Espresso Martini

Last updated
Espresso Martini
IBA official cocktail
Bistrot Bruno Loubet, Clerkenwell, London (4574785649).jpg
Type Mixed drink
Primary alcohol by volume
Served Straight up ; without ice
Standard garnish3 Coffee Beans
Standard drinkware
Cocktail Glass (Martini).svg
Cocktail glass
IBA specified
ingredientsDagger-14-plain.png
  • 5 c l Vodka
  • 1 cl Kahlúa
  • Sugar syrup (according to individual preference of sweetness)
  • 1 short strong Espresso
PreparationPour ingredients into shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously, and strain into chilled martini glass.
Dagger-14-plain.png Espresso Martini recipe at International Bartenders Association

Espresso Martini is a cold, coffee-flavored cocktail made with vodka, espresso coffee, coffee liqueur, and sugar syrup. It is not a true martini, but is one of many drinks that incorporate the term into their names.

Vodka alcoholic distilled beverage

Vodka is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage that originates from Poland and Russia. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol, but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavorings. Traditionally it is made by distilling the liquid from cereal grains or potatoes that have been fermented, though some modern brands use fruits or sugar as the base.

Espresso

Espresso is coffee of Italian origin, brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure (expressing) through finely ground coffee beans. Espresso is generally thicker than coffee brewed by other methods, has a higher concentration of suspended and dissolved solids, and has crema on top. As a result of the pressurized brewing process, the flavors and chemicals in a typical cup of espresso are very concentrated. Espresso is also the base for other drinks such as a caffè latte, cappuccino, caffè macchiato, caffè mocha, flat white, or caffè Americano.

Martini (cocktail) cocktail made with gin and vermouth

The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages.

Contents

Origin

There are several claims for the origin of the Espresso Martini. One of the more common claims [1] [2] is that it was created by Dick Bradsell in the late 1980s while at Freds Club in London for a young lady who asked for something that would, "Wake me up, and then fuck me up." Bradsell has confirmed this in a widely-circulated video. [3] Bradsell has also been quoted about the circumstances of his invention of the drink, "The coffee machine at the Soho Brasseries was right next to the station where I served drinks. It was a nightmare, as there were coffee grounds everywhere, so coffee was very much on my mind. And it was all about vodka back then – it was all people were drinking." [4] [5]

Richard Arthur "Dick" Bradsell was a London bartender noted for his innovative work with cocktails, including the creation of many new drinks now considered to be modern classics. The Observer described him as the "cocktail king", while Waitrose Food Illustrated compared him to celebrity chefs and the San Francisco Chronicle credited him with "single-handedly (changing) the face of the London cocktails scene in the 1980s."

London Capital of the United Kingdom

London is the capital of and largest city in England and the United Kingdom, with the largest municipal population in the European Union. Standing on the River Thames in the south-east of England, at the head of its 50-mile (80 km) estuary leading to the North Sea, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. Londinium was founded by the Romans. The City of London, London's ancient core − an area of just 1.12 square miles (2.9 km2) and colloquially known as the Square Mile − retains boundaries that follow closely its medieval limits. The City of Westminster is also an Inner London borough holding city status. Greater London is governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.

The recipes for an Espresso Martini vary depending on the source. Traditionally, they include Kahlua or Tia Maria.

Tia Maria Dark liqueur

Tia Maria is a dark liqueur made originally in Jamaica using Jamaican coffee beans, but now made in Italy. The main flavour ingredients are coffee beans, Jamaican rum, vanilla, and sugar, blended to an alcoholic content of 20%.

IBA

The International Bartenders Association specifies a "short" and not a "shot" of espresso, also known as a ristretto. A short espresso refers to a relative amount of extraction time which affects the balance of flavors expressed from the coffee beans. A longer extraction has more bitter and less acid flavors, and the volume is increased. A shorter extraction has less bitter and more acid flavors, and the volume is decreased. [6]

International Bartenders Association Worldwide organisation of eminent bartenders

The International Bartenders Association (IBA), founded on 24 February 1951 in the saloon of the Grand Hotel in Torquay, England, is an international organisation established in order to represent the best bartenders in the world.

Ristretto

A Ristretto is traditionally a short shot of espresso coffee made with the usual amount of finely-ground coffee beans but about half the amount of water normally used when making an espresso. The shot takes about the same amount of time to pull but uses a more finely-ground coffee than with espresso. This produces a concentrated shot of coffee per volume. The opposite of a ristretto is a lungo, which is typically double the shot volume. Ristretto means “restricted” or “concentrated” in Italian whereas lungo means “long.” The French equivalent of ristretto is café serré.

Difford's Guide

The highly-respected Difford's Guide recommends 1.5 imperial fluid ounces (43 mL) of vodka, 3⁄4 imperial fluid ounce (21 mL) of hot espresso coffee, 3⁄4 imperial fluid ounce (21 mL) fluid ounce of Kahlua and 1⁄3 imperial fluid ounce (9.5 mL) sugar syrup. [7] The ingredients are poured into a shaker filled with ice. The mixture is then shaken, fine strained and poured into a chilled martini glass. The drink is garnished with coffee beans (and perhaps a twist of lemon zest) and served. [8] [9]

Cocktail glass Stemmed glass with an inverted cone bowl

A cocktail glass is a stemmed glass with an inverted cone bowl, mainly used to serve straight-up cocktails. The term cocktail glass is often used interchangeably with martini glass, despite their differing slightly.

See also

Related Research Articles

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Kahlúa coffee-flavoured liqueur

Kahlúa is a coffee-flavored liqueur from Mexico. The drink contains rum, sugar, vanilla bean, and arabica coffee.

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Bramble (cocktail) cocktail with gin

The Bramble is a cocktail created by Dick Bradsell in 1980s London, England. Best described as a spring cocktail, the Bramble brings together dry gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, crème de mûre, and crushed ice. Bradsell also suggests finishing off the cocktail with some fresh red fruits and a slice of lemon. It closely resembles the popular Gin Fix.

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References

  1. ↑ Blythe, Thomas (July 23, 2012). "Shot in the Dark: Beware the Espresso Martini". GQ UK. Condé Nast. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  2. ↑ Parkhill, Chad (November 4, 2016). "Why is Australia so obsessed with the espresso martini?". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Dick Bradsell and his Vodka Espresso". YouTube. YouTube. April 24, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2017. London's Cocktail Guru Dick Bradsell has a brief interview with Kasia Olszko; Then Uncle Dick makes a Vodka Espresso, followed by a Vodka Martini.
  4. ↑ Simon Difford (2017). "Vodka Espresso/Espresso Martini". Difford's Guide. Difford's Guide. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  5. ↑ Hatchman, John (August 25, 2016). "Spirit of the Month – Mr Black Cold Press Coffee Liqueur". The London Economic. The London Economic. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  6. ↑ "How To Brew Espresso – How to Make the Perfect Espresso".
  7. ↑ "Espresso Martini". Difford's Guide. Difford's Guide. 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  8. ↑ Newman, Kara (2016). "Espresso Martini". Liquor.com. Liquor.com. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  9. ↑ Cloak, Felicity (December 28, 2016). "How to make the perfect espresso martini". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
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