What Makes a Great Lemon-Lime Soda?
Lemon-lime soda is a refreshing soft drink with a light color and tangy taste. Not too heavy or syrupy, it can be a refreshing alternative to colas on hot afternoons. It is also a great way to add some sweet carbonation to fruit punch or iced tea. Our chefs define a high-quality regular and diet lemon-lime soda as having pronounced sweetness that is balanced by the sourness of lemon and lime and very low levels of bitterness and saltiness. This taste balance is an important part of the drink’s overall quality. In the flavor profile, an up-front lemon-lime flavor should lead. The combination of these tart fruits—also popular in food products like ice cream, frozen fruit bars and jellybeans—should make a bold first impression. The character of the lemon-lime flavor should be rounded, bright and clean, with the juicy flavors of lemon and lime clear and present. It should not be one-dimensional like citrus-flavored oil, which can be heavy or flat. Other fruit flavors should not be detectab
