Soft Drinks Recipe

Make quick simple syrup

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Use 1.5 tablespoons per serving as called for above.

Chill glass and add ice

Fill a 12–16 oz glass with about 1 cup of ice (cubes or crushed). Chilling the glass helps preserve carbonation and keeps the drink cold longer.

Flavor base

Add 1.5 tablespoons of simple syrup and 1 tablespoon of fresh citrus juice to the glass. If using fruit puree or a syrup (strawberry, mango, cola, ginger), add the specified 2 teaspoons of fruit puree or 1 teaspoon of syrup/concentrate now. For herb-flavored sodas, lightly clap or bruise 6 mint or basil leaves and add them to the glass to release oils.

Combine with carbonated water

Pour 8 ounces of cold carbonated water gently into the glass over the back of a spoon or down the side to preserve fizz. Stir gently once or twice with a bar spoon — avoid vigorous stirring to keep carbonation.

Finish with bitters (optional)

If using bitters, add 1–2 dashes on top and stir once to distribute the flavor.

Garnish and serve

Garnish with a citrus wheel or wedge and a sprig of fresh herb. Serve immediately with a straw or stirrer.

Scaling: multiply ingredients by number of servings. For a pitcher (6 servings), use 48 oz carbonated water, 9 tablespoons simple syrup, 6 tablespoons citrus juice, and proportionate flavorings. Sweetness: adjust simple syrup to taste (start with 1.5 tbs per serving). Non-sugar sweetener: dissolve liquid sweetener into citrus juice before adding to soda. Make cola-style: use cola concentrate or a combination of cola syrup, a small pinch of ground cinnamon, and orange oil for depth. Make ginger soda: replace fruit syrup with 1 tsp ginger syrup or 1–2 tbsp ginger beer for stronger ginger flavor.