A glass of iced or cold brew coffee can really cut through the summer heat, but when it comes to refreshment I’ve always found them to be somewhat lacking. You see, as much as I love cold caffeinated beverages, they’re still superseded in the refreshment department by an ice-cold glass of soda. There’s just something about the combination of sugar and bubbles that provides relief in a way that cold coffee can’t.
Of course, it’s not a great idea to drink sugary sodas with any frequency, but what is the alternative for those who want the refreshing tingle of soda as well as the high-end taste of coffee? Enter coffee fizz, my new favourite beverage!
What is it?
Put simply, a coffee fizz is a combination of iced coffee — or espresso — and sparkling water. As odd as it may sound, this combination of caffeine and fizz is incredibly refreshing, and a healthier alternative to sugary sodas and fruit drinks. Coffee fizz is a great option for those who find the bitter and harsher notes of coffee to be a little too much to stomach, and is a great way to keep cool and caffeinated on a hot summer day.
How to make it
Coffee fizz itself is remarkably simple to make provided you have the right ingredients. Coffee fizz can be made with either cold brew, iced coffee, or iced espresso. Personally, I’m particularly partial to the cold brew variety. Here’s how to make your own batch:
You’ll want to start off by brewing up a batch cold brew coffee concentrate. Fortunately, fellow writer Erin has us covered with her delicious recipe. Now that you’ve got a fresh batch of concentrate, it’s time to make some coffee fizz!
You’ll need
- 1 bottle of good quality sparkling water
- 1/2 cup of cold brew concentrate
- 1 handful of ice
- 1 tumbler
Optional
- 1 orange
- 1 peeler
Method
Fill the tumbler with ice and pour the iced coffee concentrate into the glass. The glass should now be about half full. Pour sparkling water into the glass until full. While it’s not to everyone’s taste, to add a little bit of citrus hint to the drink, add one slice of orange rind. Be sure to squish the peel a little before adding it to drink. This will allow the oils to be released.
Variations to try
Now that you’ve taken the plunge with coffee fizz, why not try adding some variation into the mix? There are any number of spins on the traditional coffee fizz, each with their own merits.
Vietnamese Coffee Fizz: Try adding some sweetened condensed milk to your coffee fizz to give it a creamy sweet finish.
Coffee Fizz Tonic: Try using tonic water instead of sparkling water. This is a great option for those who want to really bring the strong, bitter, and herbal notes of the coffee forward.
Coffee Fizz Mojito: In case the regular coffee fizz isn’t refreshing enough, try this minty spin. Add a small splash of lime juice, some simple syrup, and some mint leaves to your coffee fizz.
