How to Make an Espresso Martini, Recipe

The Espresso Martini recipe has become an absolute classic cocktail - especially for those on a proper night who might need a drink with a kick to get their party started or to keep going into the early hours. It is a great coffee drink to make at home

In fact, that’s exactly how our favourite caffeine fuelled cocktail came to be. Dick Bradsell was working as a bartender at a place called Fred’s Club in London when as legend has it, a very popular supermodel came in and asked for a drink that would both “wake me up and f*ck me up” at the same time.

So, how to make an espresso martini at home?

The Espresso Martini recipe below is his response, with our own Very Strong Coffee twist - for a maximum charge we suggest using our high caffeine robusta beans to really get the party started.

We hope you enjoy...

How to make a great espresso martini?

What you’ll need:

• A Boston Shaker (or similar cocktail shaker)
• Ice cubes
• A Martini glass

Ingredients

• 50ml Vodka
• 50ml Tia Maria (or Kahlua)
• 50ml sugar syrup
• 100ml of iced Very Strong Coffee

Try out our Espresso Martini Kit for a gift

Pro-tip: How to make Espresso Martini frothy?

The trick is to use a Boston shaker filled with ice and just the right amount of ingredients (see above), so that when you then filter and pour into a Martini glass, you get that beautiful layer of soft, foamy froth ready to be garnished with three coffee beans.

Steps

1. Chill your Martini glass by filling it with iced water and letting it sit
2. Measure 50ml of vodka and pour into your shaker
3. Measure 50ml of Tia Maria (or Kahlua) and pour it in too
4. Add 50ml of sugar syrup
5. Pour in 100ml of iced Very Strong Coffee (see our post on how to make iced coffee) or espresso coffee if you have a coffee machine.
6. Add around 10 ice cubes to the shaker
7. Get shaking!
8. Empty our now chilled Martini glass
9. Pour and filter the finished cocktail into the glass
10. Garnish with 3 Very Strong Coffee beans

FAQs 

Are there any pro tips for making an Espresso Martini?

Ensure to cool the coffee completely after brewing it. Shake the cocktail extra hard to create a lovely foam on top. When pouring the cocktail into your glass, do it swiftly to ensure the foam ends up on top. If you don't have bottled simple syrup, you can make it at home

How can I make my Espresso Martini frothy without a coffee machine?

If you don't have a coffee machine, you can add an egg white to the cocktail shaker. It doesn't affect the taste but helps to create a beautiful foam on top. Alternatively, you can buy cocktail foam in small bottles online and add one or two drops to each cocktail for the same effect

What do the three coffee beans on top mean?

The three coffee beans, a traditional garnish in Italy for Sambuca, are meant to represent health, wealth, and happines

What makes an Espresso Martini special?

The Espresso Martini is a coffee lover's dream cocktail. It's strong but sweet, rich, smooth, and essentially combines after-dinner coffee, liqueur, and dessert all in one. The best part is its simplicity - it requires just four ingredients and a cocktail shaker

Conclusion

And there you have it - the perfect espresso martini recipe. If you’re looking for something to kick start your Christmas party this year or as the first drink on an amazing night out, the espresso martini is the drink of choice. Especially true when it’s made with Very Strong Coffee, where the beans are roasted until they’re sweet and delicious and packed full of caffeine.

This is the perfect coffee lovers drink, so why not try making one today?

Let us know how you get on in the comments or post your efforts to Instagram and tag us @verystrongcoffee to share.