Once Upon A Time, My Coffee Went To The Bar: Here’s What Happened When I Tried Coffee-Infused Cocktails
I take my coffee black in the mornings. No sugar.
Freshly ground beans are perfectly measured and ground in the coffee grinder before adding them to the French press. Warm water is added to the press and as the aromas of the coffee fill my kitchen, it is left to brew before being served in my ceramic coffee mug. This ritual takes 20 minutes every morning – a time commitment I have made to brew the perfect cup of coffee.
Needless to say, I am a coffee aficionado. While I have the freshly brewed spirit by itself, iced coffee or a well-made cafe latte are also among my preferred alternatives in local coffee shops. And that would have been that, as far as coffee goes, had it not been for the latest entrant into my beverage universe – the coffee-infused cocktail.
One of the most up and coming mixology trends, cocktails infused with coffee have become the newest addition to bartenders’s rosters. Aromatic blends infused with earthy, slightly citrusy and robust flavours have become the cocktails du jour because mixologists have discovered that coffee blends really well with a lot of spirits ranging from a good old Irish whisky to a clear vodka.
Now, along with the classic Irish coffee, other cocktails like the espresso martini cocktail or the coffee negroni have also become popular alternatives which are infused with this beverage.
So, imagine my sheer delight when I encountered these coffee cocktails on the bartender’s rosters at the local bars in my city.
My Espresso Martini Cocktail Era
The first coffee cocktail I met was the espresso martini cocktail. Like most of us, till that moment, all I knew about coffee and liquor was that sometimes, 30 ml Irish whisky is added to this brew to make Irish coffee.
Yet, here was this drink in front of me, served in an elegant martini cocktail glass, complete with a light foamy layer and a coffee bean garnish. The deeply brown drink looked visually spectacular and upon taking a sip I was met with a lot of sharp, sleek flavours coming out of the blend of 30 ml vodka and 15 ml freshly brewed espresso.
It took some getting used to… this mix of coffee with other equally robust ingredients, it was almost as if coffee had met its flavour match.
But what helped in warming me to this drink was its sheer sophistication, its clean flavours and its delicately stylish look all of which had me in their thrall.
When Coffee Met Citruses
Now thatzI was enamoured with this idea of coffee in cocktails, I wanted to explore even more of its mixology possibilities. Next on my list of flavour combinations to try was citruses and coffee, which happened rather unexpectedly in the form of a coffee-infused negroni.
I was once at a sundowner, and it was one of those fancy places where a gregarious uncle was sharing all his know-how about cocktails, aperitifs and mixology in general. To him I said, ‘So what should I try if I want to experiment with coffee in my cocktails?’
‘Wait, I will make something for you,’ he said and headed to the little bar station.
I smelled the coffee in the drink even before I had tasted what this mixology enthusiast had prepared for me. Notes of crisp gin were apparent, so were the flavours of an Italian aperitif but what was most pronounced was the coffee aroma which completely lifted this simple evening drink to a whole different level of complexity. The coffee notes, I learnt, came from a mix of sweet vermouth and the aromatic brew, both of which lent this drink a layered quality.
Today, It’s All About Cold Brews!
Thoroughly comfortable with the idea of complex blends infused with coffee, now, I am in my cold brew era which is all about trying out a drink like the cold brew paloma. This one actually happened in my home kitchen when I decided to try my hands at preparing a coffee-infused beverage using leftover cold brew.
Bringing together 30 ml tequila blanco with 15 ml cold brew coffee, a hint of lime juice and agave syrup and just about 20 ml soda water, I diligently followed the recipe to prepare this coffee-infused blend which was a chilled mix of earthy and citrusy flavours. I added a splash of grapefruit juice too, for more tang and took a sip of this cocktail.
Needless to say, this is one of the rarest of my mixology success stories. Preparing a coffee-infused paloma remains a highlight because the drink which was blended remains one my best creations, complete with an aromatic touch and deep flavours!
Also Read: Irish Coffee Cocktail Recipe And Perfect Snack Pairings For House Parties
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
