Hosts serving mixed drinks
If guests are having spirits with their Chinese takeaway, decide whether the mixer should provide familiar tonic bitterness or contribute a more prominent flavour of its own.
Who is choosing mixers for the table?
Drinkers who enjoy botanical flavours
A tonic with herbal and citrus ingredients is worth considering when those flavours are part of the appeal, rather than something to keep in the background.
Hosts offering drinks without spirits
Lemonade, soda and tonic give guests different soft-drink choices. Individual cans can also make it easier to serve more than one style at the table.
What should you check before choosing?
Start with whether guests want a bitter tonic or a non-tonic drink, then compare the exact flavour, label and pack format.
Classic Indian tonic
Choose it when: you want quinine bitterness in a drink made with gin, vodka or vermouth.
Bear in mind: tonic bitterness may not appeal to guests looking for a fruit-led soft drink.
Botanical tonic
Choose it when: you want the mixer’s herbal and citrus notes to be noticeable.
Bear in mind: a pronounced mixer flavour gives the drink a different balance from a plainer tonic.
Lemonade or crafted soda
Choose it when: you want a non-tonic option that guests can consider drinking without a spirit.
Bear in mind: check the named flavour rather than treating every lemonade or soda as interchangeable.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour intensity | Check whether the named drink is a classic tonic, a botanical tonic or a non-tonic flavour. Fever-Tree names quinine and Mexican bitter-orange oils in its Premium Indian Tonic; Fentimans names herbal infusions, Sicilian lemon oil and lemongrass in its Premium Indian Tonic. | I want the mixer to complement the drink I am serving, without choosing an unfamiliar flavour for everyone at the table. |
| Nutrition label | Compare sugars and calories per 100ml on the exact product label, including when choosing a light variant. Sainsbury’s lists 8g sugars and 36kcal per 100ml for Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic; Fever-Tree says its Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic has 50% fewer calories than its regular Premium Indian Tonic. | If I am choosing between regular and light tonic, I want to compare the named products rather than assume their labels are alike. |
| Drinks without spirits | Check whether the flavour works for a standalone serve. Britvic’s 2025 announcement describes London Essence Crafted Lemonade in 150ml six-can packs and Crafted Sodas in 250ml four-can packs. | Some guests may prefer a soft drink, so I want a choice that does not depend on adding alcohol. |
| Pack format | Compare the number of cans or bottles and the volume of each. Consider whether you need separate portions for varied preferences or repeated serves of one drink. | For a group choosing different drinks, individual portions would let me open each flavour as it is wanted. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Treating every premium tonic as the same flavour
Fever-Tree highlights quinine and bitter-orange oils in its Premium Indian Tonic, while Fentimans describes herbal infusions, Sicilian lemon oil and lemongrass in its Premium Indian Tonic. Those are distinct flavour choices for a shared table.
If guests have different preferences, consider a classic tonic alongside a more flavour-forward or non-tonic option.
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Assuming every light tonic has the same label
Fever-Tree’s stated calorie comparison applies to its named Refreshingly Light and regular Premium Indian tonics, not to all mixers labelled light.
Compare sugars, calories, sweeteners and serving size on the exact packs you are choosing.
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Judging a mixed drink only by its mixer
The amount of spirit matters too. Drinkaware notes that a 25ml pub spirit measure is about one unit and that a mixed drink can contain several measures.
If serving spirits, measure what goes into each drink and offer guests a choice without alcohol.
Which brands and ranges are relevant?
Fever-Tree
Its Indian tonic range offers a choice between a regular tonic and a named lighter variant.
- Fever-Tree identifies quinine and Mexican bitter-orange oils in Premium Indian Tonic.
- Check the variant: Sainsbury’s lists 8g sugars and 36kcal per 100ml for the regular Premium Indian Tonic, while Fever-Tree makes a separate calorie comparison for Refreshingly Light.
