Glass of lemonade with lemon slice and mint garnish
Food - Drink
What Makes British Lemonade Different From American?
By HOPE NGO
When Americans travel to the United Kingdom or other parts of Europe, they might be surprised at what kind of drink they receive when they order lemonade.
Glass of lemonade on a white tabletop
Americans know lemonade as a simple sweet and tart mixture of lemon juice, sugar, and water, but to Brits, lemonade is a sweet fizzy soda that's closer to Sprite or 7-Up.
Iced lemonade with lemons against a dark background.
British lemonade wasn't always so different from the American style, as seen in a recipe from "Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management," published in 1861.
Three whole lemons on a black background
This British book on Victorian housekeeping has a lemonade recipe that calls for five lemons (two zested and three juiced) and 3/4 cup of sugar to be mixed into 1 quart of water.
Tall glass of lemonade with ice garnished with lemon wheel
The mixture is left to sit for two days, instead of being enjoyed fresh, but it's not so different from American lemonade. Everything changed, however, in the 19th century.
Refreshing lemon  cocktail in clear, steamed glass with ice on white
With the popularization of carbonated drinks in England, lemonade became more focused on bubbles than lemon flavor. Today, many British lemonades use no real lemon juice at all.
Homemade fresh lemonade summer refreshing drink in a glass with ice cubes
It is possible to get lemonade with a hint of real fruit in Britain by ordering a "cloudy lemonade," which will usually get you a fizzy drink with lemon juice concentrate mixed in.
Glass of lemon lime soda with ice cubes and straw isolated on white background
This "cloudy" lemonade may not be identical to the American style, but it's closer to what Americans may prefer as opposed to an artificially-flavored soda.