Who is each format for?

Hosts mixing drinks for different preferences

A cordial can be diluted with sparkling water glass by glass. Belvoir Farm also gives serving suggestions for its elderflower cordial in cocktails and mocktails.

Hosts who want to pour and serve

An already-carbonated drink removes the mixing step. Belvoir Farm describes its Sparkling Elderflower as a drink to serve chilled.

Shoppers checking labels for guests

Compare sugar figures on the stated prepared-drink or serving basis, and read the current pack’s ingredients and allergen information when these matter to a guest.

What should you check before buying?

Decide whether you want to mix each glass or pour a finished drink, then check the label details that affect serving and leftovers.

Priority What to check Your needs
How it becomes fizzy Check whether the bottle is a concentrate to dilute with sparkling water or an already-carbonated drink. For cordial, allow for the water needed to serve it. I’d like to adjust each glass to taste, or I’d rather have a chilled drink ready to pour.
Dilution and sugar Follow the exact cordial’s dilution directions. Compare sugars per 100ml as consumed or per stated serving, checking the preparation basis rather than comparing concentrate with a finished drink. If I’m comparing drinks for the table, I want the figures to describe what will be in the glass.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current pack’s ingredient and allergen information for the exact product. Waitrose & Partners notes that its cordial recipes can change. A guest’s allergy or intolerance makes the current bottle label more useful than a flavour name or an older product listing.
Storage and quantity Check the instructions for refrigerating and using the drink after opening. Belvoir Farm says its Sparkling Elderflower should be refrigerated and used within 3 days of opening. For a small brunch, I’d consider whether the opened drink can be used within its stated storage period.
Flavour choice Look beyond elderflower if it is not the flavour you want. Robinsons lists Lime & Mint, Raspberry & Rhubarb, and Ginger & Orange among its fruit cordials. I’d like a fruit flavour at brunch, while still mixing the cordial with sparkling water to make a fizzy drink.

Common buying mistakes

  • Assuming cordial is already sparkling

    A cordial such as bottlegreen Elderflower Cordial is diluted with still or sparkling water; a ready-to-drink sparkling elderflower is already carbonated.

    Choose the format before shopping, and have chilled sparkling water ready if you buy cordial.

    Mixing cordial also takes water and a little preparation at serving time.

  • Comparing sugar figures on different bases

    A figure for diluted cordial and one for a ready-to-drink serving do not describe the same quantity unless their stated preparation and serving bases are taken into account.

    Read the nutrition heading and dilution directions, then compare figures for the drinks as you intend to serve them.

  • Using another cordial’s dilution ratio

    The directions differ between named products: Sainsbury’s lists a 1:10 dilution for Belvoir Farm Elderflower Cordial, while Waitrose & Partners suggests 1 part No.1 Elderflower Cordial to 4 parts water.

    Use the direction on your bottle and make a test glass before mixing drinks for the table.

  • Judging ingredients by the flavour name

    Guests with allergies or intolerances need information about the exact formulation, and recipes can change.

    Check the current pack’s ingredients and allergen information before serving.

Brand and retailer references

Robinsons

Robinsons lists fruit cordials including Elderflower, Lime & Mint, Raspberry & Rhubarb, and Ginger & Orange.

  • The range gives hosts flavour choices beyond elderflower.
  • Check the dilution and ingredient information on the particular bottle you choose.

Tesco

Tesco Groceries separates cordials from sparkling adult drinks in its browse categories.

  • Its sparkling-drinks category lists a Belvoir Elderflower Pressé as an example of the ready-to-drink format.
  • Check the individual listing to distinguish a concentrate from a finished sparkling drink.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's suggests adding sparkling water to cordial and lists serving directions for Belvoir Farm Elderflower Cordial.

  • Its Belvoir listing specifies dilution with water or sparkling water at 1:10.
  • That ratio belongs to the listed Belvoir product, not to every cordial.

Waitrose

Waitrose & Partners suggests mixing its No.1 Elderflower Cordial with sparkling or still mineral water.

  • The product’s suggested dilution is 1 part cordial to 4 parts water.
  • Waitrose notes that recipes can change, so use the current pack for ingredient and allergen checks.

Joybuy drinks for this brunch

This ready-to-drink elderflower option suits a brunch where you want fizz without mixing cordial and sparkling water.

Dalston's Fizzy Elderflower 330ml

Dalston's Fizzy Elderflower 330ml

A 330ml fizzy elderflower drink for serving without diluting cordial. Check the current pack’s ingredients and storage directions before offering it to guests.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is a bottle labelled cordial already fizzy?

Not necessarily. Bottlegreen says its Elderflower Cordial can be diluted with sparkling water, whereas a ready-to-drink sparkling elderflower is already carbonated. Check the product format before buying.

How much sparkling water should I add to cordial?

Follow the directions on the exact bottle. Sainsbury’s lists 1:10 for Belvoir Farm Elderflower Cordial, while Waitrose & Partners suggests 1 part No.1 Elderflower Cordial to 4 parts sparkling or still mineral water.

Which format makes sense for a small brunch?

A ready-to-drink sparkling bottle avoids mixing; cordial lets you make individual glasses with sparkling water. If you expect leftovers, check the product’s storage directions: Belvoir Farm says to refrigerate its Sparkling Elderflower after opening and use it within 3 days.

How can I compare sugar in cordial and sparkling pressé?

Compare the stated figures for drinks as consumed, taking account of the cordial’s dilution and each product’s serving size. Bottlegreen’s Joybuy listing, for example, gives sugars per 100ml when its cordial is diluted 1:10; that preparation basis matters when comparing it with a ready-to-drink pressé.

What should I check before serving a guest with an allergy?

Read the ingredient and allergen information on the current pack of the exact drink. Waitrose & Partners notes that recipes for its No.1 Elderflower Cordial can change, so an older listing is not a substitute for the bottle being served.