The Espresso Sidecar is perhaps one of the best ways to enjoy an espresso. This is not a recipe, and it is not a review. It is simply the way I enjoy my espresso the most.
On paper, the pairing makes no sense: a short, intense shot of espresso sitting next to a glass of sparkling water. Two unlikely partners that seem completely at odds with each other. Yet together they bring out the best in each other, and the bitterness that puts so many people off straight espresso quietly steps aside.
So, let’s get started.
What You Need
| Ingredients | Preferred Quantity |
| Espresso Shot | Your usual shot, preferably a double shot |
| Sparkling Water | Equal to or double the amount of espresso |
Serving Size: One espresso, one sidecar
From this…
To this…
Why Espresso Needs a Sidecar
Espresso is often thought of as a bitter, heavy drink, but it holds the nectar of the coffee bean. Brewed under pressure and extracted right, it captures the origin of the beans in a single shot: their sweetness, their playful character and every little nuance the beans and their origin bring to the cup.
And then there is the texture. It is just coffee and water, yet the silky mouthfeel and the way it coats your tongue are sublime, to say the least.
The catch is that the same extraction that pulls out the best of the beans also pulls out a lot of bitter and acidic notes, and those are what put people off straight espresso. This is where the so-called Sidecar comes in: a simple glass of sparkling water.
How to Drink It
| Step No. | Description |
| 1. | Before your first sip of espresso, take a small sip of sparkling water. |
| 2. | Let it dance on your tongue for a moment. The bubbles burst and open up your taste buds in the process. |
| 3. | Swallow, then take a small sip of espresso. |
| 4. | Keep alternating between the sparkling water and the espresso until the shot is done. |
That sip of espresso right after the water is where the magic happens. Suddenly you understand what was hiding behind all that bitterness and acidity. The whole world of flavour comes through, as if you are Remy (the rat from Ratatouille) taking a bite of cheese and a bite of strawberry together, with all those flavours dancing and exploding in your mouth.
The Palate Reset
There is one more benefit. Admittedly, espresso is strong. After a sip or two, your tongue starts to go numb. The sidecar washes away the leftover flavours and resets your palate, so every sip of espresso tastes like the first one.
My Little Tasting Trick
Here is a confession: the espresso sidecar is also one of the ways I work out the underlying notes in a coffee. A clean palate between sips of espresso makes those subtle nuances far easier to pick out.
So if you have ever read the tasting notes on a coffee bag and wondered where on earth they came from (yes, you), this is a good place to start.
Review: Who is it for?
Anyone who finds straight espresso too bitter or too intense. Give it one round with a sidecar before you give up on it.
Coffee nerds who want to pick out the tasting notes in a new bag of beans.
And honestly, anyone who orders an espresso. Just keep alternating between the espresso and the sparkling water, and in no time you will be asking for another shot.
Until next time.