For an alcohol-free coffee drink with actual fizz, mix cold-brew concentrate with separately carbonated water: Tesco lists an unsweetened concentrate, and SodaStream UK advises carbonating water before adding flavour. A ready-to-drink cold-brew latte avoids mixing but is a still drink; Sainsbury’s lists a decaffeinated oat latte for guests seeking a decaf option, while the coffee liqueurs listed by Waitrose are alcoholic drinks to serve separately to adults. Check each pack for caffeine, ingredients and allergens before serving.
Choose a cold-brew base and sparkling water if fizz is central to the drink and you want to adjust each guest’s coffee strength. SodaStream UK advises carbonating plain water before adding flavour, so mix the coffee in afterwards if using a standard water carbonator.
A clearly labelled decaffeinated drink gives guests another coffee option later in the party. Sainsbury’s lists Nolo Decaf Classic Cold Brew Oat Latte as a plant-based, still drink; check its oat allergen information before serving.
A cold-brew coffee liqueur belongs in a separate alcoholic serve, not among unlabelled soft drinks. Waitrose lists Tia Maria at 20% ABV and Mr Black at 21% ABV; neither is a ready-made sparkling coffee.
Decide whether the main serve needs fizz, then choose separate drinks for guests who want decaf or an alcoholic option.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Actual fizz | Check whether the drink is already sparkling or is a base to mix. Tesco lists cold-brew concentrate, while the M&S cold-brew latte range comprises still iced coffees. | I want a fizzy coffee drink, not just coffee served cold. I can mix a base with sparkling water if a ready-to-drink latte will not meet that need. |
| Preparation | For a standard SodaStream water carbonator, follow SodaStream UK’s guidance to fizz plain water before adding flavour. Check the coffee base’s dilution directions and have sparkling water ready. | Being able to adjust each drink matters more to me than opening a finished drink. If preparation time is limited, I would rather offer a still, ready-to-drink cold brew. |
| Caffeine | Look for an explicit decaffeinated label and check the current pack. Sainsbury’s lists Nolo Decaf Classic Cold Brew Oat Latte as decaffeinated; do not assume another cold brew is decaf. | Some guests want coffee flavour without choosing a regular caffeinated coffee, especially later in the evening. |
| Alcohol | Read the ABV and distinguish liqueur from a soft drink. Waitrose lists Tia Maria cold-brew coffee liqueur at 20% ABV and Mr Black at 21% ABV. | I need alcoholic coffee drinks to be clearly separate from drinks offered to everyone. |
| Allergens | Keep the packaging available and read the current ingredients and allergen label. Sainsbury’s identifies oat in the Nolo drink, despite its dairy-free description. | Guests need to be able to check what is in their drink; a plant-based label alone does not answer every allergy question. |
A cold-brew concentrate is a mixing ingredient, while the cold-brew lattes listed by M&S are still drinks. Neither description establishes that the finished drink has fizz.
If sparkle matters, check the exact product label or plan to add a cold-brew base to separately prepared sparkling water.
SodaStream UK’s instructions say to carbonate plain water before adding flavour.
Fizz the water first and add the cold brew afterwards. For any machine intended to carbonate other liquids, follow its instructions for the particular drink.
Waitrose lists Tia Maria and Mr Black as alcoholic liqueurs at 20% and 21% ABV respectively. They are not sparkling soft drinks.
Identify alcoholic serves clearly and keep an alcohol-free option available separately.
Sainsbury’s describes the Nolo oat latte as dairy-free but also identifies oat in its ingredients.
Ask about relevant allergies, retain the packaging and let guests check the current ingredients and allergen information.
A cold-brew concentrate to use as the coffee base for a mixed sparkling serve.
Ready-to-drink cold-brew lattes for guests who prefer a still, chilled coffee.
A decaffeinated, plant-based cold-brew oat latte to offer separately from the sparkling serve.
A cold-brew coffee liqueur for a separately identified adult alcoholic serve.
Another cold-brew coffee liqueur option for an adult alcoholic serve.
This coffee base is for mixing with sparkling water when serving drinks, rather than opening as a finished fizzy coffee.
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This cold-brew coffee liquid can be mixed with separately prepared sparkling water for individual party drinks.
The pack contains 10 pouches of 25ml each; its directions allow the amount of water to be adjusted to taste. Check the current pack for caffeine information if a guest needs a decaf option.
Carbonate plain water first, then add the cold brew. That is the sequence SodaStream UK gives for its standard water-carbonation approach; follow your machine’s instructions rather than putting coffee directly into it.
Offer a clearly labelled decaffeinated or non-coffee drink separately from regular cold brew. Sainsbury’s lists Nolo Decaf Classic Cold Brew Oat Latte as a decaffeinated still option; check the current pack, including its oat allergen information.
No: it is an alcoholic drink, not a sparkling coffee soft drink. Waitrose lists Tia Maria at 20% ABV and Mr Black at 21% ABV, so identify liqueur-based serves clearly and keep them separate from alcohol-free drinks.
Keep the original packaging available and read each drink’s current ingredients and allergen information. For example, Sainsbury’s describes the Nolo oat latte as dairy-free but identifies oat in the drink.
Combine them close to serving if you want the drink to retain its fizz. You can have the coffee base and sparkling water ready separately, then adjust the amount of each for the guest.