Espresso Martini

Ingredients

• 50 ml vodka
• 30 ml fresh espresso (hot, freshly pulled)
• 20 ml coffee liqueur (Kahlúa or similar)
• 5 ml simple syrup 1:1 (adjust to espresso bitterness)
• 3 coffee beans, for garnish

Preparation Method

1. Chill a coupe glass in the freezer or with ice water.
2. Pull a fresh single espresso directly into the shaker tin.
3. Add vodka, coffee liqueur and syrup; fill with cubed ice.
4. Seal and shake hard for 12–15 seconds until the tin is painfully cold.
5. Double-strain into the chilled coupe in one steady pour.
6. Wait 5 seconds for the crema to settle, then float three beans in a triangle.

Common Mistakes

• — Using cold or day-old espresso — no crema, no drink.
• — Under-shaking — a weak foam collapses in under a minute.
• — Over-sweetening — the espresso should still bite through.
• — Skipping the double strain — ice shards ruin the foam surface.
• — Cheap vodka — this drink is 50% base spirit; quality matters.

Professional Service Notes

• — Serve within 30 seconds of shaking — the foam is the experience.
• — Never pre-batch the espresso: it must be pulled to order.
• — The three beans are tradition, not decoration — health, wealth, happiness.
• — Offer a small glass of still water alongside; coffee dehydrates the palate.