Lime Soda

The first hot day this spring called out to me to make lime sodas and find a shady place to sip them. These are quick, easy, and very refreshing. And the perfect drink to serve to those friends who are non-alcohol drinkers as well as those who would like a bit of gin tossed in.

After a long bike ride after work, I wanted something cool and refreshing to sip while preparing dinner. The Angostura orange soda filled the craving nicely with its bright flavors and fizziness. I made myself several the first evening and one each evening after until the bottle of sparkling water was gone. Time to get another bottle!

I didn’t use gin. I just wanted a fizzy non-alcoholic drink to enjoy on a warm spring evening.

This lime soda was a nice refreshing drink that settled my stomach after eating too much junk food. I often add lime juice to my soda but never thought to add salt. Perfect for keeping hydrated on a hot day!

This was a very interesting beverage. It was certainly more refreshing than a typical glass of lime-infused water in an almost Gatorade sort of way with the little sodium burst from the pinch of salt. If you like the taste of club soda, this drink would be a great thirst quencher on a hot day.

I did add a 1-ounce shot of Tanqueray and it made the drink a bit smoother and covered up the “Gatorade” type aftertaste. It was better with the gin but if I have the Tanqueray out, I prefer my G&Ts!

This isn’t a recipe but a good reminder. Homemade lime soda is my new favorite thing. It tastes a bit like unsweetened lemon-lime soda which comes in handy as a refreshing drink—and mixer. (Wink, wink.)

I did use the entire 12-ounce can of carbonated water. I just topped off my glass after a few sips. It didn’t dilute the flavor at all.

Why is this lime soda so good? It’s a refreshing, zingy, grown-up drink—love it! It’s already a staple in our house, perfect for hot sunny days when you’re not consuming alcohol or indeed a lovely fresh drink adding gin (or whatever).

I didn’t try the gin but as this is already a staple plenty of time to experiment. Great, great drink.

Both the lime soda and orange variation are refreshing thirst quenchers that are great non-sugar and no-guilt saviors for warm days. What makes them work is just the right balance of ingredients. And with only a few minutes effort.

We made both the Lime and the Angostura orange. For those who love tart, the lime was perfect (me, me, me!) and for the slightly more sweet-toothed folks, the orange worked so well with the Angostura that we had a fun time imagining how many other bitters we might play with. I think the fresh citrus combined with the bitters in a really nice way that elevates the flavors. Choose pretty glasses or tumblers to show off the drink.

I suggest also trying Angostura orange bitters or maybe one of the many fruit-flavored ones from Fee Brothers (these are easy to find and won’t break the budget if you are tempted by several).

I used fresh juice from heirloom navels and fresh Persian limes along with Pellegrino sparkling water.

Loved all these as written, but of course a splash of interesting gin would work! In our house, sparkling water is mostly the only soda-like item except for some FeverTree tonic.

If you want something more spirits oriented, using a smaller amount of sparkling water (more like 5 to 6 ounces) and 1 ounce of gin with the lime is very pleasing. I tried the lime with Junipero gin from Anchor Distilling in San Francisco, making it closer to a long G&T. Beautiful, as expected, and without the sweetness of tonic if you’re seeking less sugar. Also made a very adult but still non-alcoholic version pairing the orange and Angostura version with Seedlip Spice 94, again cutting the sparkling water to 5-6 oz and 1 oz of the spirit. I am a fan of Seedlip, having had a mocktail using their spirits in the UK several years ago, I patiently waited until I could get it in the US and always have it on hand.

If you need a refreshing drink on a hot, humid day that takes just a few minutes to make, this orange soda is it. I made it in 2 minutes with a slice of orange, a squeeze of orange juice, and a few drops of Angostura bitters. Added ice and stirred.

The drink is light and refreshing. I did wonder how it would taste with another addition—vodka—and so I added a shot’s worth. Equally refreshing. (I used La Croix sparkling water and used 8 ounces. I used Watershed Distillery vodka from a craft distiller in Columbus, OH.)

Perfect for summer.

Angostura and soda has long been a staple in our household for upset stomaches or as a digestif after a heavy meal but the addition of a little orange juice takes it in a new direction—sort of a grown-up soda pop!

I quite like the taste of Angostura so I used 4 or 5 shakes in a tall glass with lots of ice and topped it with an Italian sparkling water. Nice on a hot day and even nicer on the balcony in the evening with a generous pour of sweet amber rum added.

A little sweet, a little bitter, and 100% refreshing.