A few people have raised some very valid concerns about the risks for yourself and others with homemade tonic syrup. I've added some links to the recipe page, and would strongly recommend people do some research on the cinchona bark they're using as well as be very careful about their preparations. I generally trust Dave Arnold's recipe and research, which was what this was based on, but I'll be going back through this recipe to triple check its overall safety.
I’ve done espresso tonic with fairly standard tonics, and played around wit adding a citrus syrup to it, but ended up getting a delicious flavour profile with San Pellegrino. Much less involved. But. I’m definitively intrigued enough to try tonic from scratch at some point!
If James starts worrying about sounding pretentious he'll probably just have to do away with himself, perhaps with an overdose of cinchona bark and some pretty aromatics.
the effervescence of the crema is giving off notes of Eastern madagascarian Vanilla in the nose of the aroma that reminds me of that one summer years ago.
Unpretentious opinion, but regular Schweppes tonic is a decent tonic. They also make some "premium" tonics that are more interesting and they even have a sugarfree tonic, though it's not available where I live.
@@pukbobo1423 Agree. Regular Schweppes is a fairly good tonic, specially for the price. Many premium tonics are too shy on the bitterness, it's almost they try to cater to people who don't like tonic. Other large brands like Nordic Myst are just bad.
James Hoffmann Especially if you have a machine that can make real espresso and a home carbonation device ;) No but in all seriousness I do agree that for what you get this is very doable and you could easily find workaround for missing equipment. Really I just wanted to acknowledge the work you put into this. I love the content you put out and the new style with more b-roll makes it even more enjoyable to me. So just a happy Patreon supporter saying: Keep it up!
@@oliverwhimstermartinsen7214 I mean, you could just use pre bottles tonic water or mix the syrup with pre carbonated water from the store. And for the coffee coffee concentrate or cold brew is always also and option. Might not be the exact same result and not as good but will still probably be fairly nice
James ”I think I might go oranges and lemons " Me: (flashback to Pfanner Cold Brew & Orange/Lemon Review) OH NO Watching you making your own fantastic drink in such creative way is so great!
Hmm, the one ingredient that I can't find on Amazon is the Vanilla-flavoured pretentiousness. I don't even like Tonic that much and I want to try this though!
I once had the opposite happen, I was at a cafe cart and grabbed a Coke because I was thirsty but also ordered an espresso because I needed an energy boost, and the barista said "Damn, you're gonna mix that??"
I tried a canned mix of espresso and Coca Cola that I found in a supermarket in Rome. It was exceptionally vile. I’ve since seen the concoction referred to as "Ameri-cola" and "Fat-Americano".
@@jameshoffmann So this could've just as easily ended up in the weird coffee drinks series? Truly, there are times when the fate of the universe rests upon the edge of a coin...
@@jameshoffmann Here's an odd thing I learned on my own - gin, used 2x in place of vanilla extract in baked chocolate cakes, can be brownies or other baked goods, makes the chocolate more intense. So now I'm wondering if a dash of gin will enhance the chocolatey notes of an espresso?
I had a variation on the espresso tonic a couple years ago at Phil and Sebastian coffee roasters up in Calgary. They added cherry juice to the espresso and Fever Tree tonic water, and to this day it's one of the best espresso cocktails I've ever had.
Awesome video, which is not a surprise when James is using a recipe from Dale DeGroff. I made a tonic syrup for my G&T episode, adding grated grapefruit, lemon, and lime peels. Proud to say it turned out wonderful.
Fever Tree is awesome but in a recent blind tasting I was in about 17 out of 20 people preferred the new formulation from Q. The bottle doesn't look as fancy but their new mixers are what I would prefer to use and serve to my guests.
this has been on Verve coffee roasters menu for a long, long time now. their ratio is a full bottle of fever tree tonic (200ml) , 150g ice , and a ~20g shot of espresso. all you do is make sure you layer the espresso atop of the ice and tonic water. the selling point of this drink (imo), is the evolution of the flavor profile as the drink sits. viscosity of the tonic and espresso differ. so the drink does not homogenize organically. i always tell folks to be cognizant as you sip on your espresso tonic. it'll evolve as the ratios start to change and as the ice starts to melt. the flavor profile will definitely not be for everyone (bitters on bitters, if you're into gin and tonics, this is the coffee version for you) so take it with a grain of salt folks! even amongst coffee professionals, you either LOVE espresso tonic or you hate it.
And it drops through like a lava lamp when you pour it over the ice. My local place takes a thin slice of orange peel, rubs it around the lip of the glass, squeezes it and drops it on top of the tonic before pouring the espresso. It’s summer magic
@@IcedCoffeeLifestyle I'm not dissing Schweppes, but they fall into the "reasonably accessable" category in a way that a niche zero and a linea 2 group doesn't.
omg seeing u experimenting with drink is just so enjoyable and fascinating!!! your thoughts are smart and insightful, comments are to the point, and presentation is fancy but clean!!! please make more experiments-around-recipes vids!!
