Extra bitter. Two words that are music to my ears (-1 pt, mixed metaphor) when it comes to food. Yes, I love the bitter and the challenging. And the folks at Ruby D have been doing some experimenting. They have a original, spice, citrus, and this one- the extra bitter. All are small (very small) … Read more
Launched in 2010, Thomas Henry Tonic Water has risen— and is held in quite high esteem by Gin and Tonic aficionados. Sweetened, only slightly with sugar Thomas Henry Tonic celebrates the Pharmacist of the same name. Thomas Henry lived from 1734–1816 in London and his predictions proved prescient. Impressed by Joseph Priestly’s discovery of dephlogisticated air … Read more
Refreshe is one of Safeway’s store brands. And Refreshe Tonic Water is incredibly inexpensive. At this price, it’s easy to see why it would be a popular go-to. But how does it stand up? It’s 90 calories/8 oz. serving, bittered with Quinine Hydrochloride salt and is sweetened with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Tasting Notes Poured, … Read more
Jeffrey’s Lime Galangal and Orange Tonic Syrup is one of four in their lineup of tonic syrups, all of which have the surprising addition of sea salt to the recipe. As for the Lime, Galangal and Orange— we often see orange in other tonic syrups. And Lime is a classic part of the G&T formula. However, Galangal … Read more
The Boise, Idaho based East End Tonic are no strangers to unusual ingredients in their tonic water. For example, their flagship tonic syrup is sweetened with Monk Fruit and features the bark of the Pau D’arco tree. Their Maqui Berry Tonic is no different. Maqui Berry is a strong antioxidant and is one of many … Read more
Schweppes is perhaps best known for making widely available tonic waters in both Europe and the United States. Schweppes Bitter Lemon Tonic Water is their American “bitter lemon” and following others in the space like Fever Tree, rather than branding it as a “bitter lemon” they’ve chosen the more accessible “lemon tonic water.” Tasting Notes … Read more
Q Tonic was designed in a kitchen in Brooklyn. Throughout the 2010s, it has gone from gin and tonic geek status to ubiquitous. Widely established as one of the top tonic waters on the market, Q Tonic was a pioneer of the less sweet/more bitter tonic water movement. At a mere 45 calories per 7.5 … Read more
Another store brand tonic water you say?! Aren’t they all the same? I wouldn’t be reviewing it if they were. There are some quite good ones, such as Whole Foods. And there are the really bad ones, such as Vintage. Somewhere in the middle of those two is Mixer tonic. It won’t be mistaken for … Read more
Price: $13 / 12.5 oz.Best consumed: With a strong Juniper forward or spice forward contemporary style gin.Sweetener: SugarAvailability: Online or more widely in New York City areaRating: Citrus is the star, but it’s nicely balanced with less of an emphasis on the woody notes that can muddy up other tonic syrups and just the right amount of … Read more
Ruby D Tonics out of Eugene, Oregon capitalized on the “customize your gin and tonic profile,” campaign with a line of tonic syrups that emphasize different profiles. Their Citrus Tonic is bright and plenty sour; their extra bitter tonic flirts with the upper boundaries of how much quinine you can put in a tonic syrup. … Read more