How to get the brightest blue color

Use clear lemonade, not cloudy, so nothing dulls the blue. Layer the blue liqueur in first, then pour the lemonade and soda slowly over the back of a spoon to create an ombre ocean effect from deep blue at the base to pale at the top.

Blue Lagoon vs Blue Hawaiian

They look similar but are not the same. A Blue Lagoon is vodka, blue curacao, and lemonade, so it is citrusy and crisp. A Blue Hawaiian adds rum, pineapple, and coconut cream, so it is tropical and creamy. This recipe is firmly in the Blue Lagoon, citrus-forward camp.

Make it a pitcher for a party

Multiply the classic build by six in a pitcher, stir with ice, and hold the soda until serving so it stays fizzy.

Non-alcoholic Blue Lagoon (mocktail)

Skip the vodka and blue curacao, use blue raspberry syrup or a splash of blue sports drink for color, add lemonade and soda, and you have a kid-friendly blue mocktail with the same look.