Looks like he has the same setup as me. That goofy cap on the plastic bottle is designed to attach to a quick disconnect, which presumably connects to a regulator, attached to a co2 tank. Carbonation caps are super handy if you already have a kegging setup, but depending on availability of a 5lb co2 tank, it's also cheaper in the long run than operating a sodastream/home selzer gadget. www.amazon.com/dp/B00V334SME/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JduEFbPP5HFT3
If you're having good Gin, you certainly have a very strong argument to buying cheap tonic! Cheap tonic allows the gin to shine. Buy a fancy, flavoured tonic and you may as well pour lemonade in there! Save your tonic money and spend it on tasty gin!
Nicosh1471 I can understand your argument, but cheap tonic has artificial sweeteners in it which would utterly demolish any flavour in the gin. I can’t stand it hahaha.
@@odinogle i guess it comes down to personal preference. Higher quality tonic may give a smoother drink but for me, i find it overpowers the gin too much and i like being able to taste the gin or maybe i have just got used to the taste of cheap tonic hahaha
I've never had espresso tonic, because I never knew it was a thing, but I want to try it now. Time to get out the Schweppes and House of Coffees decaf blend...
I think this is a super easy, fun way to drink a good espresso. The bitter and sweet from the tonic really push down the acidic and bitter aspects of the espresso. I could see cold brew also being fun, but the fact that it isn't as concentrated would make it a bit trickier to balance.
@@jameshoffmann I use cold brew concentrate and that seems to work well. It is fast as so easy. Even so, it is always better when I use the espresso-like liquid from my Aeropress. I actually am able to get some long lasting pseudo-crema from my efforts. I know I don't reach 9 bars but I get at least 2 or 3 when I put my whole body weight into it. :)
In the very early 90's I worked in a small coffee trailer on the weekends. Afternoons were slow and I experimented quite a bit with coffee, carbonated water and syrups. Even with limited (cheap) options the end result was quite refreshing. Not a lot of enthusiasm from others though.
Interesting! My local coffee place just launched a lemon coffee seltzer (which turned out to just be espresso and lemon LaCroix, kind of a low-rent version of what you're doing), and while it's not going to be my new go-to drink it was very refreshing and I can see how there's potential to really turn it into something great.
It’s so fun that you call it “really easy to make” when the rest of the channel is in search of the perfect espresso that is never ending :P a man gotta have a hobby i guess!
I just tried this (using fever tree, I figured making my own tonic was just a little beyond me), and it's amazing! Absolutely gobsmacked. Once again, thank you, the amazing James Hoffman.
moka pot works just fine for me :) but if you've never tried the combination of coffee and tonic then maybe get the drink somewhere and have a taste, it's probably easier to mess the ratio and the general taste with different brews and therefore get very discouraged
One year ago on a rainy afternoon I finished a video and was left confused on how I managed to be entertained by a 20 minute video on coffee... one year later and I continue to enjoy James’ videos in a way I never imagined and boy that also translates to my coffee drinking. I never knew I could enjoy the complexities of Coffee but I love it more than ever. Thank you James!
First impression: this video is DEFINITELY not sponsored by Schweppes. And I felt a tinge of pride when James mentioned my favorite tonic as the preferred tonic for this drink.
I do find it all a bit over the top. I am a Barman and a mixup but I do have a rum and espresso mix. I use orange bitters and the syrup. It also works quite well with builders,bitters,rum and cognac. It is good enough to send one toward "Recovery".-r-
4 года назад+4
The idea of using bergamot zest is amazing. Earl grey cold tonic! I wonder where I can get some (they're not common in Germany at all), maybe the essential oils would work - what do you think?
Somehow I had a feeling James would be into Liquid Intelligence and when the video started I thought "Oh he is going to make his own tonic water isn't he"
"I think I might go oranges and lemons" - how about blood oranges? I found that sipping S.Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa along with coffee gives an interesting combination
Heh, I'm reminded of my first espresso tonic. That's when I learned that while easy, order (and ice) matters. I essentially ended up with a sketchy root beer float consistency. Like the gas bubbled up and got trapped in the crema, making a frankly disgusting foam.
James This is delicious. I had one of these 2 years ago and was shocked how good it was. The flavors were much brighter and smoother. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream - heavenly good
Comments from a gin and tonic drinker: Is it really a tonic without quinine? Also, I think generally you should start with a neutral tonic, not one with all the aromatics. Gin usually has a lot of aromatics like coffee, thats why you want a tonic that is more neutral in flavor. I also consider most tonics to be overly sweetened, which again starts to effect the flavor profile of what is added to it.
I made this drink using a moka pot. I used two shots of moka pot coffee since I don't have an espresso maker. The sugars from the tonic appear to cancel any bitterness from the coffee which only leaves a slight bitterness from the quinine. I added 3 drops of lime juice as well which comes through slightly. over all, I finding this interesting, refreshing but still not balanced quite right.
