#and one of the articles i read about this directly listed carbonated beverages as a possible cause of trapped gas

[liu-anhuaming]

i was lying in bed with a heading pad bc i was having this horrific gas-induced back pain, and i was really warm and feeling a little sleepy, so i decided to take a quick nap (i only got 5 hours of sleep last night, after all), but i was wearing my contacts, so now my eyes feel all weird, but at least the weird gas pain is going away and i was able to eat some triscuits, as a little treat

[cliftonsteen]

What is espresso tonic?

As delicious as espresso can be, its intense and concentrated flavour is not for everyone. Likewise, tonic water, with its powerful astringency, can be just as polarising. 

Enter the espresso tonic: a beverage that combines both. However, rather than becoming twice as overbearing as its component parts, this drink can be perfectly balanced when prepared correctly. In the past few years, many have come to appreciate its unique and refreshing taste.

To learn more, I spoke with Anne Lunell of Koppi Roasters and Jonathan Riethmaier of Mammoth Espresso. Read on to find out what they told me about espresso tonic’s origins, preparation, and popularity.

You might also like our list of six summer coffee cocktails you can make at home.

The origin of the espresso tonic

It’s believed that barista competitors had been experimenting with tonic water and espresso as early as 2015. This is because many competitions’ “signature drink” categories often require a unique creative edge. However, the drink’s emergence on the world stage is more widely attributed to Koppi Roasters in Helsingborg, Sweden.

Anne Lunell is a former Swedish Barista Champion and Swedish Brewers Cup Champion. She co-founded Koppi Roasters back in 2007. However, it was when she was working at a coffee shop in Oslo that she first came across the idea of an espresso tonic.

“One hot summer day, one of our colleagues made a drink with tonic, espresso, and something strange, like pistachios,” Anne says. “We felt it was super refreshing and so different from all the iced drinks you would normally get, which were mainly milk drinks.

“We used to do strange coffee drinks after work when we were closing, and it was one of the few that actually tasted really good.”

A few months later, Anne opened Koppi Roasters. She knew they needed the espresso tonic on the menu, and says the beverage quickly caught people’s attention.

“What made it popular across the globe was that we had some journalists visit from some big newspaper like the New York Times or the Observer,” Anne says. “A lot of people wrote about it, and now it’s all over the place.”

Jonathan Riethmaier is the owner and barista at Mammoth Espresso in New Orleans, Louisiana. He became a fan of the beverage while visiting family in San Francisco, where the espresso tonic first appeared in the US.

He says: “I don’t know when I first caught wind of the espresso tonic, but I can tell you where I had my first good one: Saint Frank Coffee. 

“It was served in a highball glass. It wasn’t this foamy thing, it was elegant with a really nice presentation. I thought it was really refreshing and I thought it was going to become a staple.”

What makes a good espresso tonic?

The espresso tonic is simple enough to prepare. However, there are many types of tonic, and many different origins, roast profiles, and processing methods to choose from for espresso. Understandably, the quality of the two ingredients have a significant impact on the flavour of the final beverage.

Anne’s preferred tonic is Fever Tree’s Mediterranean flavour. She says the citrusy, bright flavours pair well with the beans she likes to use for espresso.

“My preferred espresso style would be anything that’s fruity, like Ethiopian and Kenyan coffees,” she says. “I also like Colombian coffees that are brighter and more acidic. 

“Anything that has a nice acidity and isn’t too heavy.”

Jonathan, however, uses Fentimans Tonic. Like Anne, he started with a fruity, citrusy Ethiopian coffee, and found it worked well with the strong citrus flavour of the Fentimans.

Down the line, however, Jonathan switched to a more versatile recipe, preparing the beverage with a house blend coffee. 

He says: “[It] is usually a Colombian and Ethiopian blend that is meant to work well mixed or as a standalone. 

“The blend has orange, raspberry, and dark chocolate notes. But Fentimans was too aggressive for that, so we switched to Fever Tree.”

Preparing the drink

Equally as important as the ingredients, Anne says, is how you combine them. She says that one of the main issues with the beverage at coffee shops is that it isn’t served with enough ice. This, she says, stops it from being exceptionally refreshing.

She says: “What is key is that you fill it with ice, then almost to the top with tonic, and only then add the espresso.” 

Jonathan agrees that it needs plenty of ice, but he says that espresso and carbonated tonic can be a volatile, messy combination if you’re not careful.

He says: “You need to give it as much time as you can to settle. That gives you a moment to prep and pull your shot. 

“When you add your espresso, the key element is not to dump it onto the tonic water, because the mixture will be super effervescent and will flow all over the counter creating a sticky mess.”

Jonathan’s preferred method is to pour from a spouted pitcher directly onto a ball spoon, which is held above the surface of the tonic. This way, he says, the impact is very gentle.

“Not only does it eliminate those excess bubbles, but it will allow the drink to layer on top of the tonic water, meaning, for some time at least, you have a compelling visual story to complement the drink,” he says.

