BHA & BHT Free Chilled Lemon Ginger Agua Fresca
This refreshing drink is bright, zingy, and deeply satisfying — the kind of thing you'll want to keep a pitcher of in the fridge all week long. Fresh ginger is gently simmered and steeped until the liquid turns fragrant and spicy, then blended with real lemon juice and a touch of maple syrup for natural sweetness. Every single ingredient here is whole and recognizable, which matters when you're trying to avoid synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT that sneak into so many packaged beverages and flavored syrups. There's no need to scrutinize a label or second-guess a store-bought bottle — you're in complete control from start to finish. The pinch of salt is a small but smart move that rounds out the tartness and makes the ginger pop even more. Served over ice with a few lemon slices and fresh mint, it looks gorgeous and tastes like something from a fancy café. It's clean, cooling, and genuinely easy to pull together whenever you need it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 cups cold water, divided
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)
- 4 tbsp maple syrup, or more to taste
- ⅛ tsp fine salt
For serving
- ice cubes, for serving
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine 1 cup of the water and the sliced ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the water is fragrant and lightly golden.
- 2
Remove from the heat and let the ginger steep in the hot water for 20 minutes, until the liquid is deeply aromatic and noticeably spicy.
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