There are a few tonics out there without quinine, using different bittering agents with different levels of success. Japan's an interesting place to look for them, as locally produced tonic isn't allowed to contain quinine, and imported ones have restrictions on PPM. They are available all over the place, and are definitely worth a look.
A cold brew works quite well. Plus, our palettes are not as advanced as his, so you'd probably get a good end result as soon as you match with a tonic water of your preference..
@@dejavu011 Hm, I could attempt that, the most barebones I can try to attempt is to do as you say, cold brew it and just buy any off the shelf tonic and mix it up. Not sure if that works, but I'll try it when I can grab some tonic.
I've made coffee soda before (sweetened coffee, pitched with champagne yeast, let sit out for 1-3 hours before sealing in a bottle and putting in the refrigerator, should serve over ice), but it never occurred to me to add citrus or botanicals. It is hot enough where I live that this seems to be a great idea.
I am recently deep down into making (coffee) kombucha, water kefir and ginger beer, all of them fermented drinks, which offer carbonation during a second fermentation round by adding sugar/sirup/fruits as a carbonation starter. I think it would be super interesting to try a fermented version of tonic water, so you can have the best of both worlds. Very nice aromatics, the bonus of probiotic cultures and natural carbonation to achieve a pleasant mix of sourness and bitterness. And the combinations would be endless depending on what you use as a starter culture (kombucha, kefir, ginger bug). Or maybe its even possible the create a starter bug from the tonic ingredients. I will definitely try this, thank you for the inspiration :)
I've been trying to perfect the espresso tonic for years. First discovered it in 2015 in Santiago. I only use large ice cubes, I pour the coffee over the ice and then add the tonic for a creamy head. Then I finish it with a lemon twist around the rim of the glass.
Fascinating video. One of my local cafes in Tokyo used to make a coffee tonic, with a slice of orange in it. Pretty sure it also had vanilla. Very nice on a hot and humid day.
OMG I started doing this when you showed off you CO2 gear that first time and I had to have it! It has to be made to order! Thanks for the usual quality video.
“I think I’m going to go oranges and lemons with this.” The first thing that comes to mind is the Filipino fruit Calamansi. It is a tiny, green, thin-rinded, spherical citrus fruit that has the flavor of exceptionally tart orange (think orange, but with the tartness level of a lemon or lime).
Let me share my tonic with you. I use it for some gins with lots of floral notes or those that are juniper forward... tomorrow I'll write you a message here or on instagram as it is now tooooooo late for an espresso tonic now (quarter past midnight in Germany): - 500g water - 15g chicona bark (12g if you grind it) - 1 lemon (juice and zest) - 2 limes (juice and zest) - 8g allspice berries (gently cracked) - 5 citric acid bring to a boil, then let simmer for 15min. strain through a cloth, then through a v60... dissolve 8 parts sugar in 10 parts liquid... i afterwards put it in a squeeze bottle for the bar. batches that are meant as presents are canned in clean bottles. In those cases, I make I quadruple the recipe... In winter and with a citrus forward gin, I replace half the water with apple juice and I reduce it to 7 parts sugar. You can also add a cinnamon stick or two... from now on, all recipes will be tested with espresso as well :-)
just a quick question from someone who doesn’t usually drink carbonated drinks, “well carbonated” means a lot of small bubbles instead of a few big ones?
I just realized. By combining coffee, tonic and carbonation, you created one of the very few good coffee sodas on existence! And most likely gave some company an idea to realize this in mass market fashion. Terribly.
Welcome back James! I hope the break was enough! I just wanted to say that I am very thankful for your videos and that I think you really have one of the best coffee channels out there.
Just on the history of this, I got introduced to coffee in tonic about 20 years ago in Kenya. Got the impression it has been around for a while, just never hugely popular. Kinda like lemon in your tea, not the standard, but not unique.
I think it's interesting that in the years since this, using orange bitters and/or expressed citrus peels has become the norm for an espresso tonic. James was really onto something.
I've only ever wanted tonic twice in my life that I can remember: Aged 7 finding a can of Schweppes in the cupboard when we ran out of lemonade, quickly followed by me spitting it into the sink. And immediately after watching this video. I'll be keeping an eye out for any local cafes offering espresso tonic in the future.
A few people have raised some very valid concerns about the risks for yourself and others with homemade tonic syrup. I've added some links to the recipe page, and would strongly recommend people do some research on the cinchona bark they're using as well as be very careful about their preparations. I generally trust Dave Arnold's recipe and research, which was what this was based on, but I'll be going back through this recipe to triple check its overall safety.
I watched this video. I got tired just watching the detail of preparing the tonic? So I ....uh.... used 7-up. Its not bad at all actually LOL.
@@pendchode oh dear
I’ve done espresso tonic with fairly standard tonics, and played around wit adding a citrus syrup to it, but ended up getting a delicious flavour profile with San Pellegrino. Much less involved.
But.
I’m definitively intrigued enough to try tonic from scratch at some point!
