Soda water

Ingredient type · Lengthener

What it does

Soda opens the bitter-and-vermouth shape out without adding a flavour of its own. In an Americano it stands in for the base spirit, turning the drink lighter, lower, and easier going. The bitter and rosso still have to carry the middle. Pour it long and the whole thing thins out fast.

In the family

Tonic/soda lengthener

The stretch. A lengthener opens the drink out and drops the concentration. Soda keeps it clean and thin; tonic brings sweetness and a quinine bite.

What it opens up

Americano
Campari and vermouth, no gin, lengthened with soda. Lower strength, easy before food.
Long Negroni-style serve
Negroni logic stretched with tonic or soda. Colder, longer, a slow sipper.

Mixes to compare

Not exact bottle matches. These show how this type changes the drink.

Plymouth + Suze + Lillet + tonic
Long Negroni-style serve
Beefeater + Campari + Cocchi + tonic
Long Negroni-style serve
Campari + Cocchi + tonic
Long Negroni-style serve
Americano reference spec
Americano

Also called

club soda
soda
sparkling water