Homemade Lemonade

Homemade lemonade. Mmmmm.

Here’s all you need, man:

4 cups sugar
2 dozen lemons
Water
Ice

A few hours (or a whole day) in advance, make a sugar syrup by combining 6 cups of water…

With the sugar in a large saucepan.

Heat it over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Set the syrup aside and let it cool, or store it in the fridge, covered, until you’re ready to make the lemonade. It’ll be slightly thick and viscous.

I’m obsessed with the word viscous right now. I apologize in advance.

Juice all the lemons into a pitcher.

This will exhaust you and make you want to take a nap.

Or maybe that’s just me.

Then pour it through a fine-mesh strainer to strain out all the pulp.

Smush it all around to get out every last bit of juice.

If you have time, refrigerate the juice until it’s chilled…but you don’t have to.

Pour the juice into a serving vat or tub…

Then pour in about 2/3 to 3/4 of the syrup. Set the remaining syrup aside.

Just before serving the lemonade, fill the vat with ice…

Then pour in 8 cups (or so) of cold water.

Stir it around until the juice and water are well combined.

Then be sure to give it a taste. If it seems overly tart, add in the rest of the sugar syrup. If it seems too strong overall, add in another 2 cups of water. Don’t be afraid to play with the quantities to suit your taste…

And keep in mind that the ice itself will add some water content.

When it’s totally perfect, serve it up!

Nothing better in the world.

Notes
Both the sugar syrup and the lemon juice can be prepared the day before, then stored in the fridge.

Variations
Add 2 cups raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or sliced strawberries to the lemonade for different flavors.

Make hard lemonade by adding 2 cups light rum or tequila to the lemonade. (Naughty! Adults only!)

Here’s the handy printable: