Coffee Cocktail
A sweet and creamy fortified wine cocktail ∙ Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 11.2% ABV ∙
The Coffee Cocktail is a whole-egg flip of tawny port, Cognac, and sugar syrup, shaken and served in a wine glass despite containing no coffee at all.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Tawny port 60 mlCognac 30 mlSugar syrup 15 mlEgg 1 pc
- Strain back into the shaker
- Dry shake (without ice)
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with grated nutmeg
Tips
- The first shake, with ice, chills the drink and adds the water that tames the egg. Then strain it back into the shaker and dry shake for 15-20 seconds to whip the egg smooth.
History
The Coffee Cocktail is a brandy-and-port drink built with a whole egg, whose earliest known recipe appears in the 1887 edition of Jerry Thomas's Bartender's Guide (also known as the Bar-Tenders Guide, originally published in 1862). Despite its name, the drink contains no coffee. Thomas himself noted the misnomer, explaining that the finished drink simply resembles a cup of coffee once the egg, sugar, port, and brandy are shaken together, with grated nutmeg on top completing the illusion.
It belongs to the family of egg-based "flip" style cocktails popular in 19th-century American bars, distinguished from a true flip mainly by its name rather than its construction.
FAQ
What is a Coffee Cocktail?
A 19th-century flip-style drink of tawny port, Cognac, sugar syrup, and a whole egg. It contains no coffee; the name comes from its look, since the shaken port and egg resemble coffee with cream.
What is in a Coffee Cocktail?
Tawny port, Cognac, sugar syrup, and a whole egg, with grated nutmeg on top. The port supplies most of the volume and the dark color, while the egg gives the drink its thick texture.
How do you make a Coffee Cocktail?
Combine tawny port, Cognac, sugar syrup, and a whole egg in a shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain it back into the empty shaker and shake again without ice to emulsify the egg. Strain into a wine glass and finish with a dusting of grated nutmeg.
Is a Coffee Cocktail shaken or stirred?
Shaken, twice. Shaking with ice first chills the drink and thins it with a little water, so the egg doesn't make it too heavy. The second shake, without ice for 15-20 seconds, whips the egg smooth and frothy.
What glass is a Coffee Cocktail served in?
A wine glass, finished with a dusting of grated nutmeg over the top.
