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Espresso Martini
Created by
The perfect marriage of caffeine and cocktail culture: freshly pulled espresso shaken cold with vodka and coffee liqueur until a silken crema crowns the glass, demanding to be sipped slowly at the end of a proper meal.
Beverages
Italian
Dinner Party
Date Night
5 min
Active Time
0 min cook•5 min total
Yield1 cocktail
Dick Bradsell invented this drink in 1980s London when a young model asked for something to wake her up and mess her up. He obliged with espresso, vodka, and coffee liqueur, shaken until frothy. The cocktail world has never recovered.
The espresso martini is not actually a martini. It shares only the glass. But naming conventions aside, this drink has earned its place at every serious bar because it delivers exactly what it promises: the bitter sophistication of good coffee, the warmth of spirits, and that remarkable crema that proves you've done the work.
The secret lives in your shake. Twenty seconds of violent agitation with proper ice creates the emulsion that floats those three coffee beans. Anything less produces a flat, lifeless drink that belongs in no one's coupe glass. The espresso must be fresh and cooled. The vodka must be cold. The technique must be aggressive. There is no gentle path to greatness here.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
premium vodka
Quantity
1 1/2 ounces (45ml)
freshly brewed espresso
Quantity
1 ounce (30ml)
cooled to room temperature
coffee liqueur
Quantity
3/4 ounce (22ml)
simple syrup
Quantity
1/4 ounce (7ml)
whole coffee beans
Quantity
3
for garnish
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| premium vodka | 1 1/2 ounces (45ml) |
| freshly brewed espressocooled to room temperature | 1 ounce (30ml) |
| coffee liqueur | 3/4 ounce (22ml) |
| simple syrup | 1/4 ounce (7ml) |
| whole coffee beansfor garnish | 3 |
Equipment Needed
- •Cocktail shaker (Boston or cobbler style)
- •Fine mesh strainer or Hawthorne strainer
- •Jigger or measuring cup
- •Espresso machine, Moka pot, or AeroPress
- •Coupe glass or martini glass
Instructions
- 1
Chill your glass
Place a coupe or martini glass in the freezer at least fifteen minutes before you plan to serve. A warm glass melts the crema before your first sip. If you forgot this step, fill the glass with ice water while you prepare the drink, then dump it just before straining.
- 2
Pull fresh espresso
Brew one ounce of espresso using whatever method you have available. A proper machine is ideal, but a Moka pot or AeroPress produces acceptable results. The espresso must cool to room temperature before shaking. Hot espresso in a cocktail shaker creates pressure and dilutes the drink excessively. Pull your shot and let it rest while you gather your spirits.
Cold brew concentrate will not work here. You need the oils and crema that only hot extraction produces. Those compounds create the frothy top that defines this drink. - 3
Build in the shaker
Fill your cocktail shaker with large ice cubes, the bigger the better. Smaller ice melts faster and waters down your drink before you've finished shaking. Add the vodka, cooled espresso, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup directly over the ice. The order matters little, but cold ingredients against cold ice preserves temperature.
- 4
Shake with conviction
Seal your shaker and shake hard for a full twenty seconds. Count them. This is not gentle bartender theater. You are creating an emulsion, forcing air into liquid, building the crema that will float on top. Your arms should feel the work. The shaker should frost over completely. When you hear the ice rattling differently, smaller and sharper, you're nearly there.
The shake is everything. Fifteen seconds produces a thin layer of foam. Twenty to twenty-five seconds creates the dense, persistent crema that photographs well and tastes better. - 5
Strain into chilled glass
Remove your glass from the freezer. Strain the cocktail through a fine mesh strainer or Hawthorne strainer directly into the glass, pouring from a few inches above to aerate further. The liquid should be dark and opaque, topped with a thick layer of tan crema that holds its shape.
- 6
Garnish and serve
Float three coffee beans on the crema in a triangular pattern. Tradition holds these represent health, wealth, and happiness, an old Italian blessing borrowed from sambuca service. Serve immediately. An espresso martini waits for no conversation to finish. The crema begins fading the moment it meets air.
Chef Tips
- •Vodka quality matters here. You don't need the most expensive bottle on the shelf, but avoid anything that burns on the way down. A clean, neutral spirit lets the coffee shine.
- •For a dinner party, pull all your espresso shots an hour ahead and refrigerate. Cold espresso actually shakes better than room temperature, producing a thicker crema.
- •The simple syrup can be adjusted to taste. Some prefer their espresso martini drier, with no syrup at all. Others want more sweetness. Taste your espresso first. If it's particularly bitter, add the full measure.
- •Mr Black coffee liqueur produces a more intensely coffee-forward drink than Kahlúa. Kahlúa is sweeter and rounder. Neither is wrong. Choose based on your preference.
- •If your crema disappears within thirty seconds, your shake wasn't long enough or your espresso wasn't fresh. The oils in properly extracted espresso stabilize the foam.
Advance Preparation
- •Espresso can be pulled up to two hours ahead and refrigerated. Do not freeze it.
- •For batching at parties, combine vodka, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup in a pitcher and refrigerate. Pull espresso fresh and add just before shaking individual drinks. The espresso cannot be batched without losing the crema-producing compounds.
- •Simple syrup keeps refrigerated for two weeks. Make a bottle and keep it ready for cocktail hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 107g)
Calories
200 calories
Total Fat
0 g
Saturated Fat
0 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
2 mg
Total Carbohydrates
15 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
14 g
Protein
1 g
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