Non-alcoholic recipe
Espresso Tonic
Cold tonic and fresh espresso meet in a layered coffee highball, crisp with quinine bitterness and roasted aromatics.
Ingredients
- 45 ml freshly pulled espresso
- 120 ml chilled tonic water
- 5 ml 1:1 simple syrup
Preparation
Fill a highball glass with large cubed ice, leaving headroom for foam. Add 120 ml very cold tonic water and stir in 5 ml 1:1 simple syrup. Pull 45 ml fresh espresso and pour it slowly over the back of a bar spoon onto the tonic; pause if the carbonation foams rapidly. Express one small orange peel twist over the glass and rest it on the rim. Serve immediately; the layers will mingle as the ice melts.
Glassware
Highball glass with large ice cubes
Garnish
1 small orange peel twist
History
According to Koppi Roasters' account and an interview with co-founder Anne Lunell, an unnamed Oslo colleague mixed tonic, syrup and espresso in 2007. Lunell and Charles Nystrand subsequently refined the drink and served Kaffe & Tonic at Koppi in Helsingborg. This measured Mixology Espresso Tonic is a variation, not the original recipe; the first colleague is not identified in the reviewed accounts.
Mixology View
Fresh espresso contributes aroma and a warm-to-cold contrast against tonic’s quinine bitterness. Pour slowly and leave space for foam; the exact head and layering behavior depend on espresso and tonic products and have not been physically tested.
Ingredient note
Contains caffeine from espresso. Tonic water commonly contains quinine; check the chosen product label. As a precaution, some public-health authorities advise avoiding quinine-containing drinks during pregnancy. People with quinine sensitivity, certain medical conditions or medicines that may interact with quinine should consult a healthcare professional. Pour espresso slowly over very cold tonic to limit foaming.