Hard Lemonade - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lemon
4 cups water, or as needed, divided
1 cup white sugar
6 large lemons, juiced
1 1/2 cups vodka
1 cup ice cubes, or as needed
1 large lemon, sliced

Preparation

Zest 1 lemon into large pieces using a knife. Place lemon zest in a saucepan; top with 1 cup water and sugar. Bring lemon zest mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and liquid is syrupy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and cool; remove and discard lemon zest.
Stir lemon juice and vodka together in a pitcher; pour in lemon syrup. Stir in enough water to fill the pitcher.
Fill glasses with ice; pour hard lemonade into each glass. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice.