Espresso Tonic Recipe – The Perfect Chilled Coffee for Summers

The espresso tonic is a bubbly and refreshing chilled coffee drink that’s gotten popular in the last few years.

It sounds weird at first, but after you taste it, you’ll realize there’s nothing like a chilled espresso tonic to refresh and revive you on a hot day.

Here’s a simple recipe to make this specialty drink your favorite go-to café drink.

What Is an Espresso Tonic?

Like some classic cocktails, espresso tonics are specialty beverages with two basic ingredients. As the name suggests, this drink contains espresso and tonic water. The coffee’s acidity and the tonic water’s bitterness give this beverage a sweet and bitter taste.

The recipe is super customizable too. It’s the perfect chilled coffee beverage to drink all year round.

Espresso tonic drinks are often layered, with the tonic at the base and the espresso on top. The tonic-espresso ratio of a basic recipe is roughly 2:1 or 3:1; however, you can tweak the recipe to your taste. For this drink, some people also use concentrated cold brew.

This drink is thought to be first mixed in Europe c. 2007, but gained popularity in the US nearly a decade later. Espresso tonics are best served cold, and you’d find this specialty drink in most of your favorite cafés. It’s the perfect caffeine fix for summer.

How to Make Espresso Tonic?

Espresso Tonic Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Servings

1

servings

Calories

58

kcal

Total time

5

minutes

Espresso tonic is delightful on a hot summer day. Besides being a simple beverage that can be whipped up in 5 minutes, espresso tonics are also refreshing. To make a simple espresso tonic, follow these simple steps:

Ingredients

Metric US

• 30 g 1 oz shot of espresso

• 150 ml 5 fl oz Indian tonic

• 100 ml 3 1/2 oz Ice

• Optional

• 1 piece 1 piece Lime wedge

• 1 tsp 1 tsp ginger syrup

Directions

• Make a shot of espresso with your espresso maker and set it aside.
• Let the espresso cool for a while, and get the coffee cup ready.
• Fill up the coffee glass with a few ice cubes.
• (Optional) Squeeze some lime or lemon juice into the ice cubes.
• Pour the tonic water and optionally ginger syrup into the ice cubes.
• Strain the cooled espresso over the tonic water to form a top layer.
• Garnish with a slice of lime or lemon wedge, and enjoy your tasty espresso tonic!

Recipe Video

Notes

• Use Indian tonic water. London-style tonic is sweet, it will be very different.
• You need to use a proper espresso machine for this drink. Other methods of making espresso are not as good here.

What Kind of Cup Should Espresso Tonic Be Served In?

Your espresso tonic is best served in a highball glass. These glasses are great for presentation as they highlight the different layers of your creation.

However, you can also serve them in ceramic or other glasses or mugs. An advantage of the highball glass and other similar coffee glasses is that they do not leave ring stains on your coffee table.

Tips for the Perfect Espresso Tonic Recipe

Here are a couple of tips to make the perfect espresso tonic:

• You can sweeten your espresso tonics, but only use liquid sweeteners, not sugar.
• For the perfect layered look, pour the tonic water before the espresso. This also prevents your drink from fizzing over.
• Espresso tonics will become less carbonated if stored. Thus, it’s best to only make as much as you want to consume.
• Pour in the espresso slowly to prevent it from bubbling over.
• Add your favorite syrup to sweeten this bitter drink and garnish it with fresh fruits like citrus slices, berries, etc., to create your own flavor profile.
• If you want a more robust flavor, experiment with cold brew instead of espresso.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Coffee lovers can easily make espresso tonics to enjoy a chilled drink. You can experiment with your ratios and sweeteners, but you should stick to the simple recipe. If you prefer a bitter tonic drink, you can avoid sweeteners altogether.

How do you like your espresso tonic? Let me know in the comments!