Lemon, Lime, and Bitters

Lemon, lime, and bitters (LLB for short) is a non-alcoholic cocktail created in Australia sometime around 1880 and is so popular there that it was dubbed "Australia's National Drink" by ABC News in 2018. Typically made with lemon soda, lime cordial, and aromatic bitters, we've taken a more fresh, low-calorie approach here with freshly squeezed citrus, a bit of simple syrup, and our Aromatic bitters (although you could use any variety of bitters).

If ordering this drink at a bar, it's important to note that it's most often made with Angostura bitters, which contain 44.7% alcohol by volume. Nevertheless, LLB is considered non-alcoholic in the same way that bitters and soda is, as only a few dashes of bitters are used. It certainly won't get you drunk, or even buzzed, but if you're looking to avoid alcohol 100% you'll want to use our non-alcoholic bitters to keep this a totally Zero Proof cocktail. (It's also surprisingly easy to get above the 0.5% ABV threshold that defines "non-alcoholic" drinks—just 3 dashes of Angostura in a 5-ounce drink clocks in at 0.67% ABV).

No matter how you make this one, with Angostura or non-alcoholic bitters, LLB is an incredibly refreshing, easy cocktail that is sure to please everyone. It's basically fancy lemon-lime soda! What's not to love?

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3 comments


  • Yasmin

    I’m fro Australia and we made it slightly different. We used Half a lime freshly squeezed, in a tall glass with ice (put the just sqeezed half lime in the glass too for added zest) Fill the glass with Lemonade and add the Angostura bitter to taste. Makes a Super Refreshing Beverage!


  • All The Bitter

    Hi Anna! We make this with fresh lemon and lime for a less sweet drink, but lime cordial can absolutely be used, and is how the recipe is traditionally made in Australia! Try 6 ounces of lemon-lime soda, and between 1/2 oz and 1 oz of lime cordial, depending on how sweet you want it to be.


  • Anna Harrison

    Haven’t made it yet but thanks for the recipe.
    Can Schweppes lime cordial be used and quantity?


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