Drinks Ginger-Lemon Tonic 4.0 (4) 2 Reviews Tart with a touch of heat, this nonalcoholic drink is refreshing and easy to make. By Lucy Simon Lucy Simon Lucy Simon is a New York-based wine, spirits, and food writer has been with Food & Wine since the spring of 2021. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 13, 2024 Tested by Julia Levy Tested by Julia Levy Julia Levy is an eater, maker and dabbler in all things food. With nearly a decade of work experience, over 1,000 recipes tested, hundreds of recipes developed and just as many articles published, she has become a veritable resource for all your food questions. Her work has appeared in Cooking Light, MyRecipes, Southern Living, Real Simple, Fine Cooking and other publications and websites. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Linda Xiao / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Total Time: 3 mins Servings: 1 drink This refreshing drink is inspired by memories of my grandmother giving me ginger ale with a spritz of lemon as a child. The combination of warming ginger and tart lemon would soothe an upset stomach or sore throat. Instead of sugary ginger ale, I now lean on a combination of bittersweet tonic water and spicy ginger syrup for a more balanced drink. Tonic water contains quinine, a compound historically used to fight malaria that also works as a very subtle muscle relaxant, and in larger doses, has been used to treat night-time muscle cramping. Medicinal properties aside, well-made tonic water is utterly delicious. This three-ingredient tart and fizzy drink is complex, incredibly refreshing, and makes for a satisfying alternative to a Gin & Tonic. How to Make a 2-Ingredient Ginger Syrup Frequently Asked Questions Are tonic water and club soda the same? While tonic water and club soda are both used to add bubbles and length to cocktails, they have very different flavor profiles. Club soda is carbonated water infused with minerals, and it is largely flavorless. Tonic water, on the other hand, is carbonated water flavored with a blend of sugar and quinine, which gives tonic water its distinctive bittersweet flavor. What is quinine in tonic water? Quinine is harvested from the bark of the cinchona tree. It has historically been used as an anti-malarial medication and muscle relaxer made by diluting quinine extract with water and sugar. Only trace amounts of quinine are used in tonic water given its intense bitter taste. 15 Lemon Cocktails That Taste Like Sunshine Notes from the Test Kitchen This drink is delicious on its own but could also be easily spiked. For a gingery twist on a Gin & Tonic simply add an ounce and a half of gin, preferably something made with citrus-forward botanicals, like Monkey 47 gin. Ingredients 1 cup tonic water 3/4 ounce Ginger Syrup 1/2 ounce lemon juice Garnish: lemon slice, optional Garnish: candied ginger slice, optional Directions Stir together tonic water, ginger syrup, and lemon juice in an ice-filled glass Skewer lemon slice and candied ginger slice on a cocktail pick for garnish. Rate It Print