Mountain Dew
intro
Bright, zesty, bubbly homemade copycat of the classic Southern American citrus soda, perfectly sweet-tart, served ice-cold for sweltering summer days.
Ingredients
Steps
Make citrus simple syrup
In a small saucepan, combine 150g granulated sugar, 120ml (1/2 cup) of still filtered water, and 1 teaspoon of fine orange zest. Heat over medium-low heat (120°C/250°F) for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar fully dissolves and the liquid is clear with no graininess left. Do not bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
Strain and chill base
Pour the hot simple syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a 500ml heatproof glass jar to remove all orange zest pieces. Seal the jar loosely and place it in the refrigerator for 45 minutes, until it reaches 4°C/40°F, completely chilled with no residual warmth.
Blend citrus flavor base
In a large 1.5L (6 cup) glass pitcher, combine the fully chilled simple syrup, 60ml strained fresh orange juice, 30ml strained fresh lemon juice, 15ml strained fresh lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon citric acid powder, and optional 200mg caffeine powder. Stir vigorously with a long-handled spoon for 30 seconds until all powders are fully dissolved with no clumps remaining. Add 1 drop yellow food coloring and 1 tiny pinprick drop of green food coloring, then stir to evenly distribute for the signature pale yellow-green Mountain Dew hue.
Top with sparkling water
Slowly pour 960ml of ice-cold unflavored sparkling water down the inside edge of the pitcher to preserve as much carbonation as possible. Stir the mixture very gently for 10 seconds only, just enough to combine the syrup base with the sparkling water without agitating too much and losing fizz. Do not shake or stir vigorously at this stage.
Prep cold serving glasses
Take four 360ml (12oz) highball glasses, add 60g (1/2 cup) of ice cubes to each glass. Let the glasses sit for 1 minute so the ice chills the glass surface, creating a light layer of condensation on the outside before pouring the soda.
Pour and serve immediately
Slowly pour the mixed homemade Mountain Dew over the ice in each glass, filling to 1cm (1/2 inch) below the rim to avoid spills. Serve immediately, with no garnish needed for the classic experience, or add a thin lime wheel on the rim if desired. Do not store the mixed soda for more than 1 hour, as it will quickly lose its carbonation and go flat.
Tips
2.Skip the artificial food coloring for an all-natural version; the drink will taste identical, it will just have a soft pale golden hue instead of the signature neon yellow-green color.
3.Adjust sweetness to taste: reduce sugar to 120g for a lighter, less sweet version, or add an extra 30g of sugar if you prefer the bold sweetness of classic full-sugar commercial Mountain Dew.
OMG, this is a total game changer! I’ve been chasing that classic original Mountain Dew citrus kick for years since they changed the formula, and this hits SO close. Brought a batch to my weekend tailgate and every single person asked for the recipe. 10/10, will be making this every other week for game days from now on.
My kids loved it! I was sick of paying crazy prices for soda at the grocery store every week, so I tried this on a whim yesterday. My oldest said it tastes even better than the canned stuff, and I love that I can adjust the sugar level a little if I want. Super easy too, even with my chaotic after-school schedule.
Made this for our backcountry camping trip pre-game last weekend, it was the perfect pick-me-up after a long hike. Only note is I added a little extra orange zest for a brighter citrus punch, and it slapped. Will be making this for all our group trips from now on.
Took a chance on this because I miss the old glass bottle Mountain Dew from my teen years in the 90s, and wow. The flavor is spot on. I was worried it would taste like a cheap knockoff, but no, that exact bright, zingy, slightly tangy citrus is there.
Brought this to our neighborhood block party potluck last week, and it was gone in 20 minutes! People were lining up to fill their cups, I can’t believe how much of a hit it was. I mixed in a little fresh lime juice right before serving, chef’s kiss.
Super easy to make in my dorm mini fridge setup, no fancy equipment needed. Way cheaper than buying soda from the campus convenience store, and it tastes better. I make a big batch on Sundays and it lasts me all week for late night study sessions.
I’ve never made any kind of homemade soda before, and I was nervous I’d mess it up, but this was so straightforward! The wait for it to chill was the hardest part, honestly. Turned out perfect on my first try, no mistakes at all.
I usually hate homemade soda because it tastes like watery fruit juice with bubbles, but this? Game. Changer. It has that exact bold Mountain Dew flavor, no weird artificial aftertaste, just crisp, citrusy, perfect carbonation. I’m a convert.
Made a big batch for my all-night Zelda marathon with my friends last weekend, and we crushed the whole pitcher. No heavy syrup hangover like we get from the store bought stuff? Wild. 10/10, will be our official game night soda from now on.
Took this to my church potluck last Sunday, and so many people came up to ask for the recipe. I added a handful of crushed mint from my garden when I let it chill, and it added such a nice fresh note. So good!
Taste is pretty close to the original, but my first batch came out a little less carbonated than I wanted. Any tips? I followed the recipe exactly, so I’m not sure what I did wrong. Flavor was great though, just missing that fizz kick.
Perfect summer cookout soda. I mixed half a batch with a little white rum for the adults at our 4th of July BBQ, and it was the hit of the party. The non-alcoholic version for the kids was gone just as fast. Will be making this all summer long.
So happy this recipe doesn’t have any weird artificial dyes or preservatives! My son has sensitivities to a lot of the additives in store bought soda, and he was so excited to be able to have ‘Mountain Dew’ like his friends at his birthday party. He said it was the best part of the whole party.
Did the math, and making this at home costs like 70% less than buying name brand Mountain Dew at the store. For a household that goes through a 12 pack a week, that’s huge savings over a year. Flavor is spot on, too, no skimping.
It’s good, but not quite exact to the classic for me. It’s a little more orange-heavy than I remember original Mountain Dew being, and I had to add a little extra citric acid to get that tangy zing I was looking for. Still a solid homemade soda, just not a 100% match for me.
Made this with my little brother after school yesterday, it was so easy even he could help measure the ingredients. We added a drop of extra green food coloring to make it super bright, and it looks just like the real thing. He thought it was the coolest thing ever.