How to Make Refreshing Mint & Sparkling Water Drinks with Fresh Garden Mint
INSIDE : Have an overgrown mint garden? Learn how to make a refreshing, low-sugar mint and sparkling water drink in just 5 minutes with this easy recipe!
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If your garden is like mine, it is currently being taken over by a huge lush patch of mint! Mint is notoriously one of the plants that just grows and grows – once it takes off, it’s hard to find enough ways to use it up.
While turning excess leaves into tea is great, nothing quite hits the spot like turning a mint harvest into a crisp refreshing summer drink! Light, bubbly and so summery, combining muddled garden mint with cold sparkling water is the perfect way to stay hydrated while making the most of your garden mint harvest.
Looking for the perfect Fall Apple Cider Mule recipe? You don’t be disappointed in this one!
Why Fresh Garden Mint Makes the Ultimate Sparkling Drink
Using fresh garden mint makes the best sparkling drink combos because it’s natural essential oils release a cooling aroma and flavor that immediately enhances bubbly water. The natural menthol in fresh mint ignites cooling receptors in your mouth, making warm summer days feel a little cooler.
Garden Mint & Sparkling Water Drink
If you are looking for what to make with overgrown garden mint a refreshing garden mint mocktail is just the thing for you! I feel like this drink is on repeat for me and my children all summer long.
What do I need to make a Mint Mocktail?
- Fresh garden mint
- Sugar
- Water
- Drink Strainer
- Syrup bottle
- Glass
- Ice
- Metal Straw
- Muddler
How to Harvest and Wash Garden Mint for Drinks
Harvesting mint for drinks is best done in the early morning when the leaves are packed with their highest concentration of fragrant essential oils. Snip stem cuttings just above a leaf node using sharp clean shears, which encourages the plant to branch out and grow back even bushier.
To prep your harvest, strip the leaves from the tough woody lower stems and submerge them in a bowl of cold water to float away any garden dirt or tiny pests. Swirl the leaves gently, gently pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel and use them right away for the brightest flavor.
I also like to keep the clean sprigs in a cup of water until I am ready to make my drink, this ensures the leaves are hydrated and not wilty for my drink.
How to Muddle Fresh Mint Without Making It Bitter
Mint leaves can have a delicate aromatic flavor, but if crushed too much it can turn quite bitter, so here are some tips to get the best scent from your herb.
Place your mint leaves in the bottom of your glass or shaker. Hold your muddler firmly, press down on the leaves and give a gentle quarter-turn.
You only need to do this 3 to 4 times total. The goal is simply to press out the fragrant oils, not to tear, shred or grind the leaves into tiny green specks.
Avoid muddlers with sharp, teethed metal bases, as they act like tiny blades that slice up the leaves. A smooth wooden muddler or even the back of a solid wooden spoon works best.
If you see slight green oil and smell that sudden burst of fresh mint aroma, you’ve done it right.
Mint and Sparkling Water drink recipe
Make Mint Simple Syrup
To make this drink, you must start by first making mint simple syrup.
Add one cup of water and one cup of sugar to a small pan on medium heat. Mix water until the sugar has dissolved and remove from heat.
After off heat, add about one cup of mint leaves to the pan and allow to steep for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes are up, pour the mixture through a strainer to clarify. Cool and place in an air tight jar to store.
Gently muddle Mint
Place the clean mint leaves and a squeeze of fresh lime juice (optional) into the bottom of a tall glass. Using a wooden muddler or the back of a wooden spoon, press down gently 4 to 5 times to release the aromatic essential oils.
Fill glass with ice
Next pack the glass about 3/4 of the way to the top with ice cubes to lock in the cold temperature and keep the crushed mint anchored at the bottom of the glass.
Add Mint Simple Syrup
Pour about 1 to 2 tablespoons of your delicious homemade mint simple syrup into your glass.
Top with Sparkling Water
I used La Croix plain sparkling water, but you can mix up the flavor here for new flavor combinations. Slowly pour it over the ice, allowing the carbonation to lift the fresh mint aromas.
Garnish and serve
Stir gently with a long straw or spoon to distribute the flavors. Garnish with an extra stem of fresh mint—give the sprig a quick clap between your hands right before adding it to activate the fragrant aromatic oils on top.
Yum, yum, yum!! I could drink this all year long, but I will certainly be using up my vast quantities of garden mint on this delicious garden beverage!
