A light and refreshing summer drink that’s bursting with citrusy grapefruit flavours.
This grapefruit and rosemary summer mocktail is summer in a glass. It’s fresh, citrusy and sweet, with a floral, herby flavour. We wanted to make a super tasty drink you could enjoy this summer instead of a cocktail or G&T. This is inspired by homemade lemonade but with a twist. This zesty grapefruit cooler can be enjoyed by everyone, and it also looks absolutely gorgeous in a glass. Add in some fresh grapefruit slices and a sprig of rosemary, and you have a showstopping drink. Grapefruit has the most amazing vibrant colour, which really pops in a glass with the greenery of the rosemary. The tonic and soda water give this drink a slight sparkle, which helps balance the sweetness. We think this is the perfect summertime beverage!
This grapefruit and rosemary summer mocktail is quick and easy to make.
The element which takes the most time to make is the sugar syrup. The rest is just mixing things together in a pitcher. The grapefruit juice and rosemary get steeped in water with the sugar. This creates a delicious concentrated sugary liquid that has been infused with all the yummy flavours that make this drink so tasty. This is then mixed with lots more fresh grapefruit juice, soda water and tonic water. We used London Essence Co. Tonic for this recipe. However, any tonic will work. We’d recommend buying premium tonic water as it does make up a large part of this recipe, so the flavour will really come through.
As with all recipes, we love it when you can get some of the prep out the way early, especially when cooking for others! This recipe can be made up well in advance, keeping it in the fridge until you need it. We would, however, recommend adding the ice just before serving, along with the fresh grapefruit wedges and rosemary for garnishing.
A summer drink that is perfect for alfresco dining, BBQs and picnics.
If you’ve got a family BBQ coming up soon, or a picnic in the park with friends, this is the perfect drink for that occasion! It’s definitely a crowd-pleaser and something that both children and adults will enjoy. You can enjoy it either during the day as a soft drink or in the evening as an alcohol-free option if you’re driving or don’t fancy drinking alcohol.
However, if you do fancy something alcoholic, you could always add a bit of gin or vodka. It would compliment the grapefruit and rosemary flavours really well.
This grapefruit & rosemary summer mocktail is:
- refreshing and summery
- perfect for alfresco dining, BBQs and picnics
- a great alternative to an alcoholic cocktail
- quick and easy to make
If you like the sound of this recipe, why not try one of these:
- Refreshing Summer White Wine Spritz
- Lightly Sparkling Mint & Lemonade Cooler
- Mexican Salad With Red Cabbage, Grapefruit & Carrot
Refreshing Grapefruit & Rosemary Summer Mocktail
Ingredients
- 3 grapefruits
- 150 g caster sugar
- a bag of rosemary
- 250 ml still water
- 500 ml soda water
- 750 ml tonic water
- handful of ice
Method
- Squeeze the juice of 1 grapefruit into a saucepan, then add one of the squeezed grapefruit halves. Add the sugar, rosemary (leaving a few sprigs aside for garnishing) and 250ml of still water. Bring to the boil and stir to dissolve the sugar, then leave the pan to one side to steep for 20 minutes.
- After the time has passed, strain into a large serving jug. Pour in 500ml of soda water and 750ml of tonic water. Squeeze 1 and a half grapefruits into the serving pitcher (leaving half to garnish with), and top with a few handfuls of ice cubes.
- Serve in a glass with fresh grapefruit wedges and a sprig of rosemary.