Espresso Tonic
Espresso poured over tonic water and ice: bitter quinine, bright coffee and lots of fizz, layered dark over clear until it is stirred. It is a Scandinavian café drink, first made in 2007, and now served worldwide, especially in Japan. A fruity, light-roasted espresso works better than a dark blend.
Untested: not yet made in this kitchen. It is here for the Manhattan Special and Coffee Sodas page.
Ingredients
- 1 double espresso (about 40 g), freshly pulled
- 120 to 150 ml (½ to ⅔ cup) cold tonic water
- 1 to 1½ cups ice cubes, enough to fill a tall glass
- 1 strip orange or lemon peel, optional
- 1 teaspoon simple syrup, optional
Directions
- Fill a tall glass with ice and pour in the cold tonic, leaving room at the top.
- Add the syrup to the tonic if you want it sweeter.
- Pour the espresso slowly over the back of a spoon so it floats on the tonic. It will foam up; pour slowly.
- Twist the citrus peel over the glass and drop it in. Stir before drinking.
Notes
Where it came from By the usual account, the espresso tonic was first made in 2007 by a barista in Oslo, and appeared the same year on the menu of Koppi, a roastery café in Helsingborg, Sweden, as “Kaffe & Tonic”. Barista competitions spread it. The proportions This kitchen’s starting point: about one part espresso to three or four of tonic. More tonic makes it lighter and more bitter-citrus; less makes it a coffee drink with fizz. Which coffee A bright, fruity espresso (washed Ethiopian or Kenyan) suits the tonic’s citrus and bitterness. A dark, chocolatey blend fights it. The photo An espresso tonic served at a café in Montevideo, Uruguay, 2023.