Coffee and Tonic
A refreshing, bubbly and coffee liqueur cocktail ∙ Build; Layer ∙ 3 min ∙ 5.1% ABV ∙
Coffee and Tonic is a long drink of Italicus liqueur and tonic water over ice, with a layer of cold brew coffee poured on top.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Pour the first 2 ingredients into the ice-filled glass: Italicus liqueur 50 mlTonic water 100 ml
- Briefly stir
- Layer Cold brew coffee 15 ml by carefully pouring so it sits on top of the drink
Tips
- Stir the Italicus and tonic briefly before adding the coffee, then pour the cold brew slowly over the back of a bar spoon so it sits on top as a layer.
History
Coffee and Tonic is a cold-brew take on the Espresso and Tonic (or Kaffe & Tonic). That drink was first recorded in 2007 in Oslo, where a barista working alongside Anne Lunell and Charles Nystrand, the future founders of Sweden's Koppi Roasters, combined leftover tonic water with espresso and syrup after a staff party. Later that year Lunell and Nystrand put Kaffe & Tonic on the menu at their newly opened Koppi Roasters cafe in Helsingborg, Sweden. Its popularity spread through Scandinavia, reached North American coffee culture in the 2010s via international barista competitions, and reached Japan by 2015.
Later variations substituted cold brew for espresso and added other mixers or flavorings, spreading the coffee-plus-tonic idea under names like Coffee and Tonic.
FAQ
What is coffee and tonic called?
It is simply called a Coffee and Tonic, sometimes written as coffee tonic. This version adds Italicus liqueur to the tonic water and cold brew.
Is coffee and tonic a thing?
Yes. Espresso and tonic was first recorded in Oslo in 2007 and reached North America and Japan in the 2010s; this version uses cold brew. Tonic's quinine bitterness meets the roasted coffee, and the Italicus adds a floral note.
How do you make a coffee and tonic?
Pour Italicus and tonic water into an ice-filled highball glass and stir briefly. Then pour the cold brew slowly so it sits on top as a layer.
What is the ratio of coffee to tonic?
This version uses 100 ml of tonic water to 15 ml of cold brew, so the coffee forms a thin layer on top rather than half the glass.
What glass is coffee and tonic served in?
A highball glass filled with ice, which keeps the tonic cold and fizzy and shows off the coffee layer on top.