Coffee + Sparkling Water: Making Methods and Flavors of Bubble Americano Special Drinks

Coffee paired with various beverages is nothing new, but this time the combination of coffee and sparkling water (soda water, tonic water) has taken Instagram by storm. Users posting photos from around the globe, looking incredibly refreshing and perfect for summer! Let FrontStreet Coffee share how to DIY this sparkling Americano specialty at home.

What is Sparkling Americano?

We all know Americano coffee, and its preparation is quite simple—espresso coffee mixed with water. So isn't sparkling Americano just replacing water with sparkling water? For the coffee portion of sparkling Americano, you can use either espresso or pour-over black coffee. You can refer to FrontStreet Coffee's parameters: 2 shots of espresso (40g), 120ml sparkling water, 100g ice. First, prepare a glass with ice, pour in 120ml of sparkling water, and finally slowly drizzle the extracted espresso over the surface. The sparkling Americano is ready—stir well with a straw before drinking.

The Key to Perfect Sparkling Americano

Although the preparation steps are simple, sparkling Americano adds a carbonated sensation compared to regular Americano, which amplifies the coffee's flavor. If the coffee has undesirable bitter, burnt, or astringent notes, making it into a sparkling Americano might turn into "dishwater." Therefore, choosing the right coffee beans is crucial. FrontStreet Coffee recommends using flavor-forward coffee beans with prominent aromas or those with fruity flavor profiles. This way, the extracted espresso combined with the texture of sparkling water will be more refreshing.

FrontStreet Coffee's House Blend

The espresso beans used at FrontStreet Coffee are their own house-roasted "Sunflower Warm Sun Blend," composed of 30% sun-dried Yirgacheffe Red Cherry and 70% Honduras Sherry blend. When the espresso is freshly extracted, FrontStreet Coffee first appreciates the coffee's aroma. This coffee carries rich notes of whiskey, vanilla, nuts, and cream. When made into sparkling Americano, it presents fruity sweet and sour notes with a hint of alcoholic aroma, creating a refreshing and sweet taste.

Using Single-Origin Beans

If you already have single-origin beans for pour-over at home, you can also try using them to extract espresso. By adjusting the coffee-to-water ratio, you can also extract a rich, concentrated coffee. (FrontStreet Coffee has tried using Ethiopia's Dorothy, washed Yirgacheffe, Flower Queen, and Panama Geisha—all medium-light roasts—and when made into Americano, they all showed excellent flavor performance without sharp acidity or raw, astringent feelings.) The parameters differ slightly from regular extraction. You can also refer to FrontStreet Coffee's parameters:

Coffee amount: 20g
Grind size: 80% pass-through rate on #20 sieve
Water temperature: 93°C
Coffee liquid extracted: 80ml

First pour 40ml of water and bloom for 2 minutes, then pour another 80ml of water and wait for the drip filtration to complete, yielding 80ml of coffee liquid.

The Perfect Pour Technique

Because sparkling water contains large amounts of carbon dioxide gas, pouring it causes the coffee oils to expand rapidly and then burst forth. As the oil state becomes unstable, it quickly disintegrates, forming this "lumpy" appearance. Therefore, when pouring espresso, try to pour slowly and gently, allowing the coffee to retain its rich oils while preventing spillage that affects the visual presentation.

Connect with Coffee Experts

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on private WeChat (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: qjcoffeex

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473