Confession: I like to drink a coffee tonic.
Why? Because I enjoy coffee. I like to roast it, smell it, taste it and I do drink many beverages based on coffee as long as I can taste the magic black liquid. My choice for a warm and sunny summer like the one we have this year in Europe is a coffee tonic.
The recipe is very easy: Espresso, tonic water, ice and if you like it also a twist of lemon. The proportion of the ingredients depends on you and your taste. I like to use one part espresso (one espresso) and two parts tonic water. To prepare it first pour the tonic water and ice into the glass. Then pour the espresso. Finally add the lemon zest.
Coffee from different types of beans will make the drink taste different logically. A fruity coffee bean such as those from Ethiopia matches well with the citrusy taste of the quinine. However, a nuttier coffee bean (as the Manabi coffee from Engrano) or beans with more chocolate taste (as the Coatepec coffee from Engrano) will add depth to the drink. So, when I use my Latin American beans I add the twist of lemon to balance the acidity and sweetness. If lemon is too acidic for you then better use zest of mandarins, sweet oranges, cherries (natural or extract) or extract of pomegranate. You could play around with the flavour of the coffee and the intensity of the fruit. Adjust the coffee to tonic water ratio accordingly.
Coffee tonic can be also prepared with cold brew coffee. In Mexico at the famous Cafe Avellaneda I enjoyed a delicious drink with cold brew (called by them cafe reposado), tonic water and the lemon twist. Very refreshing!
