Lemonade Vs. Pink Lemonade - What's the difference?

Family gatherings and good weather are the perfect time to break out the pitcher of lemonade and mix up the perfect batch of lemonade.

Whether you choose pink lemonade or plain yellow lemonade, both have their own unique flavors that set them apart.

You may not even notice a real difference between the two and just enjoy a tasty glass of ice cold lemonade, no matter what color it is. You honestly can’t go wrong with lemonade, right?

But what is the difference between lemonade and pink lemonade?

Lemonade and pink lemonade aren’t much different, other than the food coloring used to make the lemonade pink. However, some pink lemonades are flavored with raspberries, strawberries, grapefruit, or other fruits that give it a more natural pink color and a sweeter, fruitier flavor.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through a comprehensive review of lemonade vs. pink lemonade. We’ll cover each of these tasty drinks in kind so we can get to the truth of the matter.

Lemonade Vs. Pink Lemonade

Lemonade is a classic, fresh drink with just the right balance of sweetness and tartness. You can make your own fresh lemonade or buy ready-made mixes for a quick and refreshing treat.

Some people prefer the usual yellow lemonade, while others prefer the pink lemonade. Others think that there really isn’t a significant difference between the two.

Although this may be somewhat true, you may be surprised to find that the ingredients do vary, and pink lemonade has many ingredients added to make it pink and sweeten the flavor a bit more.

As we go through this guide, we’ll start by talking about the key elements of lemonade and break them down for you.

Next, we’ll treat pink lemonade in much the same way. Once we’ve covered both lemonade and pink lemonade, we’ll end with an overview and a quick recap of the differences between the two.

Lemonade

Lemonade is mostly translucent or light yellow in color, but can be cloudy depending on how it was made.

The most natural lemonades do not usually have added colors, but there are some brands that have added yellow coloring to make it brighter.

In its most basic form, lemonade is just lemon, water, and sugar. And when we say sugar, we mean a lot of sugar, up to 25g per 8 fl oz.

When you’re trying to sweeten the tartness of the lemon, you’ll need a fair amount.

It really is the perfect combination, especially for a cool summer drink. Think get-togethers, barbecues, parties, and more.

If you see that the lemonade has more color than a cloudy or slightly yellow tint, it likely contains something other than the traditional lemonade ingredients.

If you didn’t know, you might think it’s just lemon water, until you take a sip and notice a stronger sweet and sour taste that only lemonade has.

Of course, it’s also a very citrusy drink, so mixed with the acidity, the lemonade packs a punch.

Even powdered lemonade is mostly lemon and sugar, but may have some additional preservatives, acids, or other ingredients added to make it viable in powdered form.

You can find lemonade made in many different ways. The good thing about lemonade is that it is also a rehydrating drink. In fact, it carries some health benefits because of this.

In addition to the hydration benefits, the various flavors of lemonade, such as lavender lemonade, can be calming to your mind and body. Lemon juice itself is also very healthy for your heart, metabolism, and digestive health.

However, as we have mentioned above, lemonade is packed with sugar and should only be consumed in moderation.

There are several variations of lemonade, from a variety of fruit flavors to different shapes. Although you can make it fresh, you can also buy it already made in gallon jugs or individual servings.

Apart from these two options, you can even find it frozen, in the form of a slush, or in powder form. However, powdered lemonade is the most likely option to contain other additives.

Pink lemonade

Now let’s talk about pink lemonade. It starts from the same basic lemonade base, but may have red or grenadine coloring added to give it its bubblegum pink color.

It is also often naturally sweetened or colored with ingredients such as cherry, blueberry, grapefruit, blood orange, raspberry, or strawberry. Some even give their lemonade an added floral note with rosehip.

The colors produced by these fruits can vary, but these ingredients make pink lemonade taste sweeter and less sour than traditional lemonade.

The pink lemonade is just as cool and refreshing. Interestingly, pink lemonade is often preferred over lemonade simply because people enjoy the color pink, but also because it’s not as acidic with the added fruit flavors.

Think of pink lemonade as lemonade with a twist. You can make your own pink lemonade. If you make it fresh, it probably won’t have any red food coloring, unless the juice you add already has red food coloring.

There is no definitive proof of the pink lemonade’s origins, but stories have been told about its connection to early circuses.

In one version, a circus ran out of fresh water for the lemonade it sold, so a circus worker named Pete Conklin scooped up a tub of dirty water that was tinted pink by the dancers’ leotards.

The resulting pink drink, marketed as strawberry lemonade, became incredibly popular for its novelty.

In another, Henry E. Allbot, a man who ran away to join the circus as a young man, accidentally dropped some cinnamon sticks into a tub of lemonade, staining it pink. He sold it anyway and the idea caught on quickly.

Neither of these stories is especially convincing considering the spectacle of the time, but it is believed to have been created in America with some connection to the circus.

But for all we know, it may have been designed by a bartender who just wanted something new and exotic to work with. Perhaps its outlandish appearance simply inspired the whimsical stories of its origin.

Be that as it may, the pink lemonade deserves the hype. It is simply delicious and can be done in a thousand different ways.

Just like traditional lemonade, you can make pink lemonade at home or buy another version. Just like regular lemonade, you have the option of buying it in jars, frozen, or powdered.

However, we recommend making it fresh as it is very easy to make but tastes much fresher. This way, you can also choose which fruits or other flavors you like best.

So what are the differences?

We’ve compared and contrasted regular and pink lemonade, but there are a few specific things we want to point out to summarize the differences.

Although these drinks are very similar, keep in mind that pink lemonade is something else. It has added ingredients and variations that differentiate it both in flavor and color.

Lemonade is mainly sour, while pink lemonade is mainly sweet.

Lemonade is made with just water, lemon, and sugar, while pink lemonade uses these ingredients as a base, but can also include red food coloring or something like strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry juice.

Both regular and pink lemonade can be made with more natural and simple ingredients, but pink lemonade is more likely to have coloring or additives.

Lastly, lemonade is light yellow or cloudy, while pink lemonade is sometimes cloudy, but always pink or red, due to the ingredients used to turn it into pink lemonade.

Related questions

We hope you find this guide helpful in understanding how lemonade and pink lemonade are different and how they are similar. There are a few minor things that set them apart.

Below you will find a question and answer section with additional information.

Is pink lemonade a specific flavor?

The interesting thing about pink lemonade is that the taste can be different depending on how it was made.

It usually contains a red or pink juice, such as strawberry, cherry, raspberry, or even blueberry, but it cannot be guaranteed which.

We encourage you to experiment with different flavors and fruit cocktails to perfect your own pink lemonade.

Can you make pink lemonade from scratch?

Yes. And actually, it’s probably healthier and tastier to make pink lemonade from scratch.

You can make a strawberry and raspberry puree to prepare it or follow another recipe of your choice. It may not be quite as bright pink when made at home, but the flavor will be similar.

There are hundreds of recipes out there, but you really can’t go wrong with a handful of your favorite berries.