America and the United Kingdom have long been, as the saying goes, separated by a common language. We call it an elevator, they call it a lift; we call it a crosswalk, they call it a zebra crossing, despite the fact that we seriously doubt even a single zebra has made use of it. This extends to food, as well. We all know that their biscuits are our cookies, and our biscuits are their … well, they don’t really have those, but scones come close enough. But there are other odd little differences, too, that you’d probably never guess. Did you know, for instance, that what the Brits call “lemonade” is, in fact, a fizzy, carbonated beverage? Frankly, we’re as surprised as you are.
If you were to order lemonade in London, you might be surprised to find yourself with a tall glass of Sprite. But that’s exactly what lemonade is to Brits: lemon-flavored soda, whether that be Sprite, 7-Up, or other citrus-y concoctions we don’t get in the States. In America, lemonade refers specifically to a still (that is, non-carbonated) drink made from lemons, sugar, and water. This is all to say that you won’t likely find British children starting their own fizzy lemonade stands — they’d just be acting as middlemen (or middle-children, as the case may be).
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The British definition of lemonade shifted over time
Cans of R. White’s Lemonade, a British lemonade – Zety Akhzar/Shutterstock
So why did Britain decide to make things so complicated once again? Well, for a while, both sides of the pond had more or less the same definition of lemonade. Early British recipes, including one by the renowned Victorian cookbook writer Isabella Beeton, used sugar, water, and lemons, just as Americans did. Eventually, however, the Brits would discover the wonders of carbonation, and their love affair with fizz would change the way they defined lemonade, too.
We mentioned Sprite and 7-Up earlier, but the United Kingdom (and other parts of Europe, not to mention Australia) have their own brands of fizzy lemonade, too. There’s R. White’s from the U.K., which was founded in the 19th century and, some hundred years later, would have a hit ad campaign with a jingle written by Elvis Costello’s dad (his son, pre-fame, provided backing vocals). There’s also popular Australian brand Kirks, and there’s C&C, an Irish brand which also makes cider.
If you’d prefer something non-sparkling, there are still options, most notably Fentiman’s, which sells “Victorian lemonade” — that is, still lemonade. The brand often uses rose flavoring, which isn’t too far off from lavender, a floral upgrade we recommend for lemonade. This isn’t to be confused with pink lemonade, which is a whole different thing. But whether still or sparkling, it’ll likely be a refreshing summer favorite.
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Dining and Cooking