I use soda water (just carbonated water), a simple syrup of water and sugar, and lemon juice.
@Apple Pear AFAIR it reduces perception of bitterness. James has a really good video on the subject.
James literally making his own tonic water from scratch but worries that saying "a suggestion of vanilla" is pretentious 😂
Tasting notes:
- an ephemeral whisper _de la vanille_
I have no rebuttal to this excellent point.
If James starts worrying about sounding pretentious he'll probably just have to do away with himself, perhaps with an overdose of cinchona bark and some pretty aromatics.
Obviously the suggestion of vanilla should have triggered adding some actual vanilla to the test. Just to be more pretentious..
the effervescence of the crema is giving off notes of Eastern madagascarian Vanilla in the nose of the aroma that reminds me of that one summer years ago.
Me: "interesting idea..I have some Schweppes left ov...."
James: "DO NOT USE SCHWEPPES TONIC WATER - THIS IS A NATIONAL SECURITY WARNING!!!"
Ha, wo man Clemens so überall trifft :D
If he doesnt like Schweppes... don't let him anywhere near a bottle of Kinley's lul
I literally had the same dilemma
Unpretentious opinion, but regular Schweppes tonic is a decent tonic. They also make some "premium" tonics that are more interesting and they even have a sugarfree tonic, though it's not available where I live.
@@pukbobo1423 Agree. Regular Schweppes is a fairly good tonic, specially for the price. Many premium tonics are too shy on the bitterness, it's almost they try to cater to people who don't like tonic. Other large brands like Nordic Myst are just bad.
When a drug dealer of the very highest quality knows his calling but has to stay legal
Nailed it!🤣☕
I think you mean manufacturer
You're god-damned right
The world is crumbling before my eyes and yet here I am, listening to a man talk about home-made tonic for 14 minutes. Life is amazing.
wassup ?
LMAOOOO same.
This mans voice: goosefraba.
I felt this comment
Propose solutions instead. Pessimism is for suckers
James is like a nuclear physicist whose career went slightly off course. 🤣
Whose*
James: "I'm not going to try to enter the tonic business anytime soon. It's a bit crowded these days."
Also James: In the *specialty coffee* business.
Can Akın fair point..... but he’s smashing it!!
I got into that game a long time ago though!
@@jameshoffmann Before it was cool huh? :P
The man won his WBC title when people still watched youtube on 480p bruh.
@@jeremychristian5409 I know mate, all good. Was a joke relating to his hipster references.
We need "a suggestion of Vanilla" shirt please.
Then in small print "god that's a pretentious sentence isn't it"
Haha
I would actually buy this one
@@adamwilson2345 Me too
I asked my wife to add a suggestion of lemon to my tea just now, the look on her face was priceless, thank you for that.
x) this cracked me!
I wish I could make this request without laughing.
Cause for divorce, or manslaghter?
Actually made me laugh out loud
"Journalists who don't do good journalism"
*fetches popcorn*
That's an awful lot of extra words to just say 'journalist'.
dimman77 he’s being precise, James is all about precise
@@magikmoonmark Good point. Lol
Pretty much like this guy - smug and pretentious because ultimately his aim is to convince you to buy a product and thus make money.
@@xr6lad What is he trying to get you to buy by teaching you to make something yourself. lol
James’ idea of an “easy cocktail” differs vastly from mine. Making us all look lazy out here 😍
Well, I mean - once you've got your ingredients the assembly is pretty easy!
James Hoffmann Especially if you have a machine that can make real espresso and a home carbonation device ;)
No but in all seriousness I do agree that for what you get this is very doable and you could easily find workaround for missing equipment. Really I just wanted to acknowledge the work you put into this.
I love the content you put out and the new style with more b-roll makes it even more enjoyable to me. So just a happy Patreon supporter saying: Keep it up!
@@oliverwhimstermartinsen7214 I mean, you could just use pre bottles tonic water or mix the syrup with pre carbonated water from the store. And for the coffee coffee concentrate or cold brew is always also and option. Might not be the exact same result and not as good but will still probably be fairly nice
@@doc8125 or you could mix Nescafe with Schweppes 🤔
@@nicknick6788 yeah, if you have a pod machine you could also do that yes
James ”I think I might go oranges and lemons "
Me: (flashback to Pfanner Cold Brew & Orange/Lemon Review) OH NO
Watching you making your own fantastic drink in such creative way is so great!
Hahaha, I had the same thought.
Hmm, the one ingredient that I can't find on Amazon is the Vanilla-flavoured pretentiousness.
I don't even like Tonic that much and I want to try this though!
Have you checked the suggestions?
I adore tonic, I adore coffee. Yet I never considered combining the two. This is exciting
me - my tonic costs 30p a Ltr
James - I'll take nothing less than my own handcrafted Tonic
I always order a espresso, and a tonic, and do the mix myself. The face of the waiter seen my mixing it it's always worth it!
I once had the opposite happen, I was at a cafe cart and grabbed a Coke because I was thirsty but also ordered an espresso because I needed an energy boost, and the barista said "Damn, you're gonna mix that??"
