The Fizzy Addition That Transforms Your Iced Coffee

With a super easy equal parts ratio of coffee to club soda or sparkling water over ice, you give your brew a chance to show off its complexity and dimension. Much like a few drops of water in whiskey, some sparkling water opens up your coffee, and emphasizes its unique character. If you're looking for a little something to temper the bitterness and carbonic acid, you can also dose this drink with some optional sugar or simple syrup, which will make it even more reminiscent of classic soda. However, this creation is customizable in more ways than one.

Customizing your sparkling coffee drink

You may have made flavored simple syrup to elevate your cocktails, but that strategy comes in handy here, too. Vanilla and hazelnut are classically coffee-friendly, but you can also create pumpkin or peppermint syrups for seasonally inspired versions. A mocha soda is a delight, too, so try stirring in some chocolate syrup in your coffee soda (and topping it with a basic but bulletproof whipped cream). If you've got a slice of citrus like lime, lemon, or orange on hand, you can add a little zip to the drink that wouldn't be unfamiliar in parts of the world like Puerto Rico or Italy. You can also make your iced coffee with a base of espresso, using about one shot per ½ cup of sparkling water as your starting ratio.

Either way, it helps to brew your coffee in advance and keep it chilled in the fridge, this way you don't have to wait too long when the mood for iced coffee soda strikes. You can even make leftover coffee ice cubes to avoid diluting the flavor of your drink, or spike it with a little something stronger (try vodka or amaretto) for a cocktail hour version. There are plenty of ways to personalize this drink and you can easily decide in the moment based on your mood and occasion, but this easy tip will reliably transform your coffee experience in a snap.