In Ireland, lemonade traditionally comes in red, brown and white varieties.
These are carbonated lemon-flavoured soft drinks, not simply different shades of homemade lemon juice. White lemonade is the uncoloured version, while red and brown varieties use colouring and have distinct flavour profiles. The three-way distinction is especially associated with Irish and Northern Irish drinking culture.
White lemonade is broadly comparable to the clear fizzy lemonade sold in Britain and Ireland. Red lemonade is particularly associated with Ireland and is often served on its own or mixed with whiskey. Brown lemonade is a separate traditional style; in Ulster, it may be flavoured with brown sugar.
A common mix-up is assuming that “white” means a cloudy, still lemonade made from fresh lemons. In this context, it means the clear, uncoloured carbonated variety. Irish lemonade terminology also differs from North American usage, where lemonade usually means a non-carbonated mixture of lemon juice, water and sugar.