Creative Café-Inspired Specialty Drink Recipe Guide: How to Make a Mint Bubble Iced Americano

Yesterday at the shop, some colleagues were drinking sparkling water, with transparent little bubbles continuously rising along the ice cubes, which made FrontStreet Coffee quite envious. If an espresso shot was added at that moment, the flavor would surely be both stimulating and refreshing, instantly awakening a drowsy mind.

However, some friends mentioned that when pouring espresso directly into iced tonic water, they feel that the inherent stimulation of carbonated beverages amplifies the bitterness of coffee, creating a taste somewhat like "rinsing pot water," which they don't particularly enjoy.

Actually, making an Americano without obvious bitterness is quite simple. We just need to add an appropriate "supporting character" to the coffee—that is, giving it an additional layer of flavor to enhance the overall taste. Today, FrontStreet Coffee will teach you how to make 4 special iced coffee drinks using sparkling water, preparing in advance for the upcoming summer season.

How to Make Original Sparkling Iced Americano?

Experienced coffee enthusiasts know that sparkling Americano is simply replacing water in iced Americano with sparkling water, so the preparation steps and related parameters are largely similar to regular iced Americano. There are many carbonated beverages on the market, but based on preparation experience, not all are suitable for pairing with espresso. FrontStreet Coffee typically chooses Chang soda water, commonly used in coffee shops, or Perrier.

In terms of parameters, FrontStreet Coffee will use our daily production standard as an example: first place 3 large ice cubes (about 100g) in a glass, fill with tonic water to 80% full, then extract 40g of espresso using 20g of Warm Sun blend coffee grounds (28-32 seconds), and finally pour it gently over the top. It's that simple—a sparkling Americano identical to those from coffee shops is ready.

It's worth noting that compared to regular iced Americano, carbonated coffee drinks not only require good taste but also pursue visual appeal, after all, among "color, aroma, and taste," "color" ranks first.

Since carbonated beverages naturally contain abundant foam, and freshly extracted espresso has a higher temperature while also being rich in oils, once these two meet, they undergo a vigorous chemical reaction. Large amounts of carbon dioxide gas burst out, not only spilling coffee everywhere but also forming a "lumpy" appearance that instantly kills appetite. Therefore, we need to find ways to reduce the impact formed when these two meet. For specific operations, you can refer to FrontStreet Coffee's article: "Sparkling Iced Americano: How to Prevent Overflow?"

Next, based on this original sparkling iced Americano, we'll pair it with different ingredients respectively, elevating it directly into specialty coffee drinks with rich textures. Four styles in total, for you to choose from.

Preserved Plum Sparkling Americano

For those who enjoy preserved fruits, the crossover pairing of coffee and preserved plums is definitely a treasure drink. The salty and sour taste of preserved plums combined with the mellow sweetness of coffee creates a sweet, sour, and salty flavor that remains refreshing. When carbonated beverages are added, the aroma of preserved fruits is further stimulated and amplified in the mouth, instantly extending the entire palate.

Preparation steps: First, place 4 preserved plums in a small cup and add 15-20g of boiling water, then place in the refrigerator to steep for one hour. After steeping, you can begin making the coffee. The first step is still to add 100g of ice cubes to the glass, pour in the prepared preserved plum water, then top up with sparkling water to 70% full (about 150g), and finally gently pour double espresso over the top. Done!

Orange Sparkling Americano

In the coffee flavor wheel, citrus has always occupied the "center stage," being the flavor that countless enthusiasts first encounter when tasting light-roasted beans and can most easily resonate with. As a nationally popular fruit, citrus not only has strong flavor recognition and high popularity but also produces countless varieties adapted to local conditions. Therefore, when many baristas develop new products, citrus is often the first fruit that comes to mind.

Among the various citrus varieties, oranges have always been the most popular. When combined with coffee and sparkling water, they can balance the bitterness of coffee, and the fruit acid, under the effect of carbon dioxide, delivers an excellent refreshing sensation.

Preparation steps: Cut a complete round slice from the middle of the orange for final decoration, and juice the remaining part. Place 100g of ice cubes in the glass, then filter the fruit pulp to obtain orange juice (you can also choose not to filter) and pour it in, place the cut orange slice on top, and finally drizzle double espresso over it.

Mint Sparkling Americano

Regarding this combination, FrontStreet Coffee found several versions, but most use mint syrup, a dark green seasoning.

As someone who prefers low sugar, FrontStreet Coffee tends to use fresh mint leaves, which not only add a cool sensation to the sparkling Americano but also make the coffee fragrant and refreshing.

Preparation steps: Add 100g of ice cubes to the glass, grab a handful of fresh mint leaves (3-5 pieces), place them in your palm, clap gently between both hands a few times, then toss them into the glass. The purpose is to release the aroma of the leaves. Finally, pour in sparkling water and espresso. Done!

Young Coconut Sparkling Americano

Compared to other fruits, coconut has a delicious and gentle flavor that pairs well with many types of food and is more easily accepted by the general public. For example, young coconut Americano has captured many diners with its sweet and mellow taste. Recently, FrontStreet Coffee discovered another new combination—adding half sparkling water to young coconut water gives the coffee a unique texture.

Preparation steps: Prepare a fresh young coconut, crack it open and extract the coconut water (you can also purchase ready-made coconut water). Place 100g of ice cubes in the glass, pour in half coconut water and half sparkling water, then drizzle two portions of espresso.

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