Vodka Lemonade

A Vodka Lemonade is an easy-to-make classic highball drink made with just two ingredients – vodka and lemonade. It’s traditionally served in a highball glass with ice cubes and garnished with a lemon wheel or lemon wedge.

The best-tasting Vodka Lemonade is one that uses homemade lemonade. See the FAQ at the bottom to learn how to make homemade lemonade.

Fresh, clean, and lemony – nothing beats the taste of homemade lemonade. One sip takes you back to your grandmother’s lemonade that she used to serve all summer.

Absolut Vodka adds a wonderful smoothness that pairs perfectly with the tartness of lemon juice and the subtle sweetness from the sugar. It’s one of the tastiest, no-fuss drinks out there.

While there’s no documented history about the specific origins of Vodka Lemonade, the idea of mixing spirits with lemonade has been around for centuries.

Vodka was first widely mixed with ingredients like juice and soda in the U.S. during the 1940s and 50s with drinks like the Moscow Mule, Screwdriver and Bloody Mary, leading to a vodka boom in the 1970s.

Vodka Lemonade likely served as a predecessor and inspiration for the Lemon Drop Martini, which was invented in San Francisco, CA in the early 1970s, featuring lemon-flavored vodka, triple sec, lemon juice and simple syrup.

• Homemade lemonade
  In your supermarket, you can probably find bottled lemonade (or in a carton) marketed as “old-fashioned lemonade” or “homemade lemonade”. However, most of these products likely contain preservatives or additives. There’s simply nothing like homemade lemonade. And best of all, it’s easy to make.See the FAQ at the bottom of this page to see how to make your own homemade lemonade.
• Adjust the sweetness
  It’s your drink, so make it to your liking! If you find the lemonade is a little too tart, add some more simple syrup to your drink afterward.
• Premium vodka
  When you’re mixing a drink with just two ingredients, there’s no room to “hide” bad quality products. For the ultimate Vodka Lemonade, opt for a premium vodka. We recommend Absolut Vodka, which is continuously distilled to achieve perfection. It pairs incredibly well with lemonade – trust us on this one.

Where to begin? A Vodka Lemonade is a blank canvas for endless inspiration. Here’s just a few ideas:

• Vodka Soda
  Swap out homemade lemonade for soda water and you’ve now got a called Vodka Soda (aka Skinny Bitch). Check out our recipe for a Skinny Bitch drink.
• Vodka Tonic
  Now swap the soda water or homemade lemonade for tonic water and there you have a classic Vodka Tonic. Discover the recipe for a Vodka Tonic.
• Absolut Citron Lemonade
  As you’ll see in the video, Elyse follows the same recipe for a Vodka Lemonade but swaps original Absolut Vodka for Absolut Citron. She then garnishes her drink with a sprig of basil and some fresh strawberries. You won’t find a better citrus drink to sip in summer.
• Absolut Lime Lemonade
  Elyse also shows how to make a variation of a Vodka Lemonade using Absolut Lime. To garnish this drink, she adds a sprig of mint and then skewers some fresh blackberries on a large cocktail stick. Lemon, lime and mint work so well together.
• Absolut Watermelon Lemonade
  The last Vodka Lemonade variation that Elyse makes uses Absolut Watermelon. For this one, she opts for a sprig of mint and a cucumber “horse’s neck” spiral. Watermelon and cucumber are closely related and the flavor combination works a treat here.
• Use any other Absolut flavored Vodka
  In addition to the flavors mentioned above, try any other Absolut flavored vodka to create your own drink. For example, make a Vodka Lemonade with Absolut Mango, Absolut Peach or Absolut Mandrin. Trust us – they all work incredibly!

• We suggest serving a Vodka Lemonade in a highball or Collins glass to accommodate all that lemonade and ice.
• For garnish, submerge a few lemon wheels into your glass, using a bar spoon to push them down. Add a few more ice cubes on top.
• For the finishing touch, perch another lemon wheel on the rim of your glass. Because simplicity is perfect.
• Looking for something more to garnish your drink? Watch the video above and do what Elyse does. Introduce a sprig of mint, a sprig of basil, or perhaps some fresh strawberries or cucumber. It’s your drink, after all, so make it your own!