Homemade lemon barley water

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A traditional homemade lemon barley water recipe. The way grandma used to make it!

Our homemade lemon barley water recipe is delicious, refreshing and soothing.

This is the lemon barley water recipe that my grandma used to make when we were little children and poorly and just simmering it up and mixing everything together brings back lovely memories of her (not of being poorly obviously….)

It’s a fab little pick-me up drink if you’re under the weather and best of all it’s so simple to make and uses simple ingredients.

Homemade Lemon Barley Water Ingredients

• 125g Pearl Barley
• 50g Sugar
• 2 Lemons
• 1.2 litres boiling water

Lemon Barley Water Recipe

• First put the barley into a colander or sieve and rinse under cold running water – then set to drain.

• Grate the zest of the lemons

• Put the barley, sugar and lemon zest into a saucepan.

• Pour over 1.2 litres of boiling water – bring the pan to boil on the hob then reduce the heat to a low simmer and boil with the lid on for around 45 minutes to an hour (check your barley packet for exact cooking times)

• Once it’s cooked it should look like this – cloudy, milky water.

• Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.

• Squeeze the juice from the two lemons

• Then pour the cooled lemon barley water through a sieve into a jug. Discard the barley.

• Pour the lemon juice into the barley water and stir through gently to mix.

• Pour the lemon barley water into a clean sterilised bottle and chill in the fridge.

• Store the lemon barley water in the fridge and use within 2 days as it contains no preservative.

How to make the drink with your own twist

• Add in zest and juice of oranges instead or as well as lemons.

• Add some warmth and finely grate in some fresh root ginger.

• Infuse the lemon barley water with spices like clove, fennel or juniper.

How to serve

• As a refreshing alternative to tea or coffee, it’s especially nice in the summer served garnished with mint.

• It’s soothing to sip when you’re under the weather and need to keep fluids up.

• With ice on hot days – add ice (or even herby little ice cubes) add lemon slices and a straw.

Health benefits of drinking lemon barley water 

My grandma used to make this for us when we were children and under the weather – especially if we had a UTI she swore by it’s soothing properties.  

She used to make it in exactly the same way she’d be taught when she was younger, so it was a traditional pick-me-up.

For more health benefits of drinking lemon barley water check out Healthline here. 

If you like our lemon barley water recipe then you’ll love these easy drinks!

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• Soothing Lemon & Ginger Drink – a homemade warm lemon, honey and ginger tea that’s perfect for sipping when you have a sore throat or cold.

• Hot Blackcurrant with Clementines – (ad feature recipe) a delicious warming mixture of blackcurrant with clementines and spice – like mulled wine but totally alcohol free.

• Watermelon Lemonade – refreshing burst of watermelon fizz that’s perfect for summer days.

If you make it don’t forget to tag us your creations on Twitter @daisiesandpieUK or Instagram @daisiesandpie and let us know how it went!