Tonic water is a carbonated soft drink made from water, sugar, acids, and quinine. Quinine is a substance derived from the bark of the cinchona tree, which grows in the mountainous regions of Central and South America. Tonic water was originally used as a malaria preventative before modern synthetic medicines became available.

Can you drink cold brew tonic during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, it is generally recommended to avoid tonic water and drinks containing tonic water, including cold brew tonic. Tonic water contains quinine, which may pose risks during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, consult your doctor or healthcare professional before consuming tonic water or beverages that contain it.

Which tonic water is best for cold brew?

Popular choices include Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water and Thomas Henry Tonic Water. Both offer a clean, balanced flavour profile with a pleasant bitterness.We have also had good results with Apéritif Tonic Water, a private-label tonic available from Migros. Another Swiss option is Swiss Mountain Spring Dry Tonic. Originally a Swiss brand, Schweppes is now owned by an international company, but its Indian Tonic and sugar-free Indian Tonic Zero also work well in a cold brew tonic.

Does cold brew tonic contain sugar?

In most cases, cold brew tonic contains sugar because tonic water contains sugar. Depending on the brand, tonic water typically contains between 8 and 10 g of sugar per 100 ml. Reduced-calorie versions can contain as little as 4 g per 100 ml.Today, most tonic water brands also offer sugar-free alternatives, usually labelled with the word “Zero” in the product name.

Cold Brew Tonic Recipe

Name: Cold Brew Tonic Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 18 h 5 min
Yield: 720 ml
Cuisine: Coffee
Ingredients: 24 g Coffee beans (Filter roast); 240 l Water (cold); Ice cube(s); 480 ml Tonic Water (120 ml per glass); 1 Orange slice (per glass)

Cold Brew Tonic is our favorite refreshing drink for the summer. The bitterness of the tonic water surprisingly harmonizes well with the full-bodied cold brew and is particularly well-suited for enjoyment by the water. We'll show you how to make the drink and achieve the layering effect: the clear layered effect with tonic water at the bottom and cold brew on top.

⏱ Prep and preparation time: 18–24 hours

⚡ Caffeine and nutrition: 80 mg , 164 kcal

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Last updated on May 30, 2026

What You Need for a Cold Brew Coffee Tonic

Leeres Cold Brew Sieb aus Edelstahl mit rotem Gummiring auf cyanblau lackierter Oberfläche

Metal filter

Cold Brew Karaffe mit Metallfilter auf cyanblau lackiertem Tisch (Beanwatch)

Cold Brew Jar

Mit der Comandante Handmühle wird gerade Filterkaffee gemahlen

Grinder

Coffee Scale

The most important ingredient for a cold brew tonic is, of course, the cold brew itself. Since we want to prepare it fresh, you will need a fine filter and a container, which we call a cold brew jar. We grind the coffee fresh and use a controlled coffee-to-water ratio. That is why a coffee grinder and a coffee scale are essential pieces of equipment.

How to make a Cold Brew Tonic

Ingredients

for 4 servings

24 g Coffee beans (Filter roast)

240 l Water (cold)

Ice cube(s)

480 ml Tonic Water (120 ml per glass)

1 Orange slice (per glass)

For the cold brew concentrate, we use a coarse grind size.

24 g

Coffee beans (Filter roast)

240 l

Water (cold)

For this cold brew tonic, we use a stronger concentration than in our classic cold brew recipe to ensure the coffee flavour remains prominent once mixed with tonic water. We therefore use a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:10.

We use freshly roasted coffee beans that are intended for filter coffee brewing. Fruity coffees that have undergone controlled fermentation shortly after harvest work particularly well for cold brew.

For cold brew, we grind the coffee slightly coarser than for a French press. The grind size should be somewhere between coarse sea salt and brown sugar.

Place the ground coffee into the metal filter and insert it into the cold brew jar. If you do not have a metal filter, add the grounds directly to the carafe and filter the brew through a paper filter after steeping.

The mixture is sealed airtight and stored in the refrigerator for 18 to 24 hours.

Seal the cold brew jar tightly and let the mixture steep in the refrigerator for 18 to 24 hours.

If you do not have a metal filter, you can filter the cold brew mixture through a Chemex after the steeping time.

Remove the cold brew jar from the refrigerator once the steeping time is complete. Let the metal filter with the coffee grounds drain over the jar, then remove it. Do not pour the used coffee grounds down the sink. Dispose of them in the bin instead.

If you prepared the brew without a filter in the jar, carefully pour the mixture through a paper filter using your filter coffee setup, for example a Hario V60. Be patient, as the fine particles may clog the filter. Gentle stirring can help.

Carefully pour the cold brew concentrate into the glass with the tonic water to preserve the layering effect.

Ice cube(s)

480 ml

Tonic Water (120 ml per glass)

Orange slice (per glass)

To achieve a beautiful layering effect in the glass, the order of the ingredients is important. Start by adding the ice cubes. Then pour 120 ml of tonic water into the glass, using your coffee scale for accuracy. Next, carefully add 60 ml of your cold brew concentrate. If the tonic water and cold brew do not mix, or only mix slightly, you have done it correctly. To balance the bitterness of the tonic water, add a slice of orange as a contrasting flavour note.