When we last watched The Walking Dead, we saw Negan come to Alexandria and get comfortable with a glass of lemonade. Then a spaghetti dinner. Then Rick’s family. It was the familiarity and ease that he settled in to Rick’s life that put us on edge.

The lemonade was the gateway drug. Who wouldn’t want a family dinner and an evening respite on the porch, away from the drudgery of day-to-day walker killing?

They only had canned lemonade in the apocalypse but if he had the means, surely Negan would want something with a little kick. This lemonade is flavored with ginger and fragrant star anise. The licorice flavor is only enhanced by a mini Lucille stirring stick with lovingly detailed black licorice laces standing in for the menacing barbed wire.

This tangy refreshment will put a pep in your step so that you can head on out to save the world from walkers and it’s the perfect drink to welcome the return of AMC‘s The Walking Dead on February 12. Carl, pass the rolls.

Negan’s Lemonade
You’ll need:
-9-inch wood baseball bats (available from Custom Turnings on etsy)
-Black licorice laces

Lemonade ingredients:
-1 cup sugar
-1 cup water
-2 whole Star Anise
-2 slices fresh ginger
-1 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 5 – 6 lemons)
-5 cups cold water
-1 cup ice

Wrap the licorice laces around the bats. Set aside.

In a saucepan bring water, sugar, star anise, and ginger to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely.

Stir together the simple syrup, lemon juice, cold water and ice.

Pour into glasses and stir with the bats to serve.