![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_302830495-3377-e1782390216281.jpg\")
\n\t\tIt shouldn\u2019t work, but it does (Picture: Robertson Buckhaven)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tIt shouldn\u2019t work, but it does (Picture: Robertson Buckhaven)<\/p>\n
Drinking\u00a0coffee<\/a>\u00a0the regular way\u00a0is so pass\u00e9e. Didn\u2019t you get the memo?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n According to social media<\/a>, the\u00a0only\u00a0way to consume the bean is\u00a0in\u00a0an espresso bomb.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s\u00a0the drink that\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0work, but bizarrely, it does.\u00a0And,\u00a0being the consummate\u00a0professional,\u00a0I\u00a0even\u00a0tried it for\u00a0you.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s everything you need to know about the latest coffee craze<\/a>\u2026<\/p>\n What is an espresso bomb?\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t Brace yourself, as this is going to sound like a drink<\/a>\u00a0you\u2019d\u00a0put together by raiding the kitchen shelves during a power cut.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s\u00a0alcohol-free, of course,\u00a0made of espresso, tonic water, a squeeze of lemon\u00a0or lime\u00a0and a pinch of salt. <\/p>\n And while it sounds like something you\u2019d consume on a dare, it turns out that it actually tastes, well, good.<\/p>\n Now, if\u00a0you\u2019d\u00a0told me that even a week ago,\u00a0I would have\u00a0politely declined the beverage before calling a\u00a0psychiatrist\u00a0to assess your mental state.\u00a0But thanks to TikTok<\/a>, where the good,\u00a0bad, and ugliest of ideas\u00a0emerge,\u00a0we can all\u00a0hail the espresso bomb. <\/p>\n Allow me to walk you through\u00a0the pseudo-science.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n How it works\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t Coffee is packed with bitter-tasting flavour compounds.\u00a0Now, that\u2019s part of its charm for many, though\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0also why others drown it in\u00a0milk and sugar\u00a0and syrups.\u00a0<\/p>\n The espresso bomb takes a different approach.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tHey, foodies! Add us as a Preferred Source\t\t\t<\/p>\n At Metro Food, we’re here to bring you all the latest foodie news, delicious recipes, restaurant reviews, and cooking tips. As a loyal reader and a part of our vibrant community, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories<\/p>\n Click the button below and tick\u00a0Metro.co.uk<\/strong>\u00a0to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n \nAdd us as a Preferred Source<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \t\t Salt\u00a0suppresses bitterness, which is why some people add it to a particularly\u00a0mouth-puckering\u00a0coffee roast. You\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0actually be\u00a0able to taste the salt\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0adding, mind,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0purely\u00a0there to take the edge off. No more than a small pinch,\u00a0as\u00a0too much\u00a0salt creates a nucleation point for the soda, causing it to froth up\u00a0and quickly\u00a0go flat.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n When it comes to\u00a0the\u00a0citrus, bear in mind that coffee is naturally acidic. Lemon matches coffee\u2019s brightness and coaxes out some of its hidden fruity notes. Think of what a squirt of lemon does to a piece of turbot; it transforms it, making it\u00a0even lighter and more delicious. Same deal here.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Then,\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0the tonic water, which is where this drink should technically unravel. Tonic famously\u00a0contains\u00a0bitter quinine, which is\u00a0essentially doubling\u00a0down on the problem.\u00a0But somehow, the bubbles and the subtle sweetness act as the bridge between espresso and lemon.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n How to make one<\/p>\n To make an espresso bomb for yourself, you\u2019ll need:<\/p>\n Fill a largeish glass\u00a0halfway\u00a0with tonic and several ice cubes. <\/p>\n Separately, draw off a double espresso shot into\u00a0a\u00a0shot glass. <\/p>\n Rub the lemon wedge around the bottom of the shot glass, then dip it in salt\u00a0flakes. Lower the glass into the tonic and ice, and drop it in.\u00a0The foamy crema will start to activate. <\/p>\n Drink\u00a0immediately.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0fancy\u00a0the gimmicky\u00a0shot glass, you can always pour the espresso over the tonic. Either way,\u00a0the tonic water provides a sugar spike and bubbles to settle your stomach, while the caffeine wakes you up, and the citrus and salt combination acts like electrolytes. <\/p>\n Hangover, who?\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tTop tip for making it…\t\t\t<\/p>\n My key takeaway from the whole \u2018making of\u2019 process is as follows: <\/p>\n Allow the espresso to cool before tipping it into the tonic water. <\/p>\n Otherwise, it will curdle instantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s\u00a0all\u00a0there\u00a0in my photos, loud and not so proud.\u00a0<\/p>\n Also,\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0forget the ice, as I did. You can thank me later.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n What does it taste like?<\/p>\n I used Sainsbury\u2019s\u00a0Espresso\u00a0Wholebean\u00a0Coffee \u2018Robust and Powerful\u2019 to make my version of this drink, but be warned that these are strong\u00a0coffee beans. <\/p>\n If you like a lighter, more floral flavour profile,\u00a0opt for something else.\u00a0Or,\u00a0just go with whatever you have in the morning,\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0the best litmus test for what you like.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n My first attempt was erroneous with Double Dutch Soda Water, which I mistook for tonic.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0glad I stuffed it up, as it showed me what tonic water brings to the party. Soda\u00a0was far too dry and\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0provide the sweetness this drink requires to offset the bitter notes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n My second attempt was with Sainsbury\u2019s\u00a0Zero Sugar Indian Tonic\u00a0(yes, there\u2019s a Sainsbury\u2019s Local down my road). This transformed the drink, with oodles of sweetness that\u00a0was intensified by the salt flakes and\u00a0merged seamlessly with the\u00a0bitter\u00a0coffee\u00a0notes. <\/p>\n I added lemon and lime, which freshened everything up\u00a0beautifully. Just as well, as I was outside, in the garden during a brutal heatwave<\/a> when filming.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n My final score is 8 out of 10, and I would\u00a0definitely try\u00a0again \u2013 especially if I was hungover.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Do you have a story you\u2019d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk<\/strong><\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Robertson](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_302830493-cd76-e1782390039862.jpg\")
\n\t\tIt sounds like it shouldn\u2019t work, but it does (Picture: Robertson Buckhaven)<\/p>\n![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SEI_256655976-7aad.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe espresso bomb takes the edge off of bitter coffee (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1782693449_769_SEI280789670-f364.png\")
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