Fentimans
Its Premium Indian Tonic is an option for drinkers who want the mixer’s botanical flavours to be noticeable.
- Fentimans names herbal infusions, Sicilian lemon oil and lemongrass in the product.
- That flavour profile is a different choice from a less aromatic tonic; decide whether it suits the drink you intend to make.
London Essence
The range includes crafted lemonade and soda formats as alternatives to a tonic-based drink.
- Britvic announced 150ml six-can packs of Crafted Lemonade and 250ml four-can packs of Crafted Sodas in 2025.
- Check the current label of the particular flavour; a past statement about the original range does not describe every current product.
Schweppes
A familiar tonic option to consider alongside more botanically flavoured products.
- Tesco’s mixer category lists Schweppes Tonic Water in a 1L format.
- Check the selected bottle for its ingredients and nutrition rather than assuming its profile matches another tonic.
Tesco own-label mixers
The retailer’s mixer category includes tonic and soda choices.
- Tesco lists its own Indian Tonic Water, Low Calorie Indian Tonic Water, Finest Indian Tonic Water and Soda Water.
- Those names do not establish identical ingredients or nutrition across the products; compare the specific labels.
Sainsbury’s own-label mixers
The retailer lists tonic and soda options for shoppers considering different drink styles.
- Sainsbury’s lists its own Soda Water, Indian Tonic Water and Diet Indian Tonic Water in 1L formats.
- Choose by the named product’s label and intended serve, not by the range name alone.
Joybuy mixer options
These options cover portioned tonic and lemonade packs, plus a single fizzy elderflower drink. They offer different flavours for a Chinese takeaway table rather than one answer for every dish or guest.
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Fever-Tree Naturally Light Tonic Water 8 × 150ml
Consider this when guests want a light tonic rather than a lemonade or soda; check its label if the nutrition difference matters to your choice.
The pack contains eight 150ml cans for individual serves.
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Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water 8 × 150ml
This is the classic Indian tonic choice in this selection for guests who want a tonic-based mixed drink rather than a fruit-led one.
The pack contains eight 150ml cans. Check the current pack label when comparing it with a light tonic.
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Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Mediterranean Tonic Water 8 × 150ml
Choose this style if Mediterranean tonic appeals more than a classic Indian tonic; it remains a tonic, not a fruit-led soft drink.
The pack contains eight 150ml cans. Check the named variant’s label for the ingredients and nutrition you need.
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Fever-Tree Premium Lemonade 6 × 150ml
For guests who would rather have lemonade than tonic, this gives the table a non-tonic choice.
The pack contains six 150ml cans for separate serves.
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Dalston’s Fizzy Elderflower 330ml
Consider this if someone at the table wants an elderflower-flavoured fizzy drink instead of tonic or lemonade.
It is a single 330ml can; check its label if its ingredients or nutrition affect your decision.
Questions about serving mixers
Should I choose tonic, ginger beer or lemonade for a Chinese takeaway?
Choose by the drink you want to serve, not the takeaway label alone. Tonic provides a bitter option, while lemonade gives you a non-tonic flavour; if considering ginger beer, check its particular flavour and whether guests want it on its own or in a mixed drink. No single style suits every dish and preference.
Can a premium mixer be served without alcohol?
Yes, if its flavour appeals to the person drinking it. Sainsbury’s describes Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic as drinkable on its own, and crafted soda offers another soft-drink format. Someone who dislikes tonic bitterness may prefer a non-tonic option.
How do regular and light premium tonics differ?
Compare the exact products and their current labels. Sainsbury’s lists Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic at 8g sugars and 36kcal per 100ml, while Fever-Tree says its Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic has 50% fewer calories than that regular product. The claim does not describe every light tonic or every aspect of its ingredients.
What should I consider when adding spirits to mixers?
Measure the spirit as well as choosing the mixer. Drinkaware notes that a 25ml pub spirit measure is about one unit and that mixed drinks can contain several measures. Guests can also be offered a drink without spirits.