Sparkling Americano

Originally published Bubbles: Coffee’s Best Friend by Grace Wilkey

Most people take their coffee with some form of cream and sugar, whether it’s a thick drizzle of caramel sauce swirled around a plastic Starbucks cup or two ounces of perfect micro-foam to top a cortado. I, on the other hand, have been skipping these accompaniments recently and reaching for the sparkling water instead.

This combination might sound bizarre, but take a moment to think about the prevalence of carbonation in the food and beverage industry: tonic water and club soda are introduced to cocktails to elevate a drink’s flavor perception while also creating a refreshing sensation. During cheese tastings, champagne and other sparkling wines are popped to allow the bubbles to break through the rich creaminess of cheeses like brie and camembert. Kids and adults alike enjoy the foreign popping sensation of popular candies like PopRocks. Even in the coffee world, nitro cold brew, while not exactly carbonated, has small bubbles from the nitration process that allows for a smoother mouthfeel when drinking coffee.

Nitro cold brew is just the start of carbonation in this caffeinated creation. In recent months, while strolling around New York City and scrolling through Tik Tok, I stumbled upon sparkling americanos, or spritzes, made with elaborate floral or fruity syrups, topped with oat milk foam, and stirred to perfection. As an admittedly snobby coffee lover, I knew I had to strip the beverage down to its purest form to something more palatable for my tastes. 

You don’t need any fancy syrups for this drink. Instead, opt for some citrus or mint to add some brightness to your beverage. Here, I chose grapefruit, but feel free to squeeze some orange or pomelo wedges to top your glass. 

Sparkling Americano

Ingredients

1 grapefruit, cut into wedges 

2 oz. freshly pulled espresso

4 oz. sparkling water

Ice

Instructions

1. In a rocks glass, add ice and sparkling water.

2. Top with espresso.

3. Squeeze one wedge of grapefruit over top.

4. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.