# 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:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/41 "2005-11-02T06:30:39Z")
> [@Civil Guy](#): > > Er, are lemons available in Britain or in Australia? If, out of some strange taste, I should like the diluted juice of a lemon, possibly with some sweetener added, I should ask for… ? > > Okay, the answer is coming to me… I should ask for diluted lemon juice, perhaps with some sweetener added, just like they serve in the States. > > Which itself - I further conjecture - is the reason why this delicious drink is not in fact very popular in Britain or Australia. No idea why it’s not popular - but at least in France, you can ask for a _citron presse_, and everyone will know what you mean. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/42 "2005-11-02T11:49:02Z")
This will probably turn this thread into even more of a confusing mess, but what about [limeade](http://www.answers.com/limeade&r=67) and [orangeade](http://www.answers.com/orangeade&r=67)? Does anyone outside the US have definitions for those terms significantly at odds with the American meaning? ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/43 "2005-11-02T11:53:05Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > This will probably turn this thread into even more of a confusing mess, but what about [limeade](http://www.answers.com/limeade&r=67) and [orangeade](http://www.answers.com/orangeade&r=67)? Does anyone outside the US have definitions for those terms significantly at odds with the American meaning? Yep. Limeade and orangeade over here are more akin to sodas, so lime soda, and orange soda, like Tango or Orange Fanta. ---
**Author:** ![Oswald\_Bastable](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oswald_bastable/32/214_2.png) [@Oswald\_Bastable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oswald_Bastable)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/44 "2005-11-02T12:31:16Z")
> [@Civil Guy](#): > > Er, are lemons available in Britain or in Australia? If, out of some strange taste, I should like the diluted juice of a lemon, possibly with some sweetener added, I should ask for… ? We do have this beverage in the UK and, confusingly enough, it would be called lemonade as well (or ‘homemade lemonade’). It’s not the sort of thing you’d be able to order in just any establishment however - it’s more likely to be something you’d make at home for your own enjoyment, although it’s not uncommon in north London cafes (the sort that also do smoothies and other trendy drinks). OB ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/45 "2005-11-02T12:50:58Z")
If Wikipedia can be trusted… the word “limonade” or “lemonade” does come from ancient usage as a sweetened drink with lemon juice, and one of the earliest uses was found in Spain (_limon_ comes from the Arabic). However, it became most widely associated with the carbonated English drink Lemon Squash at the end of the 19th century. Following that time, limonade became somewhat synonymous with carbonated fruit-flavored beverages in Europe, not limited to the lemony ones. [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limonade](http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limonade) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/46 "2005-11-02T13:35:38Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > I put a couple teaspoons of sugar in the bottom of a glass (more or less depending on how sweet I want it). Squeeze the juice of a fresh lemon into there. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add cold water or seltzer (aka club soda) to fill. Stir. That’s how I used to do it too, before I had a Turkish housemate who showed me how they make lemonade (or limeade, or a mixture of the two) over there. Start by washing the citrus fruits and grating their peel finely, then pour boiling water over the grated peel in a bowl and let it cool. Use the citrus-oil-flavored water (with the peel strained out of it) as in making traditional American lemonade. The citrus oil from the peel provides an incredibly tasty extra lemoniness/liminess. Yum!! I want some. Indian “nimbu pani” or fresh-lime soda is yummy too. Generally made with the juice of limes (Indian “nimbu” citrus are better but hard to find elsewhere) and carbonated water, and a little salt along with the sugar. ---
**Author:** ![mazinger\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/47 "2005-11-02T15:53:26Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > Nobody in Australia would describe Lift as lemonade. It’s lemon squash. The two are quite different. > [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > In Australia, if you ask for lemonade, you should get Sprite or 7up or Schweppes Lemonade. If you are presented with Lift then you are being served by someone without a clue. Lift actually has lemon juice in it (5% I think) and does taste lemony. Lemonade doesn’t. Lemon squash I’ve never heard of, and if I saw that on the menu, I would for sure avoid it. My uncle said that if you ask for lemonade I should get Sprite, but lately, they’ve been giving out Lift. I’ve been there, collectively, for about 4 years, and the last time I was there (6 weeks), everytime I’ve asked for lemonade, I was offered Lift. This was at Star Casino, Panthers Club, on the plane from from Syndey to the Gold Coast, and in Airlie Beach, oh and on the Fantasea tours as well. I think I was 10 for 10 in being offered Lift (and flatly rejected it each time). ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/48 "2005-11-02T16:20:57Z")
> [@Rayne Man](#): > > 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. so lemon squash is American lemonade? ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/49 "2005-11-02T17:21:06Z")
**ouryL** , there is no need to be so insulting. :mad: 😛 But really, according to a web search, Lemon squash involves Soda Water, and depending on who you ask, powdered sugar or Sugar Syrup(!). Good old America Lemonade, on the other hand, involves lots of real lemons, real sugar, and plain old water. No soda water anywhere to be seen, thank Og. ---
**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 2, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/50 "2005-11-02T17:26:22Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > **ouryL** , there is no need to be so insulting. :mad: > > 😛 > But really, according to a web search, Lemon squash involves Soda Water, and depending on who you ask, powdered sugar or Sugar Syrup(!). > > Good old America Lemonade, on the other hand, involves lots of real lemons, real sugar, and plain old water. No soda water anywhere to be seen, thank Og. British squash does not involve soda (carbonated) water. As I said above you dilute it with tap water. You buy the concentrated stuff ready-made and don’t concoct it at home. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956/51 "2005-11-02T17:31:29Z")
Squash is also called cordial. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-tell-me-about-lemonade/328956.md?page=2)