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Soda Water vs Tonic Water
Plain fizz against bitter-sweet fizz, and why one turns a drink into another.
Which should you use?
Soda adds bubbles and nothing else; tonic adds bubbles, bitterness and sugar. Use soda when the spirit or the citrus is meant to lead — a Collins, a highball, a spritz. Use tonic when you want the quinine bitterness, as in a G&T.
| Dimension | Soda water | Tonic water |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour | None (some have added minerals) | Quinine bitterness and sweetness |
| Sugar | None | Usually some, unless a light or zero tonic |
| Effect on a drink | Lengthens and lifts | Lengthens and seasons |
Using one in place of the other
Not a swap: tonic in place of soda gives you a different drink. Soda in place of tonic takes out the bitterness and the sugar, which a gin highball sometimes needs a dash of bitters to replace.