This single-glass cooler brings together fresh cucumber, bright lemon and a little Mānuka honey, finished with plain sparkling water. It’s a simple evening option made without caffeinated ingredients, with sweetness and citrus you can adjust to your taste.
Ingredients for one glass
Use these modest quantities as a starting point, rather than a fixed formula.
- 1 teaspoon jarred Mānuka honey
- 1 tablespoon room-temperature drinking water, plus a little more if needed
- 4 thin slices of cucumber
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 150–200 ml plain sparkling water, preferably chilled
- A few ice cubes, optional
The listed contents of our The Beekeeper’s Choice 12Pk include a separate 250g jar of MGO500+ Mānuka honey as a batch-limited offer. If you have that jar, you can use it here. This recipe uses the jarred honey, not Avatar Elixir, which contains caffeine. Adding water or mixers to Elixir does not remove its caffeine.
How to make your cooler
Wash the cucumber and lemon before cutting. Use a clean drinking glass, spoon, knife and chopping board, and prepare the drink when you’re ready to enjoy it.
- Dissolve the honey. Put the honey and room-temperature water in your glass. Stir until the honey is incorporated, checking the bottom for any thick streaks. If it’s reluctant to mix, add another small splash of water and keep stirring before adding anything cold.
- Gently press the cucumber. Add the cucumber slices and press them lightly with the back of your spoon against the inside of the glass. Aim to bruise them a little, not mash them into a pulp. Leave the slices in the glass.
- Add the lemon. Stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Taste the base and add a few more drops if you prefer a sharper citrus note. Remember that the sparkling water will soften the flavour’s intensity.
- Finish with bubbles. Add ice if you’re using it, then slowly pour in 150 ml of plain sparkling water. Give the drink a gentle stir to bring the honey mixture up from the bottom.
- Adjust and serve. Take a sip. Add more sparkling water for a lighter drink or a few drops of lemon for extra brightness. For more sweetness, dissolve a little extra honey in a small splash of room-temperature water separately, then gently stir it in. Once it tastes right to you, it’s ready. Enjoy straight away while the bubbles are lively.
A quick clarification on choosing the honey for your cooler.
Do I need MGO500+ Mānuka honey to make this cooler?
No particular MGO grade is required for this recipe. Use jarred Mānuka honey you already have; the MGO500+ jar is mentioned because it is included in the listed bundle contents, not because that grade is needed for mixing. Let your preferred sweetness guide how much you use.
