Refresher
Churn ∙ 3 min ∙
The Refresher is a non-alcoholic churn of elderflower cordial, lemon and cranberry juice, topped with lemonade over crushed ice in a Collins glass. Bright and tart with a floral undertone, this stays light and fizzy on the tongue, its crushed ice keeping every sip crackling cold through to the last drop.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Pour the first 3 ingredients into the glass: Elderflower cordial 15 mlLemon juice 30 mlCranberry juice 60 ml
- Add crushed ice
- Churn
- Add more crushed ice and top with Lemonade
- Churn
- Garnish with a lemon slice
Tips
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than bottled; it keeps the tartness clean instead of sharp or soapy.
- Churn in two stages as built, not all at once, so the crushed ice chills the base before the lemonade dilutes it.
- Pre-chill the glass first so the crushed ice doesn't melt down and water out the drink before serving.
History
This non-alcoholic cocktail is an adaptation of a drink created in 2013 that became popular in the Jamie's Italian restaurant chain's bars. No further detail about its creator or original composition is documented beyond this Italian-restaurant bar origin.
FAQ
What is in a Refresher?
A Refresher is made with elderflower cordial, fresh lemon juice, sweetened cranberry juice, and lemonade, churned over crushed ice and served in a Collins glass with a lemon slice garnish. It is a non-alcoholic drink at 0% ABV.
How do you make a Refresher?
Pour the elderflower cordial, lemon juice, and cranberry juice into a pre-chilled glass, add crushed ice, and churn to combine and chill. Add more crushed ice, top with lemonade, churn again, and finish with a lemon slice garnish.
What makes a drink a refresher?
A refresher is a light, non-alcoholic drink built to be cooling and thirst-quenching, usually combining fruit juice with a fizzy or diluting top-up over crushed ice. This one earns the name by churning tart cranberry and lemon juices with a fizzy top-up until ice-cold.