Here are a few of the related recipes, for the base tonic syrup, the acidulant, and the tonic water.
After there are a few ideas on potential pairings of different botanicals for different origins/styles of espresso - let me know if you come up with something cool!
NOTE: Cinchona bark is a natural source of quinine. Excessive consumption of quinine can be dangerous and it can have contraindications for some medicines.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: People have kindly shared some concerns about making your own tonic. I would STRONGLY recommend reading these articles before proceeding:
Base Tonic Syrup
20g Cinchona Bark (ground to powder)
750g water (plus more to top up later) 750g sugar
2g orange zest
2g lemon zest
Make sure the bark is ground to a powder.
Mix with the water and bring to a boil, and then gently simmer for 5 minutes
Switch off the heat and allow to cool, and mix in the citrus zest.
Once cool strain through a fine sieve, then strain again through a coffee filter paper. Strain again through coffee filter paper, the thicker the better.
Weigh the liquid, and add water to bring the total mass back up to 750g
Add 750g of sugar and blend.
Acidulant (Lime Acid)
120g water
5.1g citric acid
2.6g malic acid
Combine all ingredients and blend
Store
Tonic Water (Small Batch)
50g Tonic Syrup
30g acidulant
3 drops saline
250g water (sparkling water if you are not carbonating the mixture)
If you are carbonating:
Combine all ingredients in the vessel you’ll be carbonating in.
Chill in the fridge.
Carbonate.
If you are not carbonating:
Use sparkling water instead of still
Make sure all ingredients are fridge cold
Mix all ingredients aside from water thoroughly
Gently mix in sparkling water
Use immediately
Espresso Tonic
35-40g espresso
120g tonic water
Ice
fill the glass with plenty of ice
Add your desired amount of tonic water
add your espresso, or serve on the side and let the guest add it.
Stir or swirl or don’t!
Enjoy!
Ideas for custom tonics
You could add a lot of different, and complimentary botanicals quite easily to your espresso tonics. You could choose to infuse small quantities into your base tonic syrup after you had made a batch, or infuse alongside the zest in the process.
Pairing suggestion:
Ethiopian washed coffee: Bergamot zest, early grey tea, lemongrass, coriander seed, ginger
Kenyan washed coffee: Grapefruit zest, pink peppercorns, rosehip, angostura bark
Colombian washed coffee: angostura bark, juniper, lime zest
These are just suggestions and not hard rules - I’d love to hear any ideas you have! Tag me in on Instagram if you make anything too!