Move over, Cherry Coke, because Spruce Soda is my new favorite soft drink.
You heard me. Spruce Soda.
I admit, it doesn’t sound like a very Jane-ish book-inspired recipe for The Jane Austen Diet. But, it’s adapted from the recipe for Spruce Beer, which was a popular drink in Jane Austen’s time.
Author Brian Kozlowski included the recipe for Summer Spruce Beer in The Jane Austen Diet, and I’ve made a modified version here.
I also decided to call it “soda” instead of “beer” because there’s no alcohol in this drink, and I didn’t want to mislead anyone.
I know that making homemade sodas was all the rage a few years ago, but I never jumped on board. Husband and I rarely drink soda, mostly because it’s so horribly unhealthy for you.
(Though, I do admit a certain weakness for the aforementioned Cherry Coke.)
However, I think Spruce Soda is pretty guilt-free, as carbonated beverages go.
It’s made with sparkling water (like Pellegrino) and a rosemary-ginger-lemon simple syrup you brew right on your stovetop.
That’s it! Simple and pure, and full of natural ingredients.
While original spruce beer was brewed with actual spruce sprigs, Spruce Soda uses more readily available rosemary to invoke that bright, fresh, pine flavor. If you love rosemary in savory dishes, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised by how well it pairs with something sweet.
I know rosemary, ginger, and lemon sounds like an odd flavor combo for a soda; I, too, was skeptical when I first saw the spruce beer recipe.
But, the minute I took one sip of my adapted confection, I was a believer.
Spruce Soda is delicious, amazingly refreshing and crisp. The subtle warmth of the ginger mingles nicely with the sharp rosemary and tangy lemon infusing the simple syrup.
The overall flavor ends up being gentle, yet bright. It tastes totally natural, but you still get that sugar rush you crave from soda.
The best part about Spruce Soda is that you can adjust its sweetness level to your liking. I added two tablespoons of the rosemary syrup to one cup of sparkling water, and I thought everything was perfectly balanced.
However, if you really have a sweet tooth, you can add more syrup until you’re satisfied.
Now, I’m not saying that Spruce Soda is a health food. I’m no nutritionist.
However, if you have to have a soda, I can’t think of a better version than a homemade one. It has to be healthier for you than any of those mass-produced sodas, right?
So, go ahead! Indulge! I’m pretty sure that Jane would approve, both of the moderated indulgence and of this modernized version of her beloved spruce beer.
Spruce Soda
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, peeled
- 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 cup still or tap water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup sparkling water
- 4-5 ice cubes
- 1 lemon, sliced (optional, for garnish)
- 1 small sprig fresh rosemary (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
SPRUCE SIMPLE SYRUP INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel off the lemon rind with a vegetable peeler, making sure you leave behind the pith (the white part). Set the lemon rind aside. Store the lemon, covered, in the fridge for another use.
- Combine the still/tap water, sugar, ginger, lemon rind, and 2 rosemary springs in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Let boil 3 minutes, then remove pan from heat.
- Let simple syrup ingredients steep for one hour.
- Place a small strainer over a glass jar or container, then pour the syrup through the strainer. Discard the cooked lemon rind and rosemary sprigs.
- Refrigerate the spruce simple syrup until you’re ready to make the spruce soda.
SPRUCE SODA INSTRUCTIONS
- Add 4-5 ice cubes to an 8oz glass.
- Add 2 tbsp of spruce simple syrup to the glass, then pour in 1 cup of sparkling water. Stir well to combine.
- Repeat Soda Instructions #1 and #2 as needed for however many drinks you need.
- Garnish drink(s) with lemon slices and extra rosemary sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.
