In the late 1980s, either Naomi Campbell or Kate Moss walked up to the bar at the Soho Brasserie, a venue run by Dick Bradsell, and asked for a drink that would wake them up, then fuck them up…
Like everything in Cocktail history, you should take this story with a pinch of salt – which is how you could also take your espresso Martinis!
The Espresso Martini is a cocktail in the new school of Martini’s, originating in the 80’s and 90s, these were more fruit or flavour forward, with balanced acidity and alcohol content.
As a result of globalisation, and the resulting wider freedom around ingredients, bars and bartenders began to experiment with ingredients.
The only thing they had in common was that they were in a Martini glass, and often had ‘tini in the name.
What Does a Good Espresso Martini Taste Like?
Bitter balanced coffee, with a boozy backbone and an expertly aerated foam from using good quality espresso coffee in the shaker.
The espresso doesn’t need to be fresh, but this cocktail needs good quality ice when shaken, and balanced dilution in the (hard) shake to be truly great.
The Classic Espresso Martini Recipe
Two trusted sources give two builds:
- IBA official: 50ml vodka, 30ml Kahlúa, 10ml sugar syrup and 1 strong espresso. Garnish with 3 coffee beans.
- Difford’s Guide (equal parts): 1 fl oz of vodka, coffee liqueur and freshly made espresso, with no sugar syrup.
Espresso Martini ingredients
- 50ml vodka
- 30ml coffee liqueur
- 30ml freshly made espresso (about one strong shot)
- 10ml sugar syrup, to taste
- 3 coffee beans, to garnish
- Plenty of ice
How to make an Espresso Martini
- Pre-chill a stemmed cocktail glass.
- Pull a fresh espresso.
- Add ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake EXTREMELY hard for around 20 seconds, until the shaker is very cold.
- Fine strain into the chilled glass.
- Float three coffee beans on the foam.
What do the 3 espresso beans stand for?
Health, wealth and happiness. Ironically, after several of these you’ll be much happier, much less wealthy, and in the morning? Depends on whether you hydrate properly before bed eh.
What Does a Good Espresso Martini Look Like?
Expect it to look like a pint of Guinness as you pour it into the glass. With a velvety caramel brown head settling on top of the drink, and a dark americano body underneath the foam.
A Short History of the Espresso Martini
The Espresso Martini was invented in London. Difford’s Guide tells the story: around 1983, bartender Dick Bradsell was working at the Soho Brasserie on Old Compton Street when a customer, said to be a model, asked for something that would wake her up. He used what was at hand, a coffee machine, vodka and coffee liqueur, and called it the Vodka Espresso. It was served on the rocks.
The drink picked up a new name in the 1990s. In 1997, at Match bar on Clerkenwell Road, it was served straight up in a Martini glass, and the Espresso Martini was born. In 1998, for Damien Hirst’s Pharmacy in Notting Hill, Bradsell renamed it the Pharmaceutical Stimulant to fit the menu’s theme. (Punch)
Bradsell, who also created the Bramble, died in 2016, and is revered as a key figure in London’s modern cocktail revival, with a legacy deeply respected by modern bartenders and bars.
Espresso Martini Variations
- Vodka Espresso: the original, served on the rocks.
- Pharmaceutical Stimulant: Bradsell’s 1998 rename, also on the rocks.
- Equal-parts Espresso Martini: Difford’s simple 1:1:1 version, with no sugar syrup.
- Coffee Old Fashioned, Black Russian and White Russian: other drinks our coffee liqueur suits.
- Mouse Kingdom Espresso Martini: our twist, below.
The Mouse Kingdom Espresso Martini
The coffee liqueur does a lot of the work in this drink, so what’s in the bottle matters.
Our Manchester Coffee Liqueur is made from UK winter wheat vodka and ethically sourced coffee from Manchester roasters Heart and Graft, their 60/40 blend – 60% Brazil Mogiana (natural/pulped natural) and 40% India Ratnagiri Washed (or India Melkodige Estate washed).
We infuse a rough grind in our Manchester distillery for at least 48 hours, then let it rest before bottling. It tastes of rich milk chocolate, honeycomb, toasted marzipan and toffee.
A few more reasons it works here:
- Lower sugar. We balance around 180 g/L, against minimum 230 g/L for Kahlúa and Mr Black, and the high 200s for Tia Maria.
- Real coffee, real flavour. It’s unfiltered, so you should find a little sediment. That’s because its made from coffee.
- No artificial flavourings, with all ingredients listed on the label, unlike any other liqueur brand.
- Vegan-friendly and gluten-free, with no allergens present. It does contain caffeine, again, because it’s made from coffee.
Mouse Kingdom Chocolate Orange Espresso Martini recipe
Makes 1 | Glass: pre-chilled Martini or coupe glass
Ingredients
- 30ml Mouse Kingdom Quad Sec Citrus Liqueur
- 30ml Mouse Kingdom Manchester Coffee Liqueur
- 30ml freshly made espresso
- No sugar syrup, we’re sweet enough.
- 3 coffee beans, to garnish
Method
- Pre-chill your glass and pull a fresh espresso.
- Give the bottle a gentle swirl, since the liqueur is unfiltered.
- Add ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake hard for at least 20 seconds.
- Fine strain into a chilled glass.
- Garnish with a zest of orange.
Tips
- You can pre brew coffee, and if you don’t have an espresso machine, making cafetiere coffee is fine – but you should at least double the amount of ground coffee you use compared to normal.
- If the coffee is hot, it will be difficult to seal the tin and might make a mess when you shake. If you pre pour and let it chill to room temp, your white shirt will remain white.
- Fine strain. It holds back any sediment and keeps the foam smooth.
- Taste your espresso. A bitter shot may want a little more sweetness, and a mellow one a little less.
More Ways to Use Manchester Coffee Liqueur
In a White Russian, Black Russian, Moscow Mule, Coffee Old Fashioned, Coffee Godfather, Coffee Collins and a Calypso Coffee. You can also mix it 1:1 with rum in a Cuba Libre, or pair it with dark spirits over ice.
Espresso Martini FAQs
What is in an Espresso Martini? Vodka, coffee liqueur, fresh espresso and usually a little sugar syrup, garnished with three coffee beans.
Who invented the Espresso Martini? London bartender Dick Bradsell, around 1983 at the Soho Brasserie, according to Difford’s Guide.
Why garnish an Espresso Martini with three coffee beans? Because they represent health, wealth and happiness.
Do I need an espresso machine? Fresh espresso is best, but a strong moka pot, cafetiere or Aeropress coffee works well too.
Why is there no martini in an Espresso Martini?Its allll about the glass and the ‘tini trend originating in the 80s and 90s.
Can I use cold brew instead of espresso? Yes, it works absolutely fine.
Is our Coffee Liqueur sweet? Much less than most with about 1/3 less sugar – but it’ll still taste rich and sweet, like you if you buy a bottle 🧡.
Make Yours with Mouse Kingdom
An Espresso Martini begins with the coffee liqueur you pour. Mouse Kingdom Manchester Coffee Liqueur is handmade in Manchester with Heart and Graft coffee, with less sugar and more balanced boozy character. For more recipes, visit our recipes and news page.
Contains caffeine, and alcohol! Please drink responsibly. 18+ only.
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