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What is spirited coffee?
Alcoholic spirits and liqueurs can be added to coffee, often sweetened and with cream floated on top. These beverages are often given names according to the alcoholic addition:
Black coffee is served with
brandy, or marc, or grappa, or other strong spirit.
Irish coffee is
with Irish whiskey, sugar, and cream. There are many variants, essentially the same but with the use of a different spirit:
- Café au Drambuie, with Drambuie instead of whiskey
- Caribbean or Jamaican coffee, with dark rum
- Gaelic or Scotch coffee, with Scotch whisky
- Kahlua coffee, with Kahlua liqueur
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According to San Francisco history, this legendary drink was created in 1952 at the uena Vista, the now landmark restaurant and bar. Apparently the owner, Jack Koeppler, read about a hot coffee and whiskey beverage that was tasted in Ireland by the travel columnist, Stanton Delaplane. Mr. Koeppler was so intent on making this drink perfectly he traveled to Ireland to confer with it's creator, Shannon Airport bartender Joe Sheridan. Through the years, the Buena Vista recipe has been borrowed and slightly modified by each bartender who serves it. The following recpe is an
adaptation from the original.
1 Irish Coffee glass, preheated
3/4 cup full city roast brewed coffee
2 teaspoons sugar
1 jigger Irish whiskey (never use scotch)
1/4 cup lightly whipped cream
Pour hot coffee in the heated glass. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Mix in the whiskey. Top with whipped cream. Serves one.
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Kioki Coffee
A drink blending strong coffee with the combined kick of brandy and Kahlua.
1 12-ounce coffee mug, preheated
1 cup French Roast brewed coffee
1 jigger brandy
1 jigger Kahlua or other good quality coffee liqueur
1/4 cup lightly whipped cream
Pour hot coffee into the heated mug. Add the coffee, brandy, and Kahlua and stir well. Top with whipped cream. Serves one.
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Bailey's Irish Cream Coffee
This drink can sometimes have a jigger of creme de cacao and 1/4 teaspoon of Frangelico added to the glass, depending on the bartender.
1 12-ounce wine glass, preheated
10 ounces medium roast brewed coffee
1 1/2 jiggers Bailey's Original Irish Cream
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped until stiff peaks form
Ground cinnamon (optional)
Pour hot coffee into the heated glass. Add the Bailey's and mix well. Top with a mound of whipped cream and a few dashes of cinnamon if desired. Serves one.
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Cafe Brulot
A warming and soothing drink.
1 large brandy snifter, preheated
1 1/2 jiggers cognac
1 teaspoon sugar
1 or 2 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 strip each of orange and lemon peel
10 ounces medium roast brewed coffee
1/2 jigger Grand Marnier
Put all ingredients except the coffee and the Grand Marnier in a small saucepan and warm gently over low heat for two minutes, or until the mixture becomes aromatic. Stir in the coffee. Strain into the warm brandy snifter. Stir in the Grand Marnier. Serves one.
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Cafe Royal
This very intensely flavored drink is also known as Cafe Gloria. The presentation should win "oohs" and "aahs."
1 12-ounce wine glass, preheated
10 ounces French Roast brewed coffee
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cube sugar
1 1/2 jiggers brandy
Pour the hot coffee in the heated wine glass. Stir in the half teaspoon of sugar to dissolve. Place the cube of sugar in a small, warmed bowl and add the brandy. Ignite the brandy and immediately pour into the coffee, allowing the flames to burn off the alcohol. Stir into the hot coffee. Serves one.
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Frangelico Coffee
1 12-ounce wine glass, preheated
10 ounces full city roast brewed coffee
1 1/2 jiggers Frangelico liqueur
1/4 cup lightly whipped cream
Pour hot coffee in the heated wine glass and stir in the Frangelico. Top with the whipped cream.
Serves one
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Chocolate-Hazelnut Coffee
A creamy blend of rich chocolate and hazelnuts makes this drink addictive. If you want to make it truly decadent, top with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder.
1 12-ounce wine glass, preheated
10 ounces medium roast brewed coffee
1 jigger Godiva chocolate liqueur
1 jigger hazelnut liqueur
Pour hot coffee in the heated wine glass and stir in the two liqueurs. Serves one.
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Amaretto Coffee
1 large brandy snifter, preheated
10 ounces medium roast brewed coffee
1 1/2 jiggers Amaretto liqueur
1/4 cup lightly whipped coffee
1/2 teaspoon toasted, sliced almonds (optional)
Pour hot coffee in the heated brandy snifter and stir in the liqueur. Top with whipped cream and almonds, if desired. Serves one.
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Mexican Coffee
This drink can also have the added punch of two tablespoons of your favorite tequila, but be prepared for the results: the drink quickly "goes to your head."
1 large brandy snifter, preheated
10 ounces medium roast brewed coffee (a Mexican or Guatemalan works well)
1 1/2 jiggers Kahlua liqueur
1/4 cup lightly whipped coffee
dash of each of ground cinnamon and cocoa powder
Pour hot coffee in the heated brandy snifter and stir in the liqueur. Top with whipped cream, cinnamon and cocoa powder. Serves one.
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Cafe Diablo
This showy drink combines spiced brandy, Grand Marnier, and a strong African roast such as Kenyan or Sumatran. Mason's Restaurant used to create this popular drink tableside, using a saucepan and igniting the brandy before ladling the potent drink into a demitasse cup. It is no longer available at the restaurant (for the obvious fire-hazard reasons), but can certainly be recreated in your own home for special guests. The proportions have been changed to accommodate a coffee mug.
1 12-ounce coffee mug, preheated
2 cubes sugar
1 1/2 jiggers brandy
1/2 jigger Grand Marnier
5-8 whole cloves
1 strip orange peel
1 strip lemon peel
8 ounces Kenyan or Sumatran brewed coffee
Gently heat all of the ingredients except the coffee in a chafing dish or, if one is not available, a saucepan. Pour the hot coffee into coffee mug. The brandy should begin to release its aroma after a few minutes. At this point, ignite the brandy and allow the flames to burn for 15-20 seconds, then ladle the brandy mixture over the hot coffee. Mix the coffee and brandy together. Serves one.
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Brandied Chocolate Punch
1 cup prepared cold coffee
1cup milk
2 squares semisweet chocolate, melted
2 tablespoons brandy
Freeze coffee in an ice cube tray. Combine frozen cubes with milk, chocolate, and brandy in a blender. Blend until frothy. Serve at once. Serves 2
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Coffee Alexander
1/2 ounce Kahlua
1/2 ounce Amaretto
6 ounces chilled coffee
2 scoops of chocolate ice cream
Put ingredients in a blender, mix well until smooth. Top with whipped cream & chocolate shavings. Serves 2
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IRISH MONK
1/2 oz Baily's
3/4 oz Frangelica
Fill with coffee and top with whipped cream.
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MILLIONAIRE COFFEE
1/2 ounce Kahlua
1/2 ounce Bailey's Irish Cream
1/2 Grand Marnier
1/2 ounce Frangelico
brewed coffee
whipped cream to garnish (optional)
Pour liqueurs into tall coffee mug. Add hot coffee. Top with whipped cream. Try this just once and I think you'll agree....it is worth it's weight in gold!
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