Jarvis Grazio I’ve heard that called a drop kick Murphy. Never been brave enough to do it.
@@Am-Not-Jarvis then he made $100,000 from a go fund me.
Jarvis Grazio Try it with Dr. Pepper or a Root Beer, it’s delicious.
I tried a canned mix of espresso and Coca Cola that I found in a supermarket in Rome. It was exceptionally vile. I’ve since seen the concoction referred to as "Ameri-cola" and "Fat-Americano".
Oh, Cinchona Bark chips, let me just pop down to the corner shop...
Don’t for get to wear your face nappy
You will find it in the isle right next to dehydrated crocodile skin! It’s amazing what the Asian supermarkets stock these days 😂
take a shot of gin whenever it’s “INTERESTING”
i like my liver too much for that
Ben Loh Xiang Wei hick
The title of this made me go "Ewww, gross". Watching you make them makes me want to try it. Thanks, James.
I was really hesitant to try this the first time for much the same reason. I was very pleasantly surprised.
@@jameshoffmann So this could've just as easily ended up in the weird coffee drinks series? Truly, there are times when the fate of the universe rests upon the edge of a coin...
Honestly super refreshing. I've done it with Schweppes as other tonic waters are often harder to find. Wonderful to enjoy it on a hot day.
@@jameshoffmann Here's an odd thing I learned on my own - gin, used 2x in place of vanilla extract in baked chocolate cakes, can be brownies or other baked goods, makes the chocolate more intense. So now I'm wondering if a dash of gin will enhance the chocolatey notes of an espresso?
I had a variation on the espresso tonic a couple years ago at Phil and Sebastian coffee roasters up in Calgary. They added cherry juice to the espresso and Fever Tree tonic water, and to this day it's one of the best espresso cocktails I've ever had.
James Hoffmann talking about Dave Arnold - this makes me happy
James gave probably the best description of Dave Arnold I've heard
Not as Happy as to receive a Coffee maker from James.
Editor: James, how many slow mo shots do you want?
James: yes
there was a healthy bit of Peter McKinnon‘s Style in this
just watched „Stop puttinc coffee into everything“ 🤣🤣
James: I've had quite a lot of coffee so far....
Also James: Speed of speech rapidly increasing throughout video.
"I've got a load of CO2 here"
Best chat-up line ever.
James: “It’s a bit crowded these days”
Subscribers: We know James would dominate the market
Awesome video, which is not a surprise when James is using a recipe from Dale DeGroff. I made a tonic syrup for my G&T episode, adding grated grapefruit, lemon, and lime peels. Proud to say it turned out wonderful.
This video just smacks you with the bruh moment of the future of coffee as it slowly gets married to mixology. Interesting times ahead.
Bruh moments lie before us
Fever Tree is awesome but in a recent blind tasting I was in about 17 out of 20 people preferred the new formulation from Q. The bottle doesn't look as fancy but their new mixers are what I would prefer to use and serve to my guests.
I’m intrigued, but can’t find anything on the Q site about a new formula. Do you know if it’s hit (US) shelves yet?
Nice tip - I will check it out!
If you’re in the Wisconsin, USA area or order online, Top Note from Milwaukee is a solid artisan tonic.
Can't imagine a compliment better than "complex and fun"
With just a hint of vanilla. God, that's pretentious.
I mixed a rose syrup with my espresso shot, it was soooo good and cut through the bitterness. Don't be afraid to experiment, people. 🖤
Ooooh I've been making cold brew tonics (I don't have an espresso machine) with orange bitters, and I also have some rose syrup... 🤔
At this point I don't even care what the videos are about. I just want to listen to James talking. He even does the best Squarespace ads.
this has been on Verve coffee roasters menu for a long, long time now. their ratio is a full bottle of fever tree tonic (200ml) , 150g ice , and a ~20g shot of espresso. all you do is make sure you layer the espresso atop of the ice and tonic water. the selling point of this drink (imo), is the evolution of the flavor profile as the drink sits. viscosity of the tonic and espresso differ. so the drink does not homogenize organically. i always tell folks to be cognizant as you sip on your espresso tonic. it'll evolve as the ratios start to change and as the ice starts to melt. the flavor profile will definitely not be for everyone (bitters on bitters, if you're into gin and tonics, this is the coffee version for you) so take it with a grain of salt folks! even amongst coffee professionals, you either LOVE espresso tonic or you hate it.
And it drops through like a lava lamp when you pour it over the ice.
My local place takes a thin slice of orange peel, rubs it around the lip of the glass, squeezes it and drops it on top of the tonic before pouring the espresso.
It’s summer magic
Absolute Hipster twats
Everyone: “asks for aeropress video”
Hoffmann: hmmm. how abaout later
Absolutely no one: Espresso tonic!!
Hoffmann: oh here you go!
