The espresso martini is a cold

caffeinated alcoholic drink A caffeinated alcoholic drink is a drink that contains both alcohol (also known formally as ethanol) and a significant amount of caffeine. Caffeine, a stimulant, masks some of the depressant effects of alcohol. However, in 2010 and 2011, this ty ...

made with

espresso Espresso (, ) is a coffee-brewing method of Italian origin, in which a small amount of nearly boiling water (about ) is forced under of pressure through finely-ground coffee beans. Espresso can be made with a wide variety of coffee beans a ...

coffee liqueur Liqueurs are alcoholic beverages that are bottled with added sugar and have added flavours that are usually derived from fruits, herbs, or nuts. Liqueurs are distinct from eaux-de-vie, fruit brandy, and flavored liquors, which contain no add ...

, and

vodka Vodka ( pl, wódka , russian: водка , sv, vodka ) is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impuriti ...

. It is not a true

martini Martini may refer to: * Martini (cocktail) * Martini (vermouth), a brand of vermouth * Martini (surname), an Italian surname * Martini (automobile company), a Swiss automobile company * Automobiles Martini, a French manufacturer of racing cars * M ...

as it contains neither gin nor

vermouth Vermouth (, ) is an aromatized fortified wine, flavoured with various botanicals (roots, barks, flowers, seeds, herbs, and spices) and sometimes colored. The modern versions of the beverage were first produced in the mid- to late 18th centur ...

, but is one of many drinks that incorporate the term ''martini'' into their names.

Origin

There are several claims for the origin of the espresso martini. One of the more common claims is that it was created by

Dick Bradsell Richard Arthur Bradsell (4 May 1959 – 27 February 2016) was a British 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 t ...

in the late 1980s while at Fred's Club in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

for a young lady who asked for something that would "Wake me up, and then fuck me up." Bradsell has made this claim in a widely-circulated video. 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." The recipes for an espresso martini vary depending on the source. Traditionally, they include

Kahlúa Kahlúa () is a brand of coffee liqueur owned by the Pernod Ricard company and produced in Veracruz, Mexico. The drink contains rum, sugar, and arabica coffee. History Pedro Domecq began producing Kahlúa in 1936. It was named Kahlúa, mean ...

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

Difford's Guide

Difford's Guide recommends of vodka, of hot espresso coffee, and of

. The ingredients are poured into a shaker filled with ice. The mixture is then shaken, fine strained and poured into a chilled

martini glass 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. Today, the glass ...

. The drink is garnished with coffee beans (and perhaps a twist of lemon zest) and served.

Popularity

The drink had a surge in popularity in 2021. This popularity was met with apprehension by bartenders due to the time and effort required to prepare the drink.

References

External links

{{IBACocktails Cocktails with vodka Cocktails with coffee liqueur Alcoholic coffee drinks Mixed drinks

Origin

Difford's Guide

Popularity

See also

References

External links