Ramune (ラムネ)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small saucepan
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Chilled Codd-neck ramune bottles, or tall chilled glasses
• •Bottle opener plunger for ramune bottles, if using

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the syrup

   Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir only until the sugar dissolves and the syrup turns clear, then take it off the heat. Boiling it hard thickens the syrup and dulls the clean soda-shop lightness you want.

2. 2

   Steep the zest

   Add the lemon zest and lime zest to the hot syrup and let them steep for ten minutes. The heat pulls fragrance from the peel without needing much juice, which keeps the finished drink clear instead of pulpy.

3. 3

   Strain and sharpen

   Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer. Stir in the strained lemon juice, lime juice, citric acid, and salt. The citric acid gives ramune its clean, quick tartness, while the small pinch of salt keeps the sweetness from lying flat.

4. 4

   Chill it hard

   Refrigerate the syrup until thoroughly cold, at least one hour. Chill the sparkling water too. Cold liquid holds carbonation better, and this is the whole trick: fizz is an ingredient, not decoration.

5. 5

   Mix gently

   For each serving, pour 3 tablespoons cold syrup into a chilled ramune bottle or tall glass. Add 1 cup very cold sparkling water slowly down the side and stir once, gently. A rough stir drives off the bubbles you worked to keep.

6. 6

   Serve at once

   If using a Codd-neck ramune bottle, cap and press the marble down just before serving. If using glasses, add only a few ice cubes and drink right away. The first sip should be bright, lightly sweet, and sharp with bubbles.

Chef Tips

• •Use unwaxed citrus if you can, because the peel carries the fragrance here. If the fruit is waxed, scrub it well under warm water and dry it before zesting.
• •Citric acid is not a modern trick in disguise; it gives the clean tart edge that bottled ramune has. Without it, the drink tastes more like ordinary lemonade.
• •A reusable Codd-neck bottle gives the proper ceremony. A chilled glass works for the drink, but the marble belongs to ramune's character, so don't pretend the two are exactly the same.
• •Keep the syrup clear. Strain the juice and the zest, and don't add pulp. Ramune should sparkle cleanly in the glass, with nothing hidden.

Advance Preparation

• •The citrus syrup can be made up to one week ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.
• •Chill the sparkling water and bottles at least two hours before serving. Warm bottles steal the fizz quickly.
• •Mix ramune only at the last moment. Once combined with sparkling water, it is at its best for just a few minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 305g)