Limeade
A sweetened, tart drink made from lime juice, sugar, and water.
Origin
The same general lineage as lemonade, a sweetened citrus drink adapted to lime instead, especially popular in Latin American and Caribbean drinking traditions (limeade's cousin, Brazilian limonada, uses lime rather than lemon despite the name).
History
Limeade follows the same basic template as lemonade, sweetened citrus juice diluted with water, but built around lime's brighter, slightly more bitter tartness, and it's especially prevalent in regions where limes are more commonly grown and consumed than lemons, including much of Latin America and the Caribbean. In cocktails, it functions as a ready-made sour-and-sweet component, similar to how lemonade is used, in tequila and rum-based mixed drinks.
Flavor profile
Sweet and tart, a balanced blend of lime juice, sugar, and water.
Tasting notes
A refreshing sweet-tart balance similar to lemonade but with lime's brighter, slightly more bitter edge, useful as a ready-made sour component without measuring fresh lime juice and syrup separately.
Substitutes
- Fresh lime juice with simple syrup and water, for a from-scratch equivalent.
- Lemonade, for a related but distinctly different citrus substitute.
- A different bottled limeade brand, since the category's flavor stays fairly consistent.
Common cocktails