# Brits: Tell me about Lemonade **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956 "2005-11-01T20:02:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/1 "2005-11-01T20:02:39Z")
I keep reading around here references to “lemonade”; in the United States, lemonade is just diluted, sweetened lemon juice, but apparently it’s some sort of soda or something over in England. What exactly is it? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/2 "2005-11-01T20:19:40Z")
I’m not one of Her Majesty’s subjects, but I have had lemonade in London. It’s like fake lemonade, only carbonated. And maybe a little less sweet, but maybe that’s a masking effect from the carbonation. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/3 "2005-11-01T20:23:57Z")
It’s a clear, carbonated liquid that tastes absolutely nothing like lemons. Probably the most famous brand is [R Whites](http://www.britsuperstore.com/acatalog/R_Whites_Lemonade_2_Ltr_Bottle.html), although my particular favourite is Lowcock’s of Middlesbrough. In Ireland, some lemonade is red which fools the hell out of English people who think it is [Tizer](http://www.tizer.co.uk/bottles.html). Sometimes, you see so-called “traditional” lemonade, which is actually yellow and cloudy and looks as if it may have been made of real lemons (but most likely wasn’t). ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/4 "2005-11-01T20:28:24Z")
Lemonade in the UK usually means a carbonated lemon and line drink that tastes similar to 7up or sprite. So its not a real heavy lemon taste, and is a common mixer in alcoholic drinks. My mum asked for a martini and lemonade in the US once, the barman found it completely unfathomable. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/5 "2005-11-01T20:31:30Z")
American here. Just want to note that: 1.) Coca Cola objected strenuously (and apparently for a long time) with the French government at being pigeonholed as a “limonade”. Coke said it definitely was _not_ a “lemonade”, and I think they got the categorization changed. Maybe traces of this remain in Britain. 2.) At the (New) Jersey shore “Lemonade” is made fresh in your cup – a slice of lemon, a scoop of sugar already sit in the cup. When you buy it, they add water and shake it up with a cocktail shaker. Three simple ingredients, and no “high fructose corn syrup” or preservatives or coloring added. And no carbonation. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/6 "2005-11-01T20:45:26Z")
Not too long ago, I mentioned to my mother-in-law (a South African) that I was dying for a big, cold glass of lemonade. She was so proud of herself when she showed up the next day with a bottle of… well, whatever it is that South Africans (and apparently Brits) consider to be lemonade. I couldn’t bear to disappoint her, and it actually was pretty good. Still dying for some real lemonade though. ---
**Author:** ![snorlax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@snorlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snorlax)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/7 "2005-11-01T20:52:38Z")
A classic English drink is Pimm’s with lemonade. Another (non-alcoholic) favourite is orange and lemonade. At home we mix it 50/50 with cheap red wine for a sort of minimalist sangria. Lemon Fanta is similar but perhaps a bit more lemony. ---
**Author:** ![Corii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Corii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corii)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/8 "2005-11-01T20:57:07Z")
> [@snorlax](#): > > A classic English drink is Pimm’s with lemonade. Another (non-alcoholic) favourite is orange and lemonade. A related question, is “orange squash” anything like the drink Orangina? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/9 "2005-11-01T20:59:53Z")
In London I tried a shandy, which is about half ale and half lemonade (the English). And they make fun of us for drinking cold fizzy beer. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/10 "2005-11-01T21:06:35Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > In London I tried a shandy, which is about half ale and half lemonade (the English). > > And they make fun of us for drinking cold fizzy beer. We make even more fun of those who drink shandies. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/11 "2005-11-01T21:17:55Z")
No lemonade thread would be complete without a link to [Hot Dog On A Stick](http://www.hotdogonastick.com/frames.html), the \*\*Snakes On A Plane \*\* of fast food franchises. Just four menu items. One of which is the name of the restaurant. And fresh-squeezed lemonade … . ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/12 "2005-11-01T21:27:36Z")
> [@Corii](#): > > A related question, is “orange squash” anything like the drink Orangina? Orange squash is a concentrated orange-flavoured liquid. You dilute with water in the proportion of about 1 part squash and 4 or 5 parts water. It is non fizzy and should contain at least some real orange juice in its ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/13 "2005-11-01T21:30:25Z")
> [@Angua](#): > > We make even more fun of those who drink shandies. Leave us southern ponces alone for a moment, can’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/14 "2005-11-01T21:33:13Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Leave us southern ponces alone for a moment, can’t you? 'Fraid not. Bah. Bloody southerners… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/15 "2005-11-01T21:37:11Z")
_One of the cross beams has gone out askew on the treadle_…grrr, bloody northerners… ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/16 "2005-11-01T21:52:26Z")
The US name for what the British (and the Australians) call lemonade is: **lemon-lime soda** However, in practice, when you go into a bar or restaurant, you don’t ask for a “lemon-lime soda” – instead, you ask for a brand name, like 7UP. It’s actually quite strange, that there is a product that is widely available, but people hardly ever use the generic name for it in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/17 "2005-11-01T22:04:14Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > It’s actually quite strange, that there is a product that is widely available, but people hardly ever use the generic name for it in the US. It’s not that strange – the various lemon-lime sodas don’t taste the same. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/18 "2005-11-01T22:08:53Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > The US name for what the British (and the Australians) call lemonade is: > > **lemon-lime soda** except without the lime bit. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/19 "2005-11-01T22:20:05Z")
> [@ticker](#): > > except without the lime bit. I suspect that’s debatable, and that both lemon soda and lemon-lime soda are called lemonade in different countries. 7UP and Sprite are lemon-lime sodas, and (at least in Australia) they would be called by the generic name “lemonade”. To illustrate how complex the issue is, there is [the Wikipedia’s article on lemonade.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonade) ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/20 "2005-11-01T22:48:19Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > I suspect that’s debatable, and that both lemon soda and lemon-lime soda are called lemonade in different countries. Well the OP was directed at brits and here lemonade is just lemonade and is not the same as 7-up which we call 7-up - except perhaps in Glasgow where, at least way-back-when, all soda was called ‘ginger’ 😃 (confused my American mother enormously when she moved there in the late 50’s) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956.md?page=2)