Do it yourself

If you want to try the espresso tonic at home, here is a recipe to get you started:

Ingredients

200ml tonic

30 to 40ml espresso shot

Slice of lemon (optional)

Method

Fill a standard lowball glass (8 fl. oz or 227ml) with cubed ice and tonic, almost to the top of the glass

Pull your espresso shot

Slowly pour espresso over the tonic; be careful not to pour too quickly

Serve and enjoy

Presentation, signature menus & mocktails

The refreshing nature and simplicity of the espresso tonic makes it a great drink to add to your menu, especially during the summer months.

“If you can make a beautiful espresso tonic, and you have a line of people, you will end up making four or five because it draws people in,” Jonathan says. “It’s intriguing. It adds a bit of flair to your coffee shop.”

Jonathan says that his mocktail menu at Mammoth draws inspiration from New Orleans’ cocktail bars. He notes that for coffee shop cocktails, presentation should be almost as important as the quality of the beverage itself.

“For our signature menu, we wanted to present our drinks just like a good cocktail bartender would present them,” he says. “We wanted a similar style of service and we wanted the barware and technique you would see in a New Orleans cocktail bar. 

“We wanted to borrow from that credibility and that craftsmanship you have in the New Orleans cocktail community, and put that in our coffee shop.”

Jonathan says that the biggest thing he learned from craft cocktail bars is that it’s not just a drink – it’s an experience. If prepared and presented well, the espresso tonic can give a coffee shop’s beverage menu something that helps them stand out.

Jonathan also notes that unlike many other seasonal beverages, it’s really quick to prepare. Jonathan says that once you get used to it, it can be made just as quickly as an iced latte.

Do people actually like it?

Anne says: “Around 95% of people who tried it liked it… the other 5% thought it was too weird. We have it all year round, simply because people asked for it all year round.”

For the most part, Jonathan says, people love it in his shop as well. The typically warm New Orleans climate means the beverage is a Mammoth Espresso staple, rather than just a seasonal menu item.

He also tells me that if a customer is not sure about the drink, it’s just a matter of asking a few questions.

He says: “There are two pretty easy screener questions: do you like espresso? Do you like tonic water? If the answer to either of those questions is ‘no’ or ‘I’m not sure’, then it may not be a good drink for you.”

Though it is not for everyone, the espresso tonic has been on coffee shop menus around the world since 2007, and is still attracting new fans to this day.

If made well, it can be one of the most refreshing cold coffee beverages out there. In a world where consumer wellbeing and iced coffee both becoming more prominent, it’s likely it will continue to catch people’s attention.

Enjoyed this? Then you’ll like this article on adding coffee cocktails to your coffee shop menu.

Photo credits: Mammoth Espresso, Dominic Vittitow

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[tkmedia]

What 'Authenticity' Actually Looks Like in an Influence-Marketing Collaboration

June 24, 2021 8 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. “Authenticity” would win the award for most-overused word in the influencer marketing world these days. Which means it would also elicit the most eye rolls. Nevertheless, authenticity remains the key differentiator between an influence-marketing activation that resonates with an audience and one that doesn’t. It is imperative for success, even if most people would have a hard time putting a finger on what a truly authentic influencer endorsement looks like.In broad terms, authenticity simply means the message from the influencer to their audience is believable. But it’s more than just someone saying, “I like this product," or even, “I use this product.” Consumers are savvy enough to know that when there’s money involved, even cut-rate influencers can put on a smile and act like they like a product. They can spot a fake while thumb-scrolling their way through Instagram without ever stopping.So what does an “authentic” influencer endorsement actually look like? I went searching and found a perfect example.Related: Meet the Agency Disrupting Advertising By Creating Influencers

The brand

Q Mixers is a spirits accessory brand, if you will. Its line of carbonated beverages, typically canned, complete a cocktail. Think club soda, tonic water, ginger ale, ginger beer. Most of its competitors market themselves individually, while Q Mixers — even in name — indicates they’re more interested in being an accompaniment to whiskey, rum, vodka, gin or tequila. “As a small brand, our goal is to drive awareness and trial,” says Catherine Vodola, Q Mixers' executive vice president of marketing. “People spend a ton of time selecting amazing spirits but don’t realize that when the majority of your drink is mixer, the quality of that mixer matters.”The brand claims that by using natural ingredients, perfect carbonation and making their beverages less sweet, they allow the “subtleties of great spirits to shine through.”Vodola knew influencer engagements were important for the brand because they provide instant expert recommendations. “We need advocates to help tell that story," she elaborates. "To elicit an ‘a-ha!’”

