Woolworths Non-Alcoholic Drinks: Easy Citrus Spritz

This Woolworths-inspired non-alcoholic citrus spritz combines orange juice, lemon, a little honey and sparkling water for a bright, grown-up drink without alcohol. It takes only a few minutes to mix, is easy to scale for a gathering and works with whichever sparkling water and citrus you can find at Woolworths or another supermarket.

Ingredients

1 medium orange (about 130 g), thinly sliced
1 lemon (about 110 g), half juiced and half thinly sliced
½ cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey or simple syrup
4 cups (960 ml) chilled sparkling water
2 cups (about 300 g) ice cubes
8 fresh mint leaves (about 2 g), plus extra sprigs to garnish

Instructions

Wash the orange, lemon and mint under cool running water and dry them. Cut the orange and half the lemon into thin rounds; juice the remaining lemon half. If you prefer a smoother drink, strain out the lemon pulp.
In a small jug, stir the orange juice, lemon juice and honey together until the honey dissolves. If the honey is thick, mix it first with a tablespoon of warm water; let that mixture cool before adding it to the juice.
Gently clap the mint leaves between your palms to release their aroma, then add them to the juice mixture with the orange and lemon slices. Avoid crushing the leaves hard, which can make them taste bitter.
Divide the ice among four glasses. Pour the citrus mixture evenly over the ice, including a few fruit slices and mint leaves in each glass.
Top each glass with about 1 cup (240 ml) chilled sparkling water. Stir once or twice with a long spoon and serve immediately while the bubbles are lively. Taste and add a little more lemon for tartness or honey syrup for sweetness, if needed.

Tips

Keep the fizz: Chill the sparkling water well and add it just before serving. Stir gently; vigorous mixing releases carbonation.
Adjust sweetness carefully: Orange juice varies in sweetness, so begin with the listed honey and taste before adding more. Simple syrup dissolves more easily in cold liquid.
Make neat slices: Use a sharp knife and remove any seeds from the citrus rounds so they do not fall into the glasses.
Choose your bubbles: Plain sparkling water gives the clearest citrus flavor. A lightly flavoured, unsweetened variety works too; check its label before adding extra sweetener.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this spritz in tall glasses with a slice of orange and a mint sprig. It pairs well with picnic food, salads, grilled vegetables, sandwiches and lightly spiced dishes. For a party, set out the citrus-and-honey mixture in a chilled jug and keep the sparkling water in its bottle; pour and top glasses individually so the drink stays fizzy. Put the jug and glasses on a stable tray, and keep the ice separate until serving to avoid diluting the batch.

For a brunch table, offer lemon wedges and a small pitcher of extra honey syrup on the side. Guests can adjust their own glasses, which is especially useful when some prefer a sharper drink and others like it sweeter. If serving children, use sturdy cups and omit the ice if small cubes are a concern.

Variations

Berry citrus: Add ½ cup (75 g) lightly mashed raspberries or sliced strawberries to the juice mixture. They tint the drink and add a gentle berry flavor; strain if you want fewer seeds.
Ginger spritz: Replace ½ cup (120 ml) of the sparkling water with chilled ginger beer or ginger ale. These are usually sweetened, so start with 1 tablespoon of honey instead of 2 and adjust to taste.
Rosemary orange: Swap the mint for one small rosemary sprig. Steep it in the citrus mixture for 5 minutes, then remove it before serving; rosemary has a more savoury, pine-like aroma.
Lower-sweetness version: Omit the honey and use extra lemon juice to brighten the orange. The result is more tart and less rounded, so offer sweetener at the table.
Still citrus cooler: Use chilled still water instead of sparkling water. It will be lighter and non-fizzy, but the citrus and mint flavors remain the same.

Storage and Reheating

This drink is best assembled just before serving. If you need to get ahead, mix the orange juice, lemon juice and honey up to 24 hours in advance, cover it and refrigerate it in a clean container. Keep the sliced fruit and mint separately covered in the refrigerator for up to a day. Add the sparkling water and ice only when ready to serve.

Once mixed with sparkling water, the spritz gradually loses its bubbles and the ice waters it down, so drink it promptly rather than storing it as a finished batch. Discard cut fruit or juice left at room temperature for more than 2 hours; refrigerate promptly when preparing ahead. Reheating is not appropriate for this cold drink.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a larger batch for a party?
Yes. Multiply the juice, honey and fruit by the number of servings you need, then refrigerate the mixture in a covered pitcher. Keep sparkling water chilled and add it to individual glasses at serving time rather than pouring it into the pitcher in advance.

Can I use bottled orange juice?
Yes. Choose unsweetened juice if possible and taste the mixture before adding all the honey. Bottled juice can be sweeter or less aromatic than freshly squeezed juice, so the amount of lemon may need a small adjustment.

What can I use instead of honey?
Use the same amount of simple syrup, or start with 1½ tablespoons (about 22 ml) of maple syrup. Maple adds a noticeable flavour of its own. For a vegan option, choose simple syrup rather than honey.

Can I make it without sparkling water?
Yes. Replace it with chilled still water for a non-carbonated citrus cooler. You can also top the drink with a non-alcoholic sparkling beverage, but check the label because many are already sweetened.

How do I stop the drink tasting bitter?
Use fresh citrus, remove seeds and avoid squeezing the peel. Bruise the mint gently rather than grinding it. If the drink is too sharp, add honey syrup a teaspoon at a time instead of adding more juice.

Is this a Woolworths product recipe?
This is a simple supermarket-style recipe inspired by the phrase Woolworths non-alcoholic drinks; it does not depend on one specific branded product. Use the juice, honey, sparkling water and fresh produce available at your local store, and check product labels for ingredients if you have dietary requirements.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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