Who is choosing mixers?

BBQ hosts serving mixed drinks

Choose between individual portions and a shared bottle according to how many drinks will use the same mixer and whether guests want different flavours.

Gin and tonic drinkers considering pairings

Compare the tonic’s botanical, citrus and bitter notes with the gin and garnish you intend to serve. Fentimans describes several distinct tonic styles in its range.

Shoppers prioritising glass packaging

Check the material of the exact bottle and size. Fever-Tree says it uses glass bottles and aluminium cans rather than PET, so its packaging policy alone does not identify whether a particular format is a bottle or a can.

What should you check?

Start with pack material and serve size; once those suit the gathering, compare flavours and the nutrition panel of the exact variant.

Priority What to check Your needs
Glass packaging Look for glass stated for the exact product and size; do not rely on the word “bottle”. A St Austell Brewery Wholesale listing specifies a London Essence 24 × 200ml glass-bottle case, but that does not establish the packaging of other formats. I want glass bottles on the table, so I need to confirm the material of the pack I am buying.
Serve size Compare the number of drinks using one mixer with the bottle size. Fentimans lists 200ml mixers, while Tesco listed Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water in a 500ml bottle; check storage instructions for any bottle you will open and keep. Will guests choose separate flavours, or will several drinks use the same tonic? That determines whether individual portions or a shared bottle are more practical.
Flavour Read the exact variant description for quinine bitterness, botanical notes and citrus flavours. Fentimans describes herbal infusions and citrus ingredients in its Premium Indian Tonic Water. I may want a classic tonic alongside a different flavour, rather than asking every guest to use the same mixer.
Nutrition and ingredients Compare sugars and energy using the same labelled quantity, such as per 100ml, then consider the amount you intend to pour. Check the ingredients of the exact tonic if quinine matters to you. For the drinks I am serving, I want to compare like-for-like figures rather than assume that all tonic variants have the same ingredients or nutrition.

What is easy to overlook?

  • Assuming every mixer bottle is glass

    A bottle-format listing does not always identify its material. The cited Schweppes and Sainsbury’s 1L listings do not establish glass packaging for those exact packs.

    Check the material in the current product details or on the physical label before relying on a glass-bottle choice.

  • Choosing one tonic flavour for every drink

    Fentimans describes different botanical and citrus profiles across its tonic range, so the flavour choice can change the drink you serve.

    Consider a classic tonic and a second flavour if guests want a choice; smaller portions let you offer those options without opening several larger bottles.

  • Comparing nutrition figures with different serving sizes

    A per-serving figure and a per-100ml figure describe different quantities, so reading them side by side can give the wrong impression.

    Use the same labelled quantity for the comparison, then account for the amount of mixer in each drink.

  • Assuming an empty mixer bottle can be refilled

    Sainsbury’s instructs customers not to refill its Indian Tonic Water 1L bottle for hygiene reasons.

    Follow the instructions on the exact pack; use a container designed for refilling if you need a drinks dispenser.

Brand and range references

These ranges illustrate formats and flavour choices to check; a brand’s inclusion does not establish the packaging of every product it sells.

Fever-Tree

Tesco listed Premium Indian Tonic Water in a 500ml bottle. Fever-Tree says its packaging uses glass bottles and aluminium cans rather than PET bottles.

  • A listed 500ml bottle gives a shared-serve option.
  • The range also includes cans; check the format of the exact product.

Fentimans

Fentimans describes a 200ml range spanning tonic flavours and other mixers, including soda water and ginger ale.

  • The listed flavours give hosts several individual-serve choices.
  • Confirm glass packaging for the exact 200ml pack you choose.

Schweppes

Sainsbury’s lists a 1L Schweppes tonic with a quinine-and-lemon flavour description.

  • The listed size offers a larger shared-bottle format.
  • Check the current pack material before treating that 1L product as a glass-bottle option.

The London Essence Company (Carlsberg Britvic)

Carlsberg Britvic lists Original Indian, Blood Orange & Elderflower, and Grapefruit & Rosemary tonics in the collection.

  • St Austell Brewery Wholesale identifies a London Essence tonic case as 24 × 200ml glass bottles.
  • That case listing does not establish the pack material or quantity of every retail variant.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s lists an own-label Indian Tonic Water in a 1L format with storage and post-opening instructions.

  • The product details provide instructions to check when planning a shared serve.
  • Confirm the exact bottle material if glass is essential.

Joybuy mixer options

This Joybuy option is a cocktail mixer for BBQ drinks, rather than one of the tonic-water formats discussed above. Check its exact variant and pack details against your serving plans.

Fever-Tree Passionfruit Martini Mixer 500ml

Fever-Tree Passionfruit Martini Mixer 500ml

A 500ml cocktail mixer to consider if you plan to make mixed drinks for the BBQ. The product’s variant descriptions conflict, so confirm the flavour and recipe on the exact listing before buying; check its pack material if you specifically need glass.

View on Joybuy

Common questions

Should I choose 200ml or 500ml mixers for a BBQ?

Choose 200ml portions when guests will have individual serves or select different flavours; consider a 500ml bottle when several drinks will use the same mixer. Fentimans lists 200ml mixers, and Tesco listed Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water in a 500ml bottle. Confirm glass packaging for the exact product you choose.

Are all tonic-water bottles glass?

Do not assume glass from the word “bottle”. Fever-Tree says it uses glass bottles and aluminium cans rather than PET, while the cited Schweppes and Sainsbury’s 1L listings do not establish glass for those exact packs. Check the current product details or label.

Can I refill an empty tonic bottle for the BBQ?

Follow the instructions for the exact bottle. Sainsbury’s says not to refill its Indian Tonic Water 1L bottle for hygiene reasons; use a container designed for refilling if you need one.

How should I recycle an empty glass mixer bottle?

In England, GOV.UK guidance says waste collectors must collect glass among household dry recyclables from 31 March 2026. Follow your local authority’s instructions for collection and preparation. For Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, check the relevant local guidance rather than assuming the England rule applies.

Is quinine permitted in tonic water?

The Food Standards Agency’s Great Britain register lists quinine hydrochloride as authorised for non-alcoholic beverages in England, Scotland and Wales, subject to a maximum of 100 mg/kg. That limit does not tell you how much is in a particular tonic; check the exact ingredients label if quinine matters to you.