Orgeat Lemonade
Almond-bright lemonade
Classical French orgeat — almond syrup with a whisper of orange blossom — built into a proper lemonade. The 19th-century American bartender's sophisticated soft drink.
Ingredients
- 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 3/4 oz Orgeat
- 4 oz Water
Method
In a collins glass, combine lemon juice and orgeat. Stir to integrate. Add ice and cold water. Stir again. Garnish with a lemon wheel. Can be built with soda water instead of still for a carbonated version.
Documented in Jerry Thomas's The Bar-Tender's Guide (1862), where it appears as a temperance recipe; an earlier 1820 Dublin Magazine reference suggests French origins. Per Vintage American Cocktails, orgeat syrup was popular in early-19th-century France and later featured in American bartending guides. This classical non-alcoholic lemonade predates modern cocktail culture.