Lemon Lime Soda

Lemon lime soda is quick to make homemade, and the freshly squeezed citrus tastes so much better than store bought!

When it comes to citrus drinks, here’s the thing: 7 Up doesn’t hold a candle to homemade Lemon Lime Soda! We try not to keep cans of soda in our house, but we’re all about craft, homemade sodas from scratch. This sparkling Lemon Lime Soda is incredible: the citrus pop from the fresh squeezed citrus is absolutely incredible. You’ll swear off the store-bought brands immediately.

Ingredients in lemon lime soda

Lemon lime soda is a category that includes canned soda like 7 Up, Sprite, and Sierra Mist, and even more intensely flavored drinks like Mountain Dew. The canned soda versions are intensely sweet and have artificial flavors added.

Ever tried a homemade lemon lime soda? It’s like an entirely new drink: bubbly and zingy, just sweet enough to make the citrus pop. Try it as a party drink, or even you’re trying to soothe an upset stomach (as this drink is sometimes used). It’s also a healthy alternative for pop if you’re making a cocktail or mocktail recipe that calls for it. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Fresh lemon juice
• Fresh lime juice
• Simple syrup or maple syrup
• Soda water (aka club soda)

Carbonated water to use

There are several types of carbonated water you can use to make a lemon lime soda: and the names can get confusing! What you’ll want here is any non-flavored sparkling water. You may see it labeled as one of the following at the store:

• Sparkling water, aka seltzer, soda water, or carbonated water is water with no additives, carbonated by injecting carbon dioxide (CO2). It’s the base for brands like La Croix, or what comes out of a SodaStream.
• Sparkling mineral water is water from a natural mineral spring that’s been carbonated. Examples of brands are Perrier or Topo Chico.
• Club soda is carbonated water infused with added minerals, which give it a salty or lightly sweet flavor. (Club soda is often used for cocktails, mocktails and Italian sodas.)

Make sure to avoid tonic water: it has added flavor from quinine and sugar and is a totally different product. (Use it for a Gin and Tonic instead!)

Drinks that use lemon lime soda

There are several cocktails and soda fountain drinks that use lemon lime soda as a basis for the drink. Use this homemade recipe as a stand-in for the canned stuff, and the drink is even better! Here are a few classic drinks that use lemon lime soda:

• The classic Shirley Temple mixes it with grenadine (though drink is often made with ginger ale)
• A Wisconsin Old Fashioned adds it to brandy
• A Classic Shandy features it with beer
• Some versions of the Blue Lagoon and Aqua Velva use lemon lime soda with vodka and Blue Curacao
• A Dirty Shirley Drink adds vodka to the traditional mocktail

More soda recipes

Love making homemade sodas? They’re easy and incredibly tasty! Here are some fun ways to make sparkling drinks at home:

• Make an Italian Cream Soda with syrup, soda water and heavy cream
• Go for simple with Lemon Soda or Grapefruit Soda
• Opt for a showy Orange Cream Soda
• Add coffee and soda water for a Coffee Soda
• Make a homemade Strawberry Soda with strawberry syrup
• Mix up Sparkling Lemonade with lemon juice and soda water

01

Italian Soda

02

Strawberry Soda

03

Lemon Soda

04

Orange Cream Soda

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