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How do you make an Espresso Martini? You make an Espresso Martini by combining Vodka, Kahlua, Sugar Syrup and a strong Espresso.
Wanna know how to make an Espresso Martini at home? Don’t worry! I’ve got ya covered!
A good Espresso Martini is fierce, delicious and a perfect pep on a night out drinking. Also, they’re classy AF.
In this article, I’m going to show exactly how to to make an Espresso Martini at home and a whole lot more.
I’m going to:
- Go into detail about how to make a good Espresso Martini at home (a perfect, quick & easy Espresso Martini that is).
- Guide you on what you need to make the cocktail.
- Provide a guide on how you can you cocktails better.
- Give you all the information you need to know about how the drink was invented.
- Plus a whole more.
Let’s dive right in.
History of the Espresso Martini Drink
Before we get into how to make the Espresso Martini drink, let’s take a look at the history of the cocktail.
The Espresso Martini was invented in 1983 by Dick Bradsell whilst working at the Soho Brassiere in London.
One evening, he was asked by a young model (who he says is now famous, but doesn’t name her) to make a drink that would, “Wake me up, and then fuck me up.”
So how did he come up with a concoction that would do just that?
Well, since Red Bull hadn’t been invented yet, the most likely ingredient guaranteed to wake a person up was…
…you guessed it…
…coffee.
And the Soho Brassiere had an Espresso Machine right there at the bar.
With a little cocktail chemistry, he came up with an idea for the perfect drink.
Or in Bradsell’s own words: “The coffee machine at the Soho Brasseries was right next to the station where I served drinks. It was a nightmare, as there were coffee grounds everywhere, so coffee was very much on my mind. And it was all about vodka back then – it was all people were drinking.”
Here’s a video f Bradsell talking about creating the Espresso Martini drink. As a bonus, he also walks through how to make a good Espresso Martini at home.
However, the drink wasn’t originally called the Espresso Martini…
…it was actually called Vodka Espresso.
So Why Did the Name of the Drink Change?
The name change for the drink was a sign of the times…
…at least a sign of the times in the cocktail world.
In the late eighties and early nineties, Martini cocktails had made a resurgence and became a common request in bars.
With that information at hand, Bradsell capitalised on the trend and re-christened the drink: Espresso Martini.
Now that I’ve given you a guide to the history of the drink, let’s take a look at how to make an Espresso Martini at home.
How to Make an Espresso Martini
Before I get into how to make an Espresso Martini at home, I need to give you a bit of a guide on the things you’ll need to make the drink.
A Guide to an Espresso Martini: Things You’ll Need
In order to make a good Espresso Martini you’re going to need the following things:
- A good Cocktail Shaker.
- Good Martini Glasses.
- Vodka.
- Coffee Liqueur.
- Good Espresso Coffee.
A Good Cocktail Shaker
The best way to make an Espresso Martini drink is to use a good Cocktail Shaker.
If you’re looking for a Cocktail Shaker but don’t know where to start – don’t worry, we’ve done the hard work for you!
We’ve written a detailed guide that compares some of the best-selling cocktail shaker sets available on Amazon. Here’s our verdict:
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Good Martini Glasses
As you might’ve been able to tell from the name of the drink, the Espresso Martini is traditionally served in a Martini glass. We recommend (advertisement):
Vodka
The next question is: what is a good Vodka to use for the drink.
In previous cocktail recipes, we’ve recommended Smirnoff Vodka because it’s a well-known brand and it’s a reasonable price (advertisement).
However, back when the Espresso Martini drink was invented Russian Vodka was a big no-no. The 1980s was the era of the Cold War, in which a war with Russian was thought to be on the cards.
Of course, it didn’t happen…
…but at the time, people wanted nothing to do with Russian Vodka because of it.
…However, if you’re looking for a bit more information about which Vodka is the best for cocktails, you might want to check out our complete guide.
In our guide, we compare different vodkas based on:
- Value for money.
- Bestsellers.
- Ratings.
- Brand reputation.
