Espresso & Tonic

Going to the basics—a perfectly extracted shot of espresso softly poured over your favorite quinine-infused water.

I actually consumed an espresso and tonic before ever having a vodka or gin and tonic. That experience was enough to make me fond of the bitterness of tonic water, but it wasn’t long before I realized that “tonic” was different from “seltzer”, “sparkling” or “soda” water because of quinine.

Quinine was and still is a medication used to treat malaria in many regions of the world. After conducting a little research, I would learn that quinine is harvested from the bark of the cinchona tree that is native to central and South America. As it turns out, people have consumed quinine as tonic water to help treat cases of malaria for centuries.

The sweet bitterness of the quinine comes together very nicely with the bitterness of espresso. Whereas an afternoon cold brew will give me the jitters, the carbonation and ice cause this drink to be my favorite afternoon pick-me-up. You can also do this one decaf, if you must (hint: it’s okay!).

Now onto the good stuff…

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METHOD RECIPE :
Espresso & Tonic

By

Joel Hickenbottom

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For this recipe, I chose to use Fever Tree Tonic Water without any flavors like lime, lemon or orange. I am experimenting with other variations, but for this METHOD Recipe, I wanted to stick to the classic ingredients.

SERVING SIZE: 1 Drink

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Bottle of Tonic Water

• 1 Shot of Espresso

• 4-6 Ice Cubes to fill glass

• Lime Wheel

TOOLS

• 1 Highball Glass

• 1 spoon for slowing down the espresso pour

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STEPS

1. Pull your shot of espresso and set aside.

2. Fill the Highball Glass with ice

3. Pour all of the Tonic Water into the glass

4. Very slowly, pour the espresso onto the ice. Pour espresso onto a spoon, upside down, will slow down the velocity and allow the espresso to sit on top of the ice. If you do not pay attention here and go too fast, there will be a chemical reaction and the espresso will foam overtop the Highball. (Take it from me—it’s messy!)

5. Add the lime wheel as a garnish—feel free to slide it around the rim of the glass as the acid is a nice touch on the palette.

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Now onto the video and downloadable PDF…

Don’t forget that Paid Subscribers can reach out to me for any questions about the recipe! I would love to hear your feedback (like maybe a great syrup or jam to add to it for additional flavor and sweetness!).