Miguel Contreras hey, it's a Hoffmann video. They're always interesting, so don't complain
Rick Astley shut up it’s a joke
Consider the also substantial group of us who want a video about literally anything other than aeropress
I want to see the comparison of this drink to the budget version - delonghi espresso something or other, Schweppes, and grocery store coffee
Lol I use Schweppes. Didn't realize I was so "budget" :(
@@IcedCoffeeLifestyle I'm not dissing Schweppes, but they fall into the "reasonably accessable" category in a way that a niche zero and a linea 2 group doesn't.
I can do delonghi espresso, lavazza pre ground coffee and Morrison’s diet tonic water 😂 I’ll report back but can’t compare it to the good one
@@tomholton235 Ha, I've got the Delonghi, Lavazza and Schweppes, I should give this a try too.
Schweppes is readily available and less expensive therefore it must be worse than the more expensive niche tonics?
omg seeing u experimenting with drink is just so enjoyable and fascinating!!!
your thoughts are smart and insightful, comments are to the point, and presentation is fancy but clean!!!
please make more experiments-around-recipes vids!!
Used to be a place near my office pre-lockdown that made a fantastic one with some honey-cured lemon wedges to go with it. Thanks for this!
down the “honey cured lemon wedges” RUclips rabbit hole I go
When do you pour the gin in? I seem to have missed this point in the video somehow? Before or after the malic acid?
It's a espresso tonic, not a gin and tonic
James I would love to learn about your carbonation set up.
Looks like he has the same setup as me. That goofy cap on the plastic bottle is designed to attach to a quick disconnect, which presumably connects to a regulator, attached to a co2 tank.
Carbonation caps are super handy if you already have a kegging setup, but depending on availability of a 5lb co2 tank, it's also cheaper in the long run than operating a sodastream/home selzer gadget. www.amazon.com/dp/B00V334SME/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JduEFbPP5HFT3
You know it's pretentious when James Hoffman says "That is almost a bit too pretentious" LMAO
"Don't drink Schweppes tonic"
But James, that's all I can afford....
Schweppes does the worst tonic and actually really good tonic, is it blasphemy to say I prefer their specialty mixer to fever tree? 😬
If you're having good Gin, you certainly have a very strong argument to buying cheap tonic! Cheap tonic allows the gin to shine. Buy a fancy, flavoured tonic and you may as well pour lemonade in there! Save your tonic money and spend it on tasty gin!
Nicosh1471 I can understand your argument, but cheap tonic has artificial sweeteners in it which would utterly demolish any flavour in the gin. I can’t stand it hahaha.
@@odinogle i guess it comes down to personal preference. Higher quality tonic may give a smoother drink but for me, i find it overpowers the gin too much and i like being able to taste the gin or maybe i have just got used to the taste of cheap tonic hahaha
Nicosh1471 I totally get you about it overpowering the drink. Sweeteners just really put me off.
I've never had espresso tonic, because I never knew it was a thing, but I want to try it now. Time to get out the Schweppes and House of Coffees decaf blend...
Looks delicious, now I wonder how it would taste if you put nitrogen rather than CO2
creamy
Interesting video James! How do you think this compares to cold brew tonic, which might be more approachable for more people?
I think this is a super easy, fun way to drink a good espresso. The bitter and sweet from the tonic really push down the acidic and bitter aspects of the espresso. I could see cold brew also being fun, but the fact that it isn't as concentrated would make it a bit trickier to balance.
@@jameshoffmann I use cold brew concentrate and that seems to work well. It is fast as so easy. Even so, it is always better when I use the espresso-like liquid from my Aeropress. I actually am able to get some long lasting pseudo-crema from my efforts. I know I don't reach 9 bars but I get at least 2 or 3 when I put my whole body weight into it. :)
When I want to find him, I just search google "the coffee guy on youtube" :D very unique xd
Will you send Cinchona Bark to 10 people who have lost their jobs and can't afford Cinchona Bark right now?
In the very early 90's I worked in a small coffee trailer on the weekends. Afternoons were slow and I experimented quite a bit with coffee, carbonated water and syrups. Even with limited (cheap) options the end result was quite refreshing. Not a lot of enthusiasm from others though.
>don't drink schwepps tonic
Well, maybe if the other were available and not overpriced we would drink them...
There I was thinking that WAS the fancy stuff
Interesting! My local coffee place just launched a lemon coffee seltzer (which turned out to just be espresso and lemon LaCroix, kind of a low-rent version of what you're doing), and while it's not going to be my new go-to drink it was very refreshing and I can see how there's potential to really turn it into something great.
It’s so fun that you call it “really easy to make” when the rest of the channel is in search of the perfect espresso that is never ending :P a man gotta have a hobby i guess!
I just tried this (using fever tree, I figured making my own tonic was just a little beyond me), and it's amazing! Absolutely gobsmacked.
Once again, thank you, the amazing James Hoffman.
