Take It Easy Recipe

Juice the citrus

If using lemon or lime: roll fruit on the counter to loosen juice, then cut in half and juice until you have 1 cup. If using grapefruit: peel and juice sections or use a reamer to yield 1 cup. Strain the juice through a fine mesh sieve to remove pulp and seeds for a smooth refresher.

Combine with sparkling base

In a large pitcher, pour 3 cups of chilled low-ABV sparkling wine or other chosen sparkling beverage. Add the 1 cup of strained fresh citrus juice and gently stir once or twice to combine, trying not to knock too much carbonation out of the sparkling base.

Add 6 citrus slices to the pitcher (thin rounds or half-moons) to deepen citrus aroma and for garnish when serving.

Sweeten to balance

Add 1/2 cup of simple syrup to the pitcher and stir gently. Taste the mixture: depending on the tartness of the chosen citrus and the sweetness of your sparkling base, you may want to add up to an additional 1-2 tablespoons (0.5–1 oz) of simple syrup. The goal is a balanced, slightly sweet refresher — not syrupy.

Optional herbal or bitter lift

If using herbs: bruise 6 mint leaves gently between your palms (or slap a rosemary sprig once) to release aroma and add them to the pitcher. If using bitters: add up to 6 dashes (not teaspoons — start with 2–3 dashes) to introduce complexity; stir gently. Remove large herb stems after 10–15 minutes if desired to avoid overpowering the drink.

Adjust carbonation and chill: if the mixture seems too intense, top up with up to 2 cups chilled club soda or sparkling water to lighten and lengthen the drink. Stir gently to combine.

Serve: fill highball glasses or wine glasses with about 1/2 cup ice if using. Pour the refresher over ice (if used) and garnish each glass with a citrus slice and a sprig of mint or rosemary. If you prefer no ice, serve chilled in stemware.

Storage: keep any unused refresher in a sealed pitcher or bottle in the refrigerator and consume within 24 hours — carbonation will diminish over time.