What if we told you that you could satisfy all your coffee and carbonation cravings with one drink? Sounds like a dream, right? Well, we’ve got good news: it looks like dreams really do come true sometimes. 

MEET THE COFFEE TONIC

A coffee tonic, which is often called a cold brew tonic or spritzer, is a combination of iced coffee, espresso, or cold brew coffee and tonic water on ice. Because it’s made with such a simple recipe, it’s easy to dress up the ice-cold coffee drink by adding things like a sprig of rosemary or a couple of maraschino cherries. 

This is a relatively new trend in coffee, and though you can find the coffee and tonic water combo at a few specialty coffee shops, especially during the summertime, you can head to your kitchen and make your own versions of coffee tonics.

The recipe we’re sharing is pretty basic, but that leaves plenty of room for you to experiment. Add a flavored syrup, maybe one with a nice citrus flavor, to make a fruity coffee soda, or perhaps experiment with the type of coffee you use. And if you’re of legal drinking age, you can even spike your sparkling coffee with gin. 

The possibilities for customizing your coffee with bubbles are almost endless; just be sure to use a high-quality tonic and high-quality coffee in your coffee or espresso tonics. 

WHAT IS TONIC WATER?

Before you get to work making one of the trendy coffee drinks, it’s important for you to know about each of the recipe ingredients. No, we’re not talking about coffee…if you’re on this website, you probably already know quite a bit about the stuff. We’re focusing on tonic water — what is it, exactly? 

Despite looking identical, club soda, sparkling water, and tonic water aren’t the same things. Club soda is carbonated water with added minerals that give it a saltier taste. Sparkling water is naturally carbonated spring water. Tonic water, however, has a more unique taste than the aforementioned beverages, thanks to the addition of quinine, which is a compound gathered from the bark of cinchona trees that’s historically been used to treat malaria. 

Quinine-laced tonic water is usually rather bitter, which is why it’s usually not enjoyed on its own. Instead, you’ll find this type of mineral-infused carbonated water mixed into alcoholic cocktails or used in these coffee, espresso, or cold brew coffee spritzers. 

HOW TO MAKE A COFFEE TONIC

YOU’LL NEED:

• 1/4 cup of coffee or cold brew concentrate (or a shot of espresso, if you’d prefer) 
• 6 ounces of tonic water
• 1 tablespoon simple syrup
• Ice

THE PROCESS:

Step 1:

Start by dropping a few ice cubes into your glass, then drizzle about a tablespoon full of simple syrup over the ice. You can use a bottle of syrup you purchased from a store, or you can save a few bucks by boiling equal parts granulated sugar and water over medium heat. 

Step 2:

Next, pour a few ounces of tonic water into the glass with ice and syrup. 

Step 3:

Then, it’s time to make your coffee or espresso shot. If you’ve got whole coffee beans and a quality grinder on hand, grind your favorite beans before brewing them with one of your favorite coffee brewers — automatic dripper, French press, espresso machine…it all works! Note: if you don’t have whole beans and a burr grinder, there’s no need to panic.

You can, of course, brew pre-ground coffee, but coffee experts swear the resulting coffee won’t be at its freshest or most flavorful. 

Step 4:

Once your coffee has been made, add it to the tonic water and ice in the glass and stir. 

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SIP AWAY

If you’re looking for a new drink to try, join the ranks of coffee tonic lovers everywhere and give one of these drinks a try. Who knows? This combination of espresso, regular coffee, or cold brew concentrate and tonic water could become one of your favorite recipes, especially during the summertime. 

Happy Carbonated Caffeinating!

Boozy Coffee Tonic

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Need to cool off on a hot day and get your beloved caffeine fix at the same time? Try this fizzy coffee tonic; it's got all the bubbles you love about your favorite soda plus the rich, bold goodness of your morning cup of joe.

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup of coffee
• 6 ounces of tonic water
• 1 tablespoon simple syrup
• Ice

Instructions

1. Combine tonic water and simple syrup over a glass of ice.
2. Slowly pour coffee over tonic and serve!