Guides

Types of coffee drinks and how to make them

Pick a drink to see what goes into it, how strong it tastes and how to make it at home. No two cafés pour quite the same size, so read the amounts as typical rather than official. Coffee and water are in grams because you’ll be weighing them, and 1 g of water is 1 ml anyway.

Iced and sweet

Espresso tonic

Fizzy and bittersweet, with the dry quinine bite of tonic at the end.

  • Espresso ≈ 40 ml
  • Tonic water ≈ 135 ml
  • About 175 ml plus ice
Cross-section, drawn to scale, with typical amounts.

Tonic over ice with a shot floated on top. It sounds odd, but with a fruity, lighter-roast espresso it works really well.

Ratio1:3–1:4, espresso to tonic
RecipeDouble shot + 120–150 ml tonic
MilkNone
Serve in300–350 ml glass with ice
Time25–30 s shot
How strong it tastesMedium

How to make it

  1. Fill a glass with ice and pour in 120 to 150 ml of cold tonic.
  2. Pull a double shot and let it cool for a minute.
  3. Pour the shot slowly over the back of a spoon so it floats on top.

Tip: Take your time with the pour. Hot espresso makes tonic foam up fast, and it’ll go over the rim if you rush it.

Common mistake: Warm tonic goes flat and foams over. Keep it in the fridge and don’t skimp on ice.

Variations

  • Citrus: a slice of orange or lime
  • Cold brew tonic: concentrate instead of espresso
  • Flavoured tonic, such as elderflower

At a café

Mostly a specialty-café thing, sometimes with a slice of citrus or a flavoured tonic.

Espresso tonic vs. americano: An americano uses plain hot water, so there’s no fizz, sweetness or quinine bitterness. See the americano

You’ll need: Espresso machine, grinder and scale.