Fentimans Botanically Brewed Soft Drinks Recipe

Prepare the sugar syrup and botanicals

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan combine 4 cups cold-filtered water and 2 cups granulated sugar. Heat over medium until sugar fully dissolves, stirring occasionally to make a clear syrup (do not boil vigorously).

Infuse botanicals

Once the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is hot but not boiling, add chamomile, elderflower, lemongrass, dried or fresh ginger, dried lemon and orange peel, juniper berries, crushed cardamom pods, coriander seeds, and rose petals (if using). Reduce heat to low and gently simmer for 10 minutes to extract oils and aromatics.

Steep off-heat

Remove the saucepan from heat. Cover and let the botanicals steep in the syrup for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on desired intensity (longer for stronger ginger/lemon character).

Strain and finish the concentrate

Strain the infused syrup through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof pitcher or bowl, pressing gently on solids to extract liquid but avoiding bitter compounds. Add the remaining 4 cups cold-filtered water to the strained syrup to bring the concentrate to about 1.3–1.5 liters. Stir in 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon citric acid until dissolved. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness: add up to 2 tbs additional lemon juice or up to 1/4 cup water if too sweet.

Optional light fermentation for natural effervescence

If you want a traditionally brewed slight fizz (like Fentimans), cool concentrate to room temperature. Add 1/4 tsp champagne or ale yeast, stir to combine, then bottle in airtight PET bottles leaving 1–2 inches headspace. Store at room temperature for 24–48 hours to develop light carbonation, checking pressure frequently. Once lightly carbonated, refrigerate to slow fermentation. NOTE: This step is optional; refrigeration without yeast will keep concentrate tasting fresh but flat — final carbonation will be added later with chilled carbonated water.

Chill: If you did fermentation, chill the bottles in the refrigerator before opening. For non-fermented concentrate, chill the concentrate and your carbonated water thoroughly (very cold water holds carbonation better).

Mixing: For a balanced soft drink, mix 1 part botanical concentrate with 3–4 parts cold carbonated water (adjust to taste). Example: 1/2 cup concentrate + 1 1/2 to 2 cups chilled carbonated water per serving. Stir gently to combine to avoid losing carbonation.

Serve: Fill a tall glass with 1 cup ice. Add the appropriate measure of concentrate and top with cold carbonated water. Garnish with a lemon slice and a mint sprig. For a stronger botanical presence, increase concentrate to 1:2 ratio; for lighter, use 1:5.

Storage: Keep any unused concentrate refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 10 days. If fermented in bottles, keep refrigerated and consume within 7–10 days. Discard if off-odors develop.

Prepare garnishes: Slice lemons and pick fresh mint sprigs. When serving each glass, add one lemon slice and one mint sprig to each glass (or as desired).