How to Make Cafe La Shower — McCol-Style Espresso Soda
Fill a glass with ice, pour in 200 ml of clear sweet soda, then pour a single espresso shot directly over it. A double shot is too bitter; one shot gives the best balance. The result looks like an iced Americano but tastes like a lightly coffee-flavored cola.
Cafe La Shower is a refreshing iced drink that layers a single espresso shot over sweet carbonated soda and ice. Popular in South America and reminiscent of the Korean cola drink McCol, it is surprisingly simple to make at home or in a cafe.
Ratio
200 ml soda to 1 espresso shot
What you need
- Glass or tumbler
- Espresso machine (or cold brew dripper as an alternative)
Method
Fill a glass generously with ice
Use a glass large enough to hold the soda and espresso without overflowing
Pour 200 ml of clear sweet carbonated soda over the ice
The creator recommends a sweet, clear soda over sparkling water or cola — sparkling water alone is too plain and cola dulls the visual appeal
Expert tipClear soda preserves the two-tone visual layering effect that makes the drink appealing
Pull a single espresso shot
Do not use a double shot; the creator finds two shots make the drink unpleasantly bitter
Expert tipCold brew or Dutch coffee can be substituted for the espresso shot — some cafes sell this drink under a Dutch coffee variation
Pour the espresso shot directly over the soda and ice
No stirring is needed; the shot settles through the soda naturally
Serve immediately while the ice is fresh and the soda is carbonated
The creator describes this as ideal on a hot day when thirsty
Watch it done
The source videos we studied to build this method.
▸ Trimmed to the recipe steps (1:35–2:18)
The original tutorial walkthrough showing ingredients, proportions, and the pour technique for making Cafe La Shower at home or in a cafe
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Why this works
Pouring espresso over carbonated soda rather than water keeps the bubbles intact and lets the sweetness of the soda soften the espresso's bitterness, eliminating the need for added sugar or milk. A single shot preserves the delicate balance between coffee flavor and the soda's sweetness; a double shot tips the drink into bitterness. Using a clear sweet soda maintains both the flavor balance and the clean two-tone visual. The large volume of ice chills everything instantly and slows dilution.
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Where beginners go wrong
- 1
Drink tastes too bitter
Switch from a double shot to a single shot of espresso — the creator explicitly found two shots too bitter for this recipe
- 2
Visual layering looks muddy or unappealing
Avoid cola; its dark color blends with the espresso and obscures the layered look. Use a clear sweet soda instead
- 3
Drink tastes flat or not sweet enough
Plain sparkling water lacks the sweetness needed to balance the espresso. Use a sweet carbonated soda, or adjust the soda-to-espresso ratio to your personal taste
- 4
Ratio feels off for your palate
The creator encourages adjusting the soda-to-espresso ratio to personal preference — start at 200 ml soda to one shot and scale from there
What you should taste
Looks like an iced Americano but tastes nothing like one — the flavor closely resembles the Korean carbonated drink McCol, with a light coffee character carried on sweet, fizzy soda. Refreshing and thirst-quenching rather than intensely coffee-forward.
FAQ
Can I use cold brew instead of espresso?
Yes. The creator mentions Dutch coffee (cold brew) as a valid alternative, and notes that some cafes sell this drink made with cold brew under its own name
Why not use cola or sparkling water?
Cola darkens the drink and makes the visual less attractive. Plain sparkling water lacks sweetness and tastes too plain on its own. The creator recommends a clear sweet soda as the best option for both flavor and appearance
What does it actually taste like?
The creator says it tastes remarkably like McCol, a Korean carbonated coffee-flavored drink — light, sweet, and coffee-tinged rather than strongly bitter like an Americano
Method adapted from @coffictures's video.
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