Sip and Savor: The Perfect Espresso Martini Recipe for Coffee and Cocktail Enthusiasts

I was browsing through the drinks menu (to be honest, I was more concerned about the price than the type of drink) when I heard my friend whisper a recommendation, “Why not try the espresso martini?” I sat there thinking, I love coffee, but do I want it on my cocktail? But then again, I’m in Melbourne, the mecca for coffee lovers. If I had to try such a weird concoction, I might as well do it where people take coffee as a religion. So I told my friend, “Yes, what the hell, I’ll have a glass.” How was it? Well, let’s just say it proved the promise of waking you up and fucking you up, just like what that famous model requested of the bartender who came up with this drink for her.

Espresso Martini is a vodka-based cocktail invented in the 1980s by a British bartender named Dick Bradsell. History has it that a well-known model walked into the Soho Brasserie (where Bradsell was bartending) and asked for a drink that would both wake and fuck her up. Thus, the birth of this cocktail drink, and now that I got to try it myself, I have to learn how to make it. And if like me, you’re curious about the recipe, you’ve come to the right place because today, I’ll show you how to make an espresso martini.

Espresso Martini Recipe

Ingredients

1 oz vodka
1 oz coffee liqueur (try Kahlua)
1 oz fresh espresso
1/2 oz simple syrup
Ice
3 coffee beans for garnish

Instructions

Step 1:

Brew and pull an espresso shot, then let it cool for a few minutes.

Step 2:

Add ice, 1 oz of coffee liqueur, 1/2 oz of simple syrup, and a shot of espresso into a cocktail shaker.

Step 3:

Mix all the ingredients by shaking the cocktail shaker vigorously for about 15 seconds.

Step 4:

Strain the mixture (it should be chilled and frothy) into a chilled martini glass.

Step 5:

Garnish with coffee beans on top of the foam (optional)

That’s it, time to enjoy your delicious espresso martini.

Tips

• You can use any kind of alcohol you like but I recommend using vodka or rum as they complement the taste of coffee and chocolate very well, making them ideal for an espresso martini. If you don’t want to use alcohol at all, you can substitute water for any other liquid listed in our recipe (e.g., milk).
• Use fresh espresso, not instant coffee powder.
• Add some chocolate syrup to give it a sweet taste, some hazelnut syrup if you want something nutty, or a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg to give it a spicy kick.