Hands-on-time:  10 minutes
Total prep time:  55 minutes

There are two secrets to making great lemonade:

Secret #1 – Roast your lemons.
Secret #2 – Bourbon.

Fortunately, this recipe incorporates both those tips to deliver one of the greatest summer taste sensations of them all: Kentucky Lemonade. You can use any bourbon you want, or no bourbon at all, but if you choose to go bourbon-less (why? WHY?!?) just leave it out. There’s no need to make any other changes to the recipe. It’ll still be delicious, but it won’t make all your problems disappear.

LEMONADE

6 lemons, sliced (not wedges)
6 cups water
3/4 cup of sugar
1 vanilla bean

Put the lemons, the water, the sugar, and the vanilla bean into a roasting pan.

Roast at 375 for 45 minutes. Let cool. Strain and reserve the lemonade.

THE BEET!

There are two ways to go about incorporating this beet. Either buy a beet, roast it, and puree it in a Vitamix, or just go to your supermarket or juice store and get some beet juice. It’s fine either way, it all just depends on how committed you want to be.

TO SERVE (for each drink)

1/2 ounce beet juice
1.75 ounce roasted lemonade
2 ounces bourbon
7 Up
Soda Water

Combine the first 3 ingredients, pour over ice, then add a splash (just a splash) of 7-Up. Fill the rest of the glass to the rim with soda water. Sit back, relax, and have a drink. You’ve earned it.