I’ve never been a fan of sweet, sugary drinks — whether they’re alcoholic or not. I’ve always liked lemonade, though, when it’s not too sugary, of course. Real lemonade — in all its tart, citrusy glory — always seems to do the trick on hot summer days.

Strawberries happen to be one of my favorite fruits, and it was always a treat having them sliced up and plopped into a cold glass of lemonade when I was growing up.

So, when looking for a fun, summer (adult) drink for this issue of Albert Lea magazine, I decided to look for a spin on a tried and true classic. This strawberry lemonade incorporates White Water Whiskey — a  tribute to the Minnesota 13 moonshine made back in the days of Prohibition — from Panther Distillery in Osakis. Any other moonshine of choice could be incorporated, though.

Either way, this recipe is a good remedy for keeping cool on those sweltering Minnesota summer days. It’s especially refreshing after a long day of yard work, too, in case you were wondering.

Summer Lemonade

Ingredients

2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 cups water

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups White Water Whiskey (or other moonshine)

1/2 cup grenadine syrup

Strawberry slices

Lemon slices

Ice

Directions

Put the water and sugar in a small pot over medium heat and heat until sugar has dissolved and the water starts to clear, stirring occasionally so the sugar doesn’t burn. The mixture does not need to boil. Let cool.

In a separate container, combine lemon juice, strawberries, moonshine and grenadine syrup and stir. Combine with sugar water mixture once it has cooled.

When ready, pour over ice and add slices of lemon.