Lemonade
A sweetened, tart drink made from lemon juice, sugar, and water.
Origin
The Middle East and Egypt, with documented lemon-based drinks dating back over a thousand years, later spreading to Europe and becoming a summer staple worldwide.
History
Lemon-based sweetened drinks date back at least to medieval Egypt, where a beverage called "qatarmizat" (a precursor to lemonade) was documented, and the drink spread through trade into Europe, becoming especially popular in France by the 17th century. It became a quintessential American summer drink by the 19th and 20th centuries, and its sweet-tart profile makes it a natural cocktail mixer, most famously in the Tom Collins-family of drinks and various vodka or whiskey lemonades.
Flavor profile
Sweet and tart, a balanced blend of lemon juice, sugar, and water.
Tasting notes
A bright, refreshing balance of citrus tartness and sweetness, useful as a ready-made sour component in a cocktail without needing to measure fresh lemon juice and syrup separately.
Substitutes
- Fresh lemon juice with simple syrup and water, for a from-scratch equivalent.
- Limeade, for a related but distinctly different citrus substitute.
- A different bottled lemonade brand, since the category's flavor stays fairly consistent.
