slices for garnish, and you’ve got a pretty darn good homemade Alcoholic Lemonade.
How do you make DIY Alcoholic Lemonade at home?
Homemade Alcoholic Lemonade starts with a combination of lemon peels and sugar. The next day, add lemon juice and water, mix well, strain and add the mix to vodka, soda and orange blossom water.
What kind of alcohol is best to use in an alcoholic lemonade?
We’ve opted for neutral-tasting vodka for our alcoholic lemonade, but you could certainly sub it out for your favourite spirit, such as gin, rum or whisky.
Does the DIY Alcoholic Lemonade taste like Hard Rated?
We think our DIY Alcoholic Lemonade tastes even better than Hard Rated, but they’re both sweet, lemony drinks with plenty of zesty kick.
