coffee-in-bourbon

As any cocktail aficionado will tell you, some ingredients are simply made to go together. There are the combos we all know and love, like gin and tonic, tequila and lime, and Pimm’s and lemonade, but we’d like to give a shout out to one of the unsung heroes – bourbon and coffee!

Bourbon in Coffee

The fact that certain types of alcohol and coffee go together beautifully is no new revelation. However, combining bourbon in coffee is a taste sensation that often gets overlooked in favor of other more popular coffee and booze combinations, like Irish whiskey and Kahlua.

Both coffee and bourbon are packed with complex, bold, and delicious flavors. When combined, the result is a smooth and sensuous drink that packs a punch while warming you from the inside. With so many varieties of coffee beans available, there’s also the potential to blend bourbon in coffee of different strengths and origins to play around with different flavor profiles.

If you’re a fan of drinking bourbon and coffee separately, do your taste buds a favor and treat yourself to one of these simple but delicious mixes.

Coffee Infused Bourbon

This recipe is unbelievably simple, so you don’t need to have any mixology skills to pull it off.

You’ll need:

  • 1 x 750ml bottle of your favorite bourbon
  • ½ cup of whole coffee beans (espresso beans work best)

Simply combine the bourbon and coffee beans in a glass or plastic container and let infuse in a dark place overnight (or longer, depending on your desired strength). Strain the coffee beans using a fine strainer and store the coffee infused bourbon back in its original bottle or similar airtight container.

Once brewed, coffee infused bourbon is delicious served straight up, on the rocks, or as an ingredient in other cocktails. You can also add a vanilla bean during the infusion process for an added layer of complexity.

The Electric Slide

 This delicious blend comes courtesy of one of San Francisco’s best restaurants, Pläj,  as delivered exclusively to the local guide, 7x7, and we can’t get enough of the sweet and spicy combo.

You’ll need:

  • 1 ½ oz coffee-infused bourbon
  • ¾ oz Jelinek Fernet
  • ½ oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 egg white

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously, before adding ice and continuing to shake. Strain into a cocktail glass and serve decorated with three coffee beans, espresso martini style.

Coffee Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned is a classic bourbon cocktail, brought soaring back into popularity by Don Draper and the suave alcoholics of the high-brow TV show, Mad Men. Adding coffee infused bourbon is an easy and exciting way to take the classic Old Fashioned to a new, modern level.

You’ll need:

  • 3 oz coffee infused bourbon (or 1 oz bourbon and a double shot espresso)
  • ¼ oz simple sugar syrup
  • A dash of bitters
  • 1-inch piece of lemon or orange peel

Combine bourbon, syrup, and bitters into a short tumbler filled with ice and stir. Rub the orange or lemon peel around the rim of the glass and then twist for garnish.

And there you have it. A selection of soul-warming bourbon in coffee recipes ideal for cold weather, the holiday season or any time you’re in need of a sumptuous pick-me-up.