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Wanna know how to make a White Russian? You make a White Russian by mixing together Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, and Cream. It’s delicious, if not entirely calorific.
Are you wondering how to make a White Russian at home, but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry! We’ve got ya covered!
You make a White Russian by mixing together Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, and Cream. It’s delicious, if not entirely calorific.
But that doesn’t bother me all that much – I LOVE White Russians. For me, it has to be one of the most iconic movie cocktails of all time.
But that’s because I was obsessed with The Coen Brothers movie The Big Lebowski when I was a teenager. In the movie, the main character – The Dude – drinks A LOT of White Russians. And I mean A LOT.
For a time back in my teenage years, every cocktail I made was a White Russian. Let me tell you, I got that blend down to a fine art.
It wasn’t until much later that I realised The Dude wasn’t actually making a true White Russian.
What do I mean? Well, he was using Milk instead of Cream. He also blended the ingredients, instead of pouring them over ice.
But wait. Before I get carried away, let me back up here. If you haven’t seen The Big Lebowski and have no idea what a White Russian is, here are the ingredients.
- Vodka.
- Coffee Liqueur.
- Cream (although in the Big Lebowski, The Dude uses Milk).
The cocktail is luxurious, but it’s not difficult to make; you can make a White Russian at home in no time at all. I did it when I was a teenager and back then I couldn’t even boil an egg.
Wanna find out more? Let’s get into a little more detail!
What is a White Russian?
As I mentioned above, The White Russian is a cocktail made up of 3 main ingredients:
- Vodka.
- Coffee Liqueur.
- Cream.
But where does the White Russian cocktail even come from?
The Origin of the White Russian
When and where the White Russian comes from is a little hazy. Some sources seem to suggest that it was created at the same time as its sister cocktail, the Black Russian, in 1949.
Other sources suggest the White Russian was actually first mentioned in 1965. The 21st November 1965 edition of the Oakland Tribute mentions a recipe for a White Russian. The recipe listed the ingredients to be:
- Vodka.
- Southern.
- Cream.
Wait…Southern? What the hell is Southern? Southern was a coffee liqueur produced by the makers of Southern Comfort.
Woah there (that means stop in horse)…the Southern Comfort? Yes. the Southern Comfort. Unfortunately, Southern was only produced for a short time and is no longer around.
BUT ANYWAY, let’s get back to the origin. If we don’t know the origin of the cocktail, do we at least know why it’s called a White Russian?
Well…kinda. It’s a good idea to go back to the beginning of ‘Russian’ cocktails and how that term became a thing.
Origin of ‘Russian’ Cocktails
The story begins in 1930 with the publication of The Savoy Cocktail Book. The book is one of the first publications to produce cocktail recipes that include Vodka. The most prominent vodka cocktail in the book is simply called, Russian.
The book states this Russian consists of Vodka, Gin, and Crème de Cacao (a chocolate liqueur). Not quite the White Russian we know and love, but it’s a start.
The Black Russian
The next stop in the journey is the Black Russian cocktail. Most likely a riff on the Russian cocktail, the Black Russian was created in 1949 in Brussels. More accurately, it was Gustave Tops who created it at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels.
The Black Russian contains Vodka and Coffee Liqueur. So at some point between its creation and 1965, someone experimented and added cream to the mix.
The White Russian was born.
Now, let’s get into how to make a good White Russian at home.
Related Article40 Quick & Easy Cocktails with Vodka
How to Make a White Russian at Home
As you’ve probably already gathered, making a White Russian isn’t a complex process. It’s actually quick and easy.
Here’s how to make a White Russian at home:
Ingredients
First, let’s we need the ingredients:
- 50ml / 1.8oz Vodka.
- 20ml / .7oz Coffee Liqueur.
- 30ml / 1oz Cream.
- Chocolate Sprinkles to garnish.
What is the Best Vodka for a White Russian?
For Vodka, we recommend:
Why? For two reasons:
- It’s a well-established brand.
- You can pick it up at a great price.
What is the Best Coffee Liqueur for a White Russian?
For Coffee Liqueur, we recommend:
Why? For the same reasons, we recommend Smirnoff. Kahlua is:
- A well-established brand.
- You can pick up a bottle at a decent price.
Let’s move on to the recipe.
Recipe
- Add Ice to an Old Fashioned glass.
- Pour in Vodka and Coffee Liqueur.
- Add Fresh Cream to float on top.
- Stir slowly.
- Add chocolate sprinkles.
Cocktail Layering
After a couple of initial attempts at making this cocktail, I couldn’t quite get the hang of it. The cream refused to rest on the top of the cocktail and it completely stressed me out.
So I did a little research and guess what? Adding that top layer of cream is actually quite easy. All you need is a spoon.
You pour the cream into the cocktail over the back of a spoon.
Great tip, right? Try at home!
Cream Alternatives
But you don’t have to use cream. If you want a less calorific version of the cocktail, do as The Dude does – use milk! You won’t get the same awesome layering as you would with cream, but it’s still a very tasty cocktail.
So what if you can’t have dairy because you’re a vegan or lactose intolerant? Well, you can use soy milk too. A few of my vegan friends love it with soy milk.
Another great alternative I can get behind is using Coconut Milk instead. This adds a great coconut taste to the drink that’s very tasty.
FAQs
I’ve covered a lot about how to make a White Russian, but there are still a couple of things I need to clear up.
Do You Shake a White Russian?
No, you don’t need to shake a White Russian. Traditionally, you serve the cocktail On the Rocks. This means you pour the ingredients into the glass, over ice. No shaking required.
What Alcohol is in a White Russian?
The Cocktail has two primary sources of alcohol:
- Vodka. 50ml / 1.7oz. We recommend Smirnoff, which has an alcohol volume of 37.5 %.
- Coffee Liqueur. 20ml / .7oz. We recommend Kahlua, which an alcohol volume of 20%.
What can I use instead of Kahlua?
The most like for like replacement for Kahlua is Tia Maria, which is a Dark Coffee Liqueur. Tia Maria is infused with Rum, Coffee, and Vanilla to give a slightly more exotic taste. It works well as a substitute.
What’s an Old Fashioned Glass?
An Old Fashioned Glass is the traditional glass this cocktail is served in.
You can pick these up here:
Summary
So, what did we learn n this article about how to make a White Russian at home?
- It’s The Dude’s favourite drink in the iconic Coen Brother’s movie, The Big Lebowski.
- You can easily make White Russians at home.
- The first ‘Russian’-type cocktail appears in 1930 in The Savoy Cocktail Book.
- It was called a ‘Russian’. This is because the cocktail contains Vodka.
- The Black Russian was created in 1949 in Brussels.
- The White Russian was first recorded in 1965 in a publication.
- The Makers of Southern comfort once made a coffee liqueur called Southern.
- The key ingredients of a White Russian are:
- Vodka.
- Kahlua.
- Cream.
- Milk, Soy Milk, Almond Milk or Coconut Milk may be used instead of Cream.
- The cocktail is made on the rocks, in an Old Fashioned Glass.
- You can use the back of a spoon to get an easy cocktail layering.
Want More Cocktail Ideas?
If you’re looking for more cocktail inspiration, then you should check out our cocktail recipes hub. Here you’ll find 100+ cocktail recipes that you can check out for free.
Happy mixing guys!