Somehow, I thought James Hoffman would be dancing around wearing a red bomber jacket to a 1988 hip hop tune named "Espressotonic," but no. 🤷🏻♂️
Could this work with filter coffee/Aeropress or mocca pot too? I wish I had an Espresso machine but I don't ^^
I like doing it with my prismo attachment on the aeropress, but a moka pot would be my second choice
moka pot works just fine for me :) but if you've never tried the combination of coffee and tonic then maybe get the drink somewhere and have a taste, it's probably easier to mess the ratio and the general taste with different brews and therefore get very discouraged
James! Your coffee videos are amazing! You've got me weighing coffee on a scale...
One year ago on a rainy afternoon I finished a video and was left confused on how I managed to be entertained by a 20 minute video on coffee... one year later and I continue to enjoy James’ videos in a way I never imagined and boy that also translates to my coffee drinking. I never knew I could enjoy the complexities of Coffee but I love it more than ever.
Thank you James!
“Don’t use Schweppes tonic” - damnit…
i've been waiting for this video since it was mentioned like last year
Dave Arnold 🙌
This is on the same level of “I’m making this from scratch” as on Binging with Babish, which is great in all possible ways
I’m so glad other people actually like this. I’ve loved tonic espresso, but every time I bring it up people instantly say disgusting and never try it!
I've managed to never hear of it before. My first thought was indeed that it sounds weird, but my second was that I must try it.
First impression: this video is DEFINITELY not sponsored by Schweppes.
And I felt a tinge of pride when James mentioned my favorite tonic as the preferred tonic for this drink.
I do find it all a bit over the top. I am a Barman and a mixup but I do have a rum and espresso mix. I use orange bitters and the syrup. It also works quite well with builders,bitters,rum and cognac. It is good enough to send one toward "Recovery".-r-
The idea of using bergamot zest is amazing. Earl grey cold tonic! I wonder where I can get some (they're not common in Germany at all), maybe the essential oils would work - what do you think?
Lars Marowsky-Brée i like that idea. Maybe make a cold brew earlgrey and tonic. Could even add gin for an overly english earlgrey g&t
Most tea blenders use the Essential Oils of Lemon and Bergamot rather than the rind nowadays.
James' favourite question: "Can we do better?"
Have you tried Jameson Cold Brew Whiskey yet? I really like it, worth a taste.
Your photography skills are showing, James. Very nice editing, as always
Somehow I had a feeling James would be into Liquid Intelligence and when the video started I thought "Oh he is going to make his own tonic water isn't he"
James you’re golden! I was just looking for it over YT
Throw some whiskey in there and I’m game.
"I think I might go oranges and lemons" - how about blood oranges? I found that sipping S.Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa along with coffee gives an interesting combination
Heh, I'm reminded of my first espresso tonic. That's when I learned that while easy, order (and ice) matters. I essentially ended up with a sketchy root beer float consistency. Like the gas bubbled up and got trapped in the crema, making a frankly disgusting foam.
Don’t use Schweppes, use Fever Tree 😂 I was expecting something a little more niche than that
I was benchmarking fever tree and making my own tonic, which feels reasonably niche
@@jameshoffmann ❤️
James Hoffmann no shade intended my man, just tickled me! ✌️+ ❤️
@@jameshoffmann can you make your own tonic? How? Tonic water is lit the only thing I drink besides water ever since I was a child. Help a gal!
MissSunTonic watch the video, he does it
Nice "crema" on the top too. It looks so good. We're all drooling watching you necking that final carbonated mix down.
James This is delicious. I had one of these 2 years ago and was shocked how good it was. The flavors were much brighter and smoother. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream - heavenly good
This is so interesting!! I’m getting some serious whiskey-in-tea vibes from this, and that’s not a bad thing.
Comments from a gin and tonic drinker: Is it really a tonic without quinine? Also, I think generally you should start with a neutral tonic, not one with all the aromatics. Gin usually has a lot of aromatics like coffee, thats why you want a tonic that is more neutral in flavor. I also consider most tonics to be overly sweetened, which again starts to effect the flavor profile of what is added to it.
The quinine comes from the chinchona bark.
@@amartini51 Good to know. thanks
I made this drink using a moka pot. I used two shots of moka pot coffee since I don't have an espresso maker. The sugars from the tonic appear to cancel any bitterness from the coffee which only leaves a slight bitterness from the quinine. I added 3 drops of lime juice as well which comes through slightly. over all, I finding this interesting, refreshing but still not balanced quite right.
There are a few tonics out there without quinine, using different bittering agents with different levels of success. Japan's an interesting place to look for them, as locally produced tonic isn't allowed to contain quinine, and imported ones have restrictions on PPM. They are available all over the place, and are definitely worth a look.
Me without an espresso machine:
Damn, I really want someone to make me one so I could taste what he's tasting
A cold brew works quite well. Plus, our palettes are not as advanced as his, so you'd probably get a good end result as soon as you match with a tonic water of your preference..
@@dejavu011
Hm, I could attempt that, the most barebones I can try to attempt is to do as you say, cold brew it and just buy any off the shelf tonic and mix it up. Not sure if that works, but I'll try it when I can grab some tonic.
