One of our favorite things about the employees here at Water Street Coffee Joint is the sense of fun and pride they have in their work. In celebration of this, we recently ran a company wide Drink Recipe Competition to see what our baristas, kitchen staff, and roaster staff might have up their sleeves! Let’s just say – we were not disappointed.

Recipes included everything from plain soda water to bitters to blueberry rooibos espresso. With a team of experienced judges, each drink was considered for its creativity, presentation, and taste.  While we found it difficult to pick a favorite, in the end it was an Oakland Barista, Aaron Clay, who’s Espresso Cream Soda won us over. The bubbles from the soda water are deliciously refreshing with the espresso and the WSCJ Housemade Vanilla Syrup in combination with the heavy cream on top give it a wonderful creamy, sweetness. Perfect for summer, and Aaron agrees!

“So this is a drink I wanted specifically for summer,” Aaron says. “It’s a strong, yet refreshing espresso pick-me-up and has a fun layered look in our see-through cups.” 

And those layers are important! Each layer of the drink must go in at the right time to not only achieve the right look but also the right taste. Aaron told us, “The layered aspect of the drink gives it a lot of character but it can also change the drink if made incorrectly.” However, once your trusty barista has layered the soda properly, you do have to mix it up before you drink it. We know, we know, it’s pretty but we promise this is fun. Grab a straw and swirl the different layers together until you’ve got a final cool and creamy beverage with just the right amount of sweetness and froth on top. It truly is a treat!

The Espresso Cream Soda is available at all of our locations for the month of August so make sure you get it while you can. However, if you’re hooked or just want to do some coffee drink experimenting of your own, we’ve also included the recipe here for your use. Let us know what you think of this Water Street exclusive!

Espresso Cream Soda by Aaron Clay 

Ingredients: Ice, Soda Water, Vanilla Syrup, Espresso, Heavy Whipping Cream

Serving Size: 12 oz 

1. Fill glass ⅔ full with ice.
2. Fill glass ⅔ full with soda water.
3. Add 1 oz vanilla syrup. 
4. Pull espresso shots (2 oz) ON TOP of ice/soda water/syrup.
5. Add 1 oz heavy whipping cream on top. 
6. Add more ice to glass if needed to fill to the top. 
7. Serve! (Stir before drinking.)

**Drink available in all sizes at our cafes.