Here’s a way to perk up your day! As summer afternoons begin to heat up, I can start to feel draggy. Sometimes a quick break energizes me. Sometimes I need a little more.
On those 100+ humid afternoons, the air conditioner in my office can’t keep up. As the heat accumulates, so does my lethargy. This is especially true when I’m knocking out those tasks that aren’t fun but must be done.
Hot coffee doesn’t appeal and I hate tepid coffee. On the other hand, I enjoy an occasional iced coffee with coconut milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg. But with intense heat, even that seems too heavy.
I recently explored another coffee option – coffee soda. I didn’t create one myself. I bought it at a coffee shop nearby. Their version was cold brew and plus an orange infused syrup garnished with orange peel. The syrup wasn’t too sweet and the coffee and orange flavors were well-balanced.
My friend mentioned chocolate would be delicious as an addition. This made me wonder whether there are common flavor options for coffee sodas. In a weird twist, I don’t really think of Starbucks sparkling coffee drinks as coffee sodas. The premise is the same, but the use of the word sparkling makes my brain lean toward water rather than soda.
It’s probably just me because Cold-Pressed Ginger Fizz definitely sounds like a soda – ginger ale infused with a shot of cold-pressed espresso poured over vanilla syrup and finished with grapefruit bitters. Slingshot Coffee Company’s canned coffee soda flavors are also reminiscent of familiar soda flavors – Black Cherry Cola, Vintage Root Beer, and Citrus Vanilla Cream Soda.
I don’t know if this speaks to the general popularity of coffee sodas, but Coca-Cola discontinued their line of Coke with Coffee in the US at the end of last year. The reviews I saw described a favorable pairing of coffee and cola plus a large amount of sweetness. It’s hard to imagine something being too sweet for the US market.
My friend noted that her coffee soda was not as pleasant once she began eating her cinnamon roll. Maybe it’s the combination of sweet with not-really-sweet-but-kind-of that doesn’t work well in an American market saturated with sugar-filled products.
Back to their potential as a pick me up, coffee sodas have the caffeine/sugar combination working in their favor. The caffeine content is about 2/3 that of a cup of coffee. For me, that’s great. I don’t want a large amount of caffeine after lunch.
This also seems like a drink that would be easy to play with depending on the mood of the day. Plain or flavored sparkling water is easy to keep in the pantry and it takes minimal effort to make a spiced, citrus, or herb-infused simple syrup. Leftover coffee that’s been refrigerated would eliminate the need for brewing.
I love the idea of a lighter drink to perk up a hot afternoon. Coffee sodas seem like a great option!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising
Gluten Intolerant? Beware Dandelion Coffee. Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but my dad believed dandelions were an absolute scourge. I grew up bewaring them. Like all kids, I wanted to grab a stem topped with a fluffy seed ball and blow. If I did, I’d better do it in someone else’s lawn or there would be hell to pay. 