The influencer(s)

Patrick Janelle began his professional life as a graphic designer, but Instagram vaulted him into the influencer stratosphere in the mid 2010s. Self-crafted imagery from his life traveling and living in New York City includes beautiful interiors and architecture, snappy personal fashion ideas and a peek into a trendsetter’s lifestyle. That hipness helped him grow to almost half a million followers at @aguynamedpatrick. As Janelle’s popularity grew, so did his awareness that influencers like him needed help. In January of 2020, he founded Untitled Secret, a management firm that represents content creators. One of its clients happens to be Elliott Clark, also known as The Apartment Bartender, a cocktail creator with a fairly engaged audience of more than 74,000 Instagram followers. Q Mixers approached Janelle about a partnership. Untitled Secret’s managing director, Mauricio Abascal, says the original concept came about serendipitously last fall amid relaxed Covid restrictions. “Initially, Patrick was going to be in L.A. for work and Elliott was going to be in San Diego for a shoot,” he recalls. “We figured we’d have them meet in person to shoot an interview-style, co-hosted, socially distanced tutorial video for Q Mixers.” Alas, a renewed surge in infections late last year derailed their travel plans, so the conversation shifted to what might take the place in lieu of an in-person conversation.

The execution

Eventually, someone threw out the idea to film the two influencers having a virtual meeting from a fly-on-the-wall perspective, rather than the flat, Brady Bunch grid boredom of Zoom. “We’re all pretty collaborative, so it’s hard for me to remember who exactly came up with what idea,” Abascal admits. “But we figured that recording their Zoom interaction and shooting it from an outsider’s perspective would allow for a more dynamic, almost cinematic edit to an otherwise simple social media video.”Janelle adds: “So, it was really a conversation about what does that look like? What are we talking about?”The most important element of the plan, according to Janelle, was thinking through how to deliver interesting and engaging content that also happens to have the product and brand integrated in a meaningful and thoughtful way.“Ultimately what they really wanted to showcase was the versatility of the product at home,” Clark says. “We wanted to bring something a little bit more interactive, where it’s more about the conversations that are being had over the product versus it being strictly about the product.”The execution was perfect. The two are friends and share a mutual love of cocktails. They jumped on a Zoom call to catch up before the holidays. The video was posted on December 21, 2020. In the clip, Janelle asks his expert friend what makes a good cocktail. Clark’s answer is quality ingredients. The list includes the type of mixer you use. The B-roll lays in Q Mixer product shots. The conversation then shifts to holiday cocktail ideas, and Janelle asks what Clark is drinking. A list of ingredients includes Q Mixers Grapefruit. Janelle then goes deeper into Q Mixers ingredients as his reason for liking the brand. Queue the talking points.Clark then asks what Janelle is drinking. His Dark & Stormy includes ginger beer, another Q Mixer flavor. Then the banter turns to Janelle’s favorite place to travel and that he is often asked whether or not Clark is single. (He is.)You can tell the two have a genuine rapport. The brand is highlighted and talking points are made, but not in an overly pushy fashion. You can watch the less-than-two-minute video and walk away with some information or entertainment value without feeling like you’ve just been handed a marketing tagline. 

The results

Before your brain jumps to the question of ROI or how many cans of mixers this Instagram video sold, let’s go back to the client’s goal: to drive awareness and trial of Q Mixers. “We are not a direct-to-consumer brand, so we can’t track (sales) directly,” explains marketing EVP Vodola. “We use the traditional methods of reach, engagement rates and swipe-ups. We also indirectly track follower growth.”Another way brands can measure awareness is through social listening. If an influencer (or two) talk about your brand on social media, one would think the ensuing conversation would generate some online buzz around your product or service. According to data from social listening platform Talkwalker, the highest point of online conversation about Q Mixers in the last two years? The week of Janelle and Clark’s conversation post.“When you find the right person, that individual brings your message out effortlessly and with great authenticity and authority,” Vodola says. “Both Patrick and Elliott are super personable and great individuals, but they have a real passion and authority in the drink space. They totally get why Q Mixers is a better mixer and that it matters. And they tell that story well.”Related: SAG-AFTRA Agreement Falls Short of Solving Pay, Benefits Gap for Influencers

What it takes

It’s important to note that the success of influencer marketing is best defined by long-term gain for both the brand and the content creator. Clark discussed and promoted the collaboration on his Instagram stories to support Janelle’s placement of the content, but this example is a single video post. Q Mixer has collaborated with both Janelle and Clark over time to reinforce the messaging and add frequency to the reach both provide.The content here was also driven by a creative concept formulated by two influencers, a talent-management firm and the brand marketing and PR teams all working in collaboration. The production was far more elaborate than just a phone and a selfie stick. Both Janelle and Clark use professional videographers and photographers to produce their content. “It was a good bit of work,” Janelle confirms. “We had to be creative about how we were executing and be sure the brand was completely happy with the end result.”They were, and the brand was, but it came together because the influencer content was treated like a high-quality creative execution. Q Mixers didn’t undervalue either of the two content creators by simply renting their reach. They invested in the creative direction and production value each provides. It came together because the concept was right: Put two friends together having a real conversation that happens to include the brand, arm them with the talking points the brand hopes to convey, and let them present it in a way that the audience will notice without skepticism or furled brow. It came together because it was authentic. To the brand. To the influencers. And to their audiences. Read the full article