The Espresso Martini is here to startle you awake with its drunken magical powers if you need a pick-me-up after dinner. Since the cocktail’s introduction in the 1980s, outings and nights have been boosted by it.
Dick Bradsell, a British bartender, created the now-iconic beverage at Fred’s Club in London. According to legend, a “top model” requested a drink that would “wake me up and f**k me up” simultaneously. In response, Bradsell created the Espresso Martini by combining vodka, espresso, and coffee liqueur.
If you have an espresso maker, you can extract a shot and quickly cool it in the freezer. By doing this, the hot liquid won’t melt the ice or unnecessarily thin the drink. Using cold brew concentrate is a simple workaround if you don’t have an espresso machine. Strongly flavored coffee is a fantastic stand-in for freshly ground espresso and maintains the ideal temperature.
A coffee liqueur, often Kahla, is added to the espresso to give the beverage another deep layer of coffee flavor. Shake everything thoroughly to create a caffeinated beverage with the ideal proportions of alcohol, coffee, and sugar. It looks lovely with a few coffee beans as a garnish.
When ordering a drink for brunch when a Bloody Mary won’t do, consider a Espresso Martini. You are not need to be Kate Moss to appreciate its dual benefits.
Ingredients
For the sugar syrup
- 100g golden caster sugar
For the cocktail
- ice
- 100ml vodka
- 50ml freshly brewed espresso coffee
- 50ml coffee liqueur (we used Kahlua)
- 4 coffee beans (optional)
Directions
SAVE TO MY RECIPES
- Step 1In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, and simple syrup. Cover and vigorously shake until outside of shaker is very frosty and foam forms, about 15 seconds.
- Step 2Double strain into a coupe glass. Cover half of top of glass with a paper towel. Dust the exposed half with espresso or cocoa powder. Garnish plain side with coffee beans.
About the cocktail
The Espresso Martini has undeniably established itself as a key component of the Australian cocktail scene. Given our love of espresso coffee, it should come as no surprise that it is one of the most popular orders at bars around the nation.
Having said that, the now notorious drink was initially created in the UK in the 1980s by British bartending maestro Dick Bradsell. According to the legend, a now-famous supermodel walked into Fred’s Club, Dick’s club, and begged for something to wake her up. He complied and concocted what he first termed The Pharmaceutical Stimulant, a cocktail made with vodka, freshly ground espresso, coffee liqueur, and sugar and shaken to a frothy, delectable consistency.
Before arriving in Australia in the early 2000s, the Espresso Martini gained popularity elsewhere. We can thank post-war Italian immigrants for our robust coffee culture, which allowed us to welcome coffee with open arms and eventually raise it to superstar status.
What makes a Espresso Martini so effective, then? When made correctly, the cocktail has the ideal ratio of bitter to sweet. The sweetness of the coffee liqueur and sugar syrup is balanced by the bitterness of the coffee, much as how the sugar in a Daiquiri balances the fresh lime juice. The combination is so delicious, especially with the lovely crema on top, that you’ll want to order more.
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