It’s definitely worth a read. Next up, Coffee Liqueur.
Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur
There are a number of Coffee Liqueur brands on the market at the moment, but the one the creator of the cocktail originally used was Kahlúa.
And that’s a great choice as far as we’re concerned.
Kahlúa is our recommended Coffee Liqueur too (see: How to Make a White Russian: A Quick & Easy Cocktail Recipe).
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Good Espresso Coffee
I believe the best Espresso Coffee comes from a machine. The best (and most affordable) coffee machine that I personally use is the Nescafe Dolce Gusto.
Nescafe Dolce Gusto
I’ve had my Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee machine for around 5 years and have no issues with it whatsoever. In fact, I loved it that much I bought the same coffee machine for my parents and my in-laws.
…They all love it too.
You can pick this coffee machine up here (advertisement):
Dolce Gusto Pods
The Dolce Gusto coffee machine uses pods to make coffee. For an Espresso Martini, I’d recommend these coffee pods (advertisement):
These coffee pods may seem pricey, BUT it’s better to buy these coffee pods in bulk as it works out much cheaper in the long run. The above deal is £22.44 for 90 pods, which works out roughly at 25p a pod.
But what if you prefer to use ground coffee or grind the coffee yourself? Don’t worry, I got ya covered.
Ground Coffee
I recommend Strong Coffee to Wake the Dead. Like the title says, it’s a strong coffee but it’s really tasty. I love it.
You can buy this coffee here (advertisement):
Aeropress
Also, for making single and small coffee using grounds I would heavily recommend the Aeropress coffee maker (advertisement).
A good list, right?
Let’s get back to telling you how to make an Espresso Martini at home.
So, how do you make an Espresso Martini Drink?
Espresso Martini Recipe
Ingredients
- Vodka 50ml / 1.7oz.
- Kahlua 20ml / 0.7oz.
- Sugar Syrup 10ml / 0.3oz.
- 3 coffee beans
Recipe
With a Cocktail Shaker:- Add Ice, Vodka, Kahlua, Sugar Syrup, and Strong Fresh Espresso to your cocktail shaker.
- Shake well.
- Strain into a Martini Glass.
- Garnish with 3 coffee beans.
- Add Ice, Vodka, Kahlua, Sugar Syrup, and Strong Fresh Espresso to a Martini Glass.
- Garnish with 3 coffee beans.
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FAQs
How many calories are in an Espresso Martini?
Here’s the calorie breakdown for this drink:
How do you make a good Espresso Martini drink without a coffee maker?
If you have ground coffee, you could use a Cafetiere or better yet an Aeropress Coffee Maker.
If you really had to, you could use strong Instant Coffee (something like Nescafe Azera Espresso Coffee is the best bet).
But obviously, instant is never as good as proper ground coffee and it’s going to affect the quality of your drink.
Do you use hot Espresso for a good Espresso Martini drink?
Yes. The Espresso coffee needs to be hot in order to bring out the flavours. If you let it cool, the drink isn’t going to be as good.
Is there a good Espresso Martini Kit that I can buy?
There sure is! Making a good Espresso Martini is now even easier with this kit (advertisement):
Summary
So that’s our guide on how to make an Espresso Martini at home. But that’s not all we’ve learned in this article.
Let’s gather all of our information up and break it down:
- The Espresso Martini drink was first created in 1983.
- The bartender was asked by a young (and future famous) model to make her a cocktail that would “what me up and fuck me up.”
- When it was first created, Polish Vodka was used because Russian Vodka was frowned upon because of the political climate at the time.
- How do you make an Espresso Martini? By adding Vodka, Kahlua, Sugar Syrup and a Shot Espresso to a Cocktail Shaker, shake and then strain into a cocktail glass.
Want More Cocktail Recipes?
Now that you know how to make an Espresso Martini at home, are you looking for more cocktail inspiration?
Then why not check out our Cocktail Recipe page. There you can find over 100 quick & easy cocktail recipes for you to try out.
And the best part is…
…it’s FREE!
Happy mixing!
