The rich froth of a latté, or the gruff, perfunctory taste of a cup of percolator brew—those are the flavors and textures a coffee fiend knows best. A little less familiar? The sweet, bubbly effervescence of an espresso tonic: a drink that transforms coffee beans from indulgent into something more refreshing.
The espresso tonic is hardly a novel beverage: it’s believed to have been created in Norway back in 2007. But the drink—which combines a shot of espresso with tonic water—has been slow to make its way Stateside, only creeping onto the menus of serious coffee joints. (It’s also remained largely out of the purview of major players like Starbucks or Peets—but don’t expect that to last long.)
Laura Reilly, founder of the newsletter Magasin, tried her first espresso tonic this past spring at a NYC popup for LA-based Maru Coffee. “It was a totally novel concept for me, but it perfectly satisfied the longstanding desire I’d had for a sparkly coffee drink, after realizing that simply adding regular fizzy water doesn’t work on a flavor or textural level,” she says. Soon, she was tucking cans of tonic water into her purse and sneaking them into local shops, pouring them over an espresso shot she’d order solo. “I actually had no idea they were not a new drink,” adds Reilly. “I guess everything that can exist already has, in a way, so I won’t say I’m surprised.”
Now, the espresso tonic stands poised to break out as a beverage that bridges the gap between morning coffee and after-hours refreshments. Young people are drinking less alcohol and looking to mocktails or adaptogenic drinks instead. As for coffee, at Starbucks, cold drinks represent over 75% of the brand’s sales. That puts the espresso tonic in a uniquely poised place to surpass the frappuccino and the espresso martini as well.
Intrigued by the espresso tonic’s refreshing qualities, it was just last summer that Zach Coffey first had the idea to bring the espresso tonic to a bigger audience. Coffey, who built his career as a sales representative in the coffee industry, started to see espresso tonics pop up on the menus at independent cafes around the country as he traveled for work.