Bartender shaking a cocktail tin above a chilled highball glass with caffeinated sparkling water on the bar.
Cocktails How to guides Non-alcoholic cocktails

Why Bartenders Are Shaking Caffeinated Sparkling Water Into Your Next Cocktail

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Caffeinated sparkling water has emerged as one of the most versatile mixers in modern cocktail craft, bringing effervescence, zero calories, and a subtle energy boost to drinks without the sweetness overload of traditional sodas or energy drinks. The trick is choosing the right product and understanding how caffeine interacts with spirits, citrus, and botanicals to create balanced, refreshing cocktails that won’t leave you buzzing uncomfortably or mask the nuances of premium ingredients.
I stumbled into this trend last spring while experimenting with a highball variation. I’d run out of tonic and grabbed a can of …

Close-up of a small espresso cup with crema beside a tall glass of sparkling water with visible bubbles in a Canadian café.
Cocktails How to guides How-to guides

Espresso and Sparkling Water in Canada: Cafés Leading the Trend (Plus What It Means for Your Teeth)

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The espresso and sparkling water pairing sweeping Canadian cafés in 2026 serves two purposes: the bubbly water cleanses your palate between sips, letting you taste each layer of the espresso, and contrary to popular worry, plain sparkling water won’t destroy your enamel the way acidic sodas can. This dual-purpose trend has evolved from the traditional Italian palate cleanser into creative café menu items like espresso tonics, citrus-spiked sparklers, and even the playfully renamed “Canadiano” that swaps …

“A creamy emerald-green iced matcha latte cocktail in a chilled glass with ice cubes on a brunch table.”
Cocktails How to guides

How to Make an Iced Matcha Latte Cocktail at Home (4 Easy Steps)

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An iced matcha latte cocktail transforms your favorite coffee shop drink into a sophisticated, spirit-forward refreshment that takes about five minutes to make and requires no bartending experience. The recipe is straightforward: blend quality matcha powder (like the one from matchamornings.ca) with vodka or white rum, milk or a non-dairy alternative, simple syrup, and ice. The result is a creamy, earthy beverage with a gentle caffeine kick and just enough alcohol to make it feel special without overwhelming the delicate matcha flavor.
I stumbled onto this …

Two clear glasses and bottles of carbonated club soda and sparkling water with visible bubbles, ice, and a lime wedge on a bar counter.
Cocktails How to guides

Club Soda vs. Sparkling Water: Key Differences and Which to Choose for Your Cocktails

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Here’s the truth most bartenders learn on day one: club soda and sparkling water are not the same thing, and the choice between them can make or break your cocktail. Club soda contains added minerals and salts that give it a slightly salty, bitter taste, while sparkling water is simply carbonated water with naturally occurring or no added minerals, offering a cleaner, more neutral flavor profile.
I discovered this the hard way when I swapped club soda for sparkling water in a whiskey highball during my first month behind the bar. The drink fell completely flat, lacking the subtle mineral backbone that makes a proper highball …

Close-up of a countertop soda maker carbonating chilled water into a glass bottle, with visible bubbles and a highball glass nearby on a modern kitchen bar.
Cocktails How to guides Virtual Happy Hour & Delivery

How to Make Sparkling Water at Home for Just 8 Cents Per Gallon

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You can make sparkling water at home by forcing carbon dioxide gas into chilled, still water under pressure using either a home carbonation machine or a DIY soda siphon setup. The process takes about 30 seconds with a consumer device and costs roughly 25 cents per liter, compared to $1.50 or more for store-bought bottles.
I started carbonating my own water three years ago after calculating how much I was spending on La Croix for both drinking and cocktail mixing. What began as a cost-cutting measure transformed my home…

Colorful Bubly sparkling water cans with condensation displayed in a Canadian supermarket aisle.
Cocktails How to guides Virtual Happy Hour & Delivery

Where to Buy Bubly Sparkling Water in Canada Without the Runaround

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Bubly sparkling water is widely available across Canada at major retailers including Walmart, Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, and Save-On-Foods, with online ordering through grocery delivery services like Instacart offering the most convenient option for comparing local stock and prices. Whether you’re hunting for a specific flavor to mix into your next cocktail or simply want to stock your fridge with cases of the cheerful canned fizz, knowing where to look saves you time and frustration.
I’ll be honest: I discovered Bubly not in a grocery aisle, but at a friend’s backyard BBQ where she was using it as a mixer for vodka …

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Cocktails

The Best Cocktail Delivery Services for your Virtual Happy Hour

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Many bars and restaurants have closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic so in that case Chef’s Plate is a popular choice. For this reason, some of us are less inspired to have the best time cocktail drinks for their happy hour. Fortunately, there are cocktail delivery services to keep your liquor storage up well-stocked.
Here are the best liquor delivery services that will keep up your virtual cocktail gaming.

Cocktail Courier

Want to throw a cocktail party at home? Well, Cocktail Courier will never let you down. This delivery service …

Cocktails

Blue Russian Drink

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Blues Russian is a lesser-known drink compared to the White and Black Russians. Its liqueur is Blue Curacao. This liqueur gives it an orange flavor and cream, making it look like a Dreamsicle.
This drink makes an excellent conversation-starter because it is not widely known. The drink is basically a mild orange cream flavor making it easy to pair with foods. You can pair with burgers, fries, teriyaki dish, or Rosemary glazed salmon.
It is made by blending Blue Curacao with vodka and light cream. Blue Curacao is poured over crushed ice cubes in a martini glass. Then vodka is added, and the mixture is topped with cream….

Cocktails

Negroni Classic Cocktail

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Unlike other bitter drinks, the negroni is bittersweet. Some people love it because it is not bitter, while others find it undrinkable because of this. Nevertheless, you can give it a try because it may be an acquired taste.
The primary flavor in this cocktail is Campari. Other flavors are sweet vermouth and gin. It is a lovely cocktail you can have before dinner. This is recommended because the drink is strongly flavored and therefore, it needs food to stand it up.
The drink is made by blending only three ingredients: Sweet Italian Vermouth, gin, and Campari in an old-fashioned glass….

Non-alcoholic cocktails

Tomato Lassi Drink

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This cocktail is a traditional Indian drink that is yogurt-based, spiced, or sweetened with spices, herbs, or sugar. This delicious drink is good when taken as a light meal or a snack. Although it resembles a virgin blood mary, its flavor is simpler.
You can have this cocktail with any meal that can be paired with tomato juice. It is better when paired with brunch items such as scrambles, omelets, and quiches.
It is actually easier and quicker to make than a smoothie, and therefore it can be a breakfast drink substitute. It is made by blending tomato juice, salt, celery salt, water, and plain yogurt….