Espresso Martini
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 17.1% ABV ∙
The Espresso Martini is an IBA New Era cocktail shaken with vodka, coffee liqueur, freshly brewed espresso and simple syrup, served in a cocktail glass.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Vodka 50 mlCoffee liqueur 30 mlSugar syrup 10 mlEspresso coffee 25 ml
- Strain into the chilled cocktail glass
- Garnish with three coffee beans
Tips
- The foam on top comes from the shake, so give it a hard 15-20 seconds over ice.
- Pull a fresh, hot espresso and let it cool only slightly; stale or lukewarm coffee gives a thin, flat crema.
History
There are several competing claims for the Espresso Martini's origin, but the most widely cited credits London bartender Dick Bradsell, who created it in the 1980s for a young woman asking for something to wake her up and knock her out. The bar is identified as the Soho Brasserie, dating the drink to around 1983. He recalled coffee being constantly on his mind because the coffee machine stood right beside his station. Bradsell never named the woman, referring to her only as a "top model" or an American model, and later rumors attaching Naomi Campbell or Kate Moss are considered implausible given their ages at the time. Originally known as the Vodka Espresso, the drink saw a major surge in popularity in the early 2020s.
FAQ
What are the three ingredients in an espresso martini?
Vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso. This recipe adds a fourth, 10 ml of sugar syrup, to take the edge off the coffee's bitterness.
What is the recipe for an espresso martini?
Shake 50 ml vodka, 30 ml coffee liqueur, 25 ml freshly pulled espresso and 10 ml sugar syrup hard with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with three coffee beans floated on the foam.
Is an espresso martini shaken or stirred?
Shaken, and hard. Shaking whips air into the espresso and coffee liqueur, which gives the drink its foam cap; a stirred one comes out flat.
What glass is an espresso martini served in?
A chilled cocktail glass, served up with no ice and three coffee beans floated on the foam.
Why don't bartenders like making espresso martinis?
Because they are slow to make. Every order needs a freshly pulled espresso and a long, hard shake, and during the early-2020s popularity surge that tied bartenders up on busy nights.
Is an espresso martini actually a martini?
No. It contains neither gin nor vermouth, so it is not a true martini; it simply borrows the name and the stemmed glass. It was originally called the Vodka Espresso, which more accurately describes its vodka-and-coffee makeup.
