Bitter lemon is a bitter
lemon
The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China.
The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culin ...
flavoured
soft drink
A soft drink (see § Terminology for other names) is a drink that usually contains water (often carbonated), a sweetener, and a natural and/or artificial flavoring. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a su ...
. Its signature taste is a result of inherently bitter lemon
pith
Pith, or medulla, is a tissue in the stem
Stem or STEM may refer to:
Plant structures
* Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang
* Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other ...
being reinforced by the bitter alkaloid
quinine
Quinine is a medication used to treat malaria and babesiosis. This includes the treatment of malaria due to ''Plasmodium falciparum'' that is resistant to chloroquine when artesunate is not available. While sometimes used for nocturnal leg cr ...
.
The principal difference between
tonic water
Tonic water (or Indian tonic water) is a carbonated soft drink in which quinine is dissolved. Originally used as a prophylactic against malaria, tonic water usually has a significantly lower quinine content and is consumed for its distinctive b ...
and bitter lemon is the lemon juice, pith, and
peel. The juice adds sour, offset by additional sweetener, and the oily peel fragrance.
Bitter lemon is consumed both by itself and as a
mixer, and is sold around the world.
The generic bitter lemon drink dates back to 1834.
Schweppes
Schweppes (, ) is a beverage brand that originated in the Republic of Geneva; it is made, bottled and distributed worldwide by multiple international conglomerates, depending on licensing and region, that manufacture and sell soft drinks. Schwep ...
introduced its brand of bitter lemon in 1957.
In South Africa the beverage is branded as Dry Lemon.
Brands
Australia
• Schweppes
Britain
*
Schweppes
Schweppes (, ) is a beverage brand that originated in the Republic of Geneva; it is made, bottled and distributed worldwide by multiple international conglomerates, depending on licensing and region, that manufacture and sell soft drinks. Schwep ...
*
Fever-Tree
Fevertree Drinks plc, known as Fever-Tree, is a British producer of premium drink mixers, founded by Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow in 2004.
The company's name comes from its initial product, a tonic water. Their tonic was flavoured with qui ...
Canada
*
Canada Dry
Canada Dry is a brand of soft drinks founded in 1904 and owned since 2008 by the American company Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Dr Pepper Snapple (now Keurig Dr Pepper). For over 100 years, Canada Dry has been known mainly for its ginger ale, though ...
*The Great Jamaican
Cameroon
*Bubble Up
France
*
Gini
Israel
*Schweppes
Kenya
*Krest
Netherlands
*
Royal Club
Nigeria
*Teem
*Limca
Somalia
* StrangeLove
United States
*
Polar Beverages
Polar Beverages is a soft drink company based in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is a manufacturer and distributor of sparkling fruit beverages, Carbonated water, seltzer, ginger ale, drink mixers, and spring water to customers in the United States. ...
*
Fever-Tree
Fevertree Drinks plc, known as Fever-Tree, is a British producer of premium drink mixers, founded by Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow in 2004.
The company's name comes from its initial product, a tonic water. Their tonic was flavoured with qui ...
See also
*
List of lemon dishes and beverages
This is a list of lemon dishes and drinks, in which lemon is used as a primary ingredient. Lemon is a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughou ...
References
Lemon sodas
Quinine
1834 establishments
Drink mixers
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