Balkan Sour Cherry Elderflower Fizz 🍒✨

Description

Balkan Sour Cherry Elderflower Fizz is a bright, alcohol-free cocktail with deep sour cherry juice, fragrant elderflower syrup, fresh lemon, mint, crushed ice, and sparkling water. It tastes like a summer garden table in the Balkans: tart, floral, cold, glossy, and beautiful enough for a celebration glass. ✨

Hook ✨

Sour cherry depth, elderflower perfume, lemon sparkle, and icy fizz make this Balkan cocktail feel elegant, refreshing, and instantly memorable. 🍒

Ingredients

• Cherry base 🍒
• 🍒 240 ml sour cherry juice, chilled (1 cup / 8 fl oz)
• 🍋 40 ml fresh lemon juice (2 tbsp + 2 tsp / 1.35 fl oz)
• 🌸 45 ml elderflower syrup (3 tbsp / 1.5 fl oz)
• 🍯 15 g honey or sugar syrup, optional (1 tbsp / 0.5 oz)
• 🧂 1 tiny pinch fine sea salt
• Fizz and garnish ✨
• 💧 400 ml sparkling water, very cold (1⅔ cups / 13.5 fl oz)
• 🧊 300 g crushed ice (3 cups / 10.6 oz)
• 🌿 12 fresh mint leaves
• 🍒 8 sour cherries or dark cherries, for garnish
• 🍋 4 thin lemon wheels

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Chill the glasses 🧊
2. Place 4 tall glasses in the fridge for 10 min, or fill them with ice water while preparing the drink. Cold glasses keep the fizz sharper and the color brighter.
3. 2️⃣ Mix the cherry base 🍒
4. In a jug, combine sour cherry juice, lemon juice, elderflower syrup, honey or sugar syrup if using, and a tiny pinch of salt. Stir for 20 sec until smooth and glossy.
5. 3️⃣ Add mint gently 🌿
6. Lightly clap the mint leaves between your palms to release aroma. Add them to the jug and stir gently for 5 sec. Do not crush them too much, so the drink stays clean and fresh.
7. 4️⃣ Build over ice 🧊
8. Fill each chilled glass with crushed ice. Pour the cherry base evenly into the glasses, filling each glass about halfway.
9. 5️⃣ Add the sparkle ✨
10. Top each glass with very cold sparkling water. Stir once from bottom to top with a long spoon, just enough to blend without losing the bubbles.
11. 6️⃣ Garnish and serve 🍋
12. Finish each glass with cherries, a lemon wheel, and a mint sprig. Serve immediately while the drink is cold, bright, and fizzy.

Total Time

⏱ Prep: 10 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 0 min
🛋 Rest: 10 min
⏰ Total: 20 min

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