I've made coffee soda before (sweetened coffee, pitched with champagne yeast, let sit out for 1-3 hours before sealing in a bottle and putting in the refrigerator, should serve over ice), but it never occurred to me to add citrus or botanicals.
It is hot enough where I live that this seems to be a great idea.
I am recently deep down into making (coffee) kombucha, water kefir and ginger beer, all of them fermented drinks, which offer carbonation during a second fermentation round by adding sugar/sirup/fruits as a carbonation starter. I think it would be super interesting to try a fermented version of tonic water, so you can have the best of both worlds. Very nice aromatics, the bonus of probiotic cultures and natural carbonation to achieve a pleasant mix of sourness and bitterness. And the combinations would be endless depending on what you use as a starter culture (kombucha, kefir, ginger bug). Or maybe its even possible the create a starter bug from the tonic ingredients. I will definitely try this, thank you for the inspiration :)
I have never heard of this but it sounds right up my ally, gonna have to chill some of my Fever Tree down for this
I've been trying to perfect the espresso tonic for years. First discovered it in 2015 in Santiago. I only use large ice cubes, I pour the coffee over the ice and then add the tonic for a creamy head. Then I finish it with a lemon twist around the rim of the glass.
Fascinating video. One of my local cafes in Tokyo used to make a coffee tonic, with a slice of orange in it. Pretty sure it also had vanilla. Very nice on a hot and humid day.
It might be interesting and fun to substitute the sugar in the simple syrup with an orange, lemon, lime, or combination oleo saccharum
OMG I started doing this when you showed off you CO2 gear that first time and I had to have it! It has to be made to order! Thanks for the usual quality video.
“I think I’m going to go oranges and lemons with this.”
The first thing that comes to mind is the Filipino fruit Calamansi. It is a tiny, green, thin-rinded, spherical citrus fruit that has the flavor of exceptionally tart orange (think orange, but with the tartness level of a lemon or lime).
calamansi and sudachi are THE great citrus for drink mixers.
Let me share my tonic with you. I use it for some gins with lots of floral notes or those that are juniper forward... tomorrow I'll write you a message here or on instagram as it is now tooooooo late for an espresso tonic now (quarter past midnight in Germany):
- 500g water
- 15g chicona bark (12g if you grind it)
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
- 2 limes (juice and zest)
- 8g allspice berries (gently cracked)
- 5 citric acid
bring to a boil, then let simmer for 15min. strain through a cloth, then through a v60... dissolve 8 parts sugar in 10 parts liquid... i afterwards put it in a squeeze bottle for the bar. batches that are meant as presents are canned in clean bottles. In those cases, I make I quadruple the recipe... In winter and with a citrus forward gin, I replace half the water with apple juice and I reduce it to 7 parts sugar. You can also add a cinnamon stick or two... from now on, all recipes will be tested with espresso as well :-)
Could you do a variation on this with a cold brew perhaps as well? Or as you preferred, a pourover over ice
Damn, why didn’t I watch this during summer ?
10:22 "Crisp. Acidic. Bubbly. Delicious. Citrussy. Coffee-flavored... Espresso Tonic." Excellent matching camera step-zoom!
Probably harder to find a non pretentious sentence in a coffee video.
I've watched this twice and I have no idea what this tastes like. But I want to try it.
just a quick question from someone who doesn’t usually drink carbonated drinks, “well carbonated” means a lot of small bubbles instead of a few big ones?
I mean it's hard to explain but try drinking sparkling water then drinking soda water. It's not bigger bubbles but instead wore aggressive bubbles
When you use a v60 filter for things like this, or the coffee amaro, do you pre soak it?
commenting so i also see replies! :)
Suggested review: arabian coffee brew, lightly roasted coffee with some spices
Because this video has a sponsor-- Schweppes!
I just realized. By combining coffee, tonic and carbonation, you created one of the very few good coffee sodas on existence!
And most likely gave some company an idea to realize this in mass market fashion. Terribly.
Great video and looking forward to trying this on my own! New camera? Lots of Peter McKinnon-esque slow-mo b-roll.
Welcome back James! I hope the break was enough! I just wanted to say that I am very thankful for your videos and that I think you really have one of the best coffee channels out there.
Just on the history of this, I got introduced to coffee in tonic about 20 years ago in Kenya. Got the impression it has been around for a while, just never hugely popular. Kinda like lemon in your tea, not the standard, but not unique.
I think it's interesting that in the years since this, using orange bitters and/or expressed citrus peels has become the norm for an espresso tonic. James was really onto something.
I've only ever wanted tonic twice in my life that I can remember:
Aged 7 finding a can of Schweppes in the cupboard when we ran out of lemonade, quickly followed by me spitting it into the sink.
And immediately after watching this video.
I'll be keeping an eye out for any local cafes offering espresso tonic in the future.
I just made a cold brew tonic recipe too... but not from scratch. Damnit James.