November 24th is National Espresso Day and if you’re looking to celebrate this bold day by making a cocktail using Espresso look no further.

The recipe:
2 oz (60ml) Vodka
0.5 oz (15ml) Coffee Liqueur
0.5 oz (15 ml) Freshly Brewed Espresso
1 oz (30ml) Simple Syrup
Shake and strain into a chilled coupe.
Garnish with three coffee beans and the essential oils of the lemon zest.

Helpful tips:

The Glass: Make sure you put your cocktail coupe to chill in the fridge or with ice.

The Shaker: Since I recommend using hot espresso – go with an “all-stainless shaker” such as a Boston shaker with the “tin on tin” option.

The Espresso: Must be as fresh as possible, so brew and dump it in your shaker.

The Liqueur: Buy a good Coffee liqueur – No cheap stuff!

The Mixing: Shake for 30 seconds until your shaker feels ice cold.

The Lemon Peel Oils: While a lemon zest does not necessarily add a lot to an, the espresso martini can often benefit from a touch of acid from the zest of lemon.

Livio Lauro