Pink lemonade is special. Why? Not just because it’s pink, but because it adds a certain je ne sais quoi to an already incredible beverage: regular lemonade. Why is pink lemonade pink? We have a whole article on the subject, but the short answer is that it’s pink for a variety of reasons. It could be made with strawberries or raspberries. It could be artificially colored. It could be made with genuine pink lemons (though, to be honest, those aren’t that pink).
We’re not here to argue over the definition of pink lemonade, though. We’re here to celebrate its specialness by revealing the best pink lemonade brands, as decided by our taste test.
How we chose the pink lemonades for our taste test
As per usual, we looked for brands of pink lemonade that were available nationwide. Sure, the fruit stall at the farmer’s market might make the best pink lemonade in town—but if you, a person who lives three states away, can’t buy it, then what good is ranking it?
We weren’t picky about the types of pink lemonade—if it was pink, we drank it. So, you’ll see a best strawberry lemonade on this list as well as a best raspberry lemonade and the best straight up neon pink lemonade.
What we looked for in the best pink lemonade
The best pink lemonade is a lot like the best lemonade—it’s bright and tart and zesty. But it shouldn’t just taste like lemonade. It should have a little extra fruity sweetness, whether it’s flavored with actual fruit or not.
Here are the best pink lemonade brands we tried.
Best pink lemonade, ranked
- Country Time Pink Lemonade
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If you’re looking for shelf-stable pink lemonade mix that you can keep on hand, then Country Time Pink Lemonade mix is the best pink lemonade mix to grab. It’s refreshing and light and bright. And it is slightly sweeter and rounder than the regular Country Time Lemonade mix—we tried them head-to-head.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Swoon Pink Lemonade
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We tried a few brands of zero sugar pink lemonade, and Swoon’s canned sugar free pink lemonade came out on top. For better or worse, it reminds me a bit of Crystal Light. It’s not crazy sweet like many sugar free pink lemonades. It’s definitely made with fake sugar—there’s no question—but it’s still pretty darn good for being zero calories.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Santa Cruz Strawberry Lemonade
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If your favorite part about strawberry lemonade is the strawberry, then this is the best strawberry lemonade to buy. It tastes so much like fresh strawberry juice, but there’s still some tart lemonade in the mix to give it an acidic backbone. Santa Cruz tastes ultra natural and really channels that original Whole Foods vibe. Grab a veggie sandwich—heavy on the sprouts—and pair it with this organic, strawberry-heavy pink lemonade.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Simply Lemonade with Raspberry
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Honestly, I wasn’t really up on raspberry lemonade until this taste test. But when it’s good, it’s so good. Gentle raspberry pairs shockingly well with tart lemonade—especially in this case. Simply is king when it comes to juice. The brand is a serial high ranker in our juice taste tests. And this pink lemonade is a great example why. It’s bright and zippy and lemony and distinctly raspberry-y. It really tastes like fresh raspberry! Looking for the best raspberry lemonade? This is it.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Calypso Strawberry Lemonade
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If you don’t care about why your lemonade is pink, you just want it super, duper pink, then this is the best pink lemonade to get. It’s so pink—like, Lisa Frank pink. But it tastes great, too. It’s really tart and concentrated with an extra jolt of sweetness from the strawberry. If you want to truly experience the flavor of pink, this is the best strawberry lemonade to get.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Simply Lemonade with Strawberry
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This pink lemonade from juice superstar Simply tastes like a popsicle in the best way possible. Specifically, it tastes like a homemade strawberry popsicle that you melted into a glass of fresh lemonade. Delicious! It’s sweeter than the brand’s raspberry lemonade, and tastes like classic pink lemonade. While other pink lemonade brands or flavors on this list might be more suited to your palate, there is no denying this is the best pink lemonade for purists.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
Best Pink Lemonade Mix
Best Zero Sugar
Best Organic
Best Raspberry Lemonade
Best Hot Pink Lemonade
Best of the Best
Other pink lemonade brands we tried: Trader Joe’s Organic Strawberry Lemonade, Trader Joe’s Sparkling Pink Lemonade, Minute Maid Zero Sugar Strawberry Lemonade, Country Time Strawberry Lemonade Pouch, Great Value Strawberry Lemonade, Simply Light Lemonade with Raspberry, Kroger Raspberry Lemonade, Minute Maid Pink Lemonade, Minute Maid Zero Sugar Pink Lemonade
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