Irish Lemonade Cocktail
While the name may evoke thoughts of St Patrick’s Day, Irish Lemonade Cocktail is one of our favorites in the summer.
I really do try to honor my very small Irish heritage with food and drinks from the Emerald Isle on that day in March but this one got away from me. Still I do love me some Irish Whiskey and this simple Irish Lemonade Cocktail, while not renown like Irish Coffee; is a great, simple drink to indulge.
Who doesn’t think of lemonade as one of the quintessential Irish beverages? No one? Well that might change with this Irish Lemonade Cocktail! I did have a brand ask me to feature their product and this time around they also provided me with a recipe; something I love, thinking they know best what works with their product.
The main difference between Irish whiskey and American whiskey are the ingredients. Irish whiskey has barley as the primary ingredient and American whiskey can be made from either corn, wheat, or rye.
As a result the taste of Irish whiskey is a lighter and less sweet flavor than it’s American counterpart. Adding it to a drink with a fair amount of citrus from both lemons and limes left it a bit too tart for me when I first made it with only 2 Tablespoons of simple syrup, so I had to punt.
I also decided to revise the recipe given to me by Tullamore Dew and replace sugar with simple syrup; it’s a guarantee that the sugar will mix with the other ingredients and it’s easy to make.
I needed to up the amount for mine to 3 Tablespoons for the two drinks too. I suggest you start with 2 tablespoons, see how that sits with you and then add more if necessary to suit your taste.
“Success comes not to those who desire it most, but to those who care deeply about what they do and feel compelled to create”
Tullamore D.E.W. is the original triple distilled, triple blend whiskey. Known the world over for its smooth and gentle complexity. Tullamore D.E.W. is named after Daniel E. Williams, the man who decided that true craft could only come from the true character and insisted that his whiskey was made accordingly.
The grandson of Daniel E. Williams, Desmond inherited his grandfather’s grit and determination. He followed his innovative footsteps by revolutionizing the whiskey industry and introducing Ireland’s first blended whiskey.
I have always enjoyed Irish whiskey, and I doubt it has anything to do with my tiny bit of heritage. More than likely it’s the fact it is a bit lighter. While I love making cocktails I’m not one that wants them to taste so heavily of the liquor that all other flavors are lost; we seriously enjoy this new addition to our bar.
This cocktail was simple and delicious; great for St. Patrick’s Day but I also look forward to summer sipping. The ingredients list is short and not fancy either, consisting of these ingredients (full recipe with instructions at bottom of page). Irish Lemonade Cocktail will require:
- Irish whiskey
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
- Simple Syrup
- Grenadine
- Club Soda
- Ice and garnishes; for this cocktail a lime wedge and maraschino cherry
The Irish Lemonade Cocktail can easily be made by the pitcher too, add together everything but the club soda in a pitcher, chill, and simply pour cocktails when guests arrive and top them off with chilled club soda.
For a quick and dirty version…try using lemonade concentrate (prepared with the required amount of water) and sub out the lemons, limes, and simple syrup. While I do love the real deal, I had a friend here the other night and the quick and dirty was perfect for us; I had run out of lemons!
More Favorites with Irish Whiskey!
PIN IT! ‘Irish Lemonade Cocktail’
Irish Lemonade Cocktail
Ingredients
- 4 oz Irish Whiskey
- 2 oz Lemon Juice
- 2 oz Lime Juice
- ¼ tsp Grenadine
- 3 Tbsp Simple Syrup
- Club Soda chilled
Garnish
- Lime Wedges and Cherries
Instructions
- Combine Irish whiskey, lemon juice, lime juice, grenadine and simple syrup to cocktail shaker and shake well. Add ice to shaker and shake until ice cold.
- Add crushed ice to serving glass and strain mix over.
- Top with club soda.
- Garnish with a cherry and lime wedge
Notes
Combine equal parts water with sugar (For this recipe I did a quarter cup of each) in a small saucepan, bring to a boil. Turn off heat and stir until all sugar is melted and combined with water. Chill before using in cocktails.
We always buy a bottle of Irish whiskey at this time of the year! Fun to revisit its flavor, and discover new cocktails. This one looks like a beauty! I’m all for using simple syrup in drinks — much easier than granulated sugar. Good stuff — thanks.