It is claimed that today globally more than two billion cups of coffee are drunken every day.
If you are one of those coffee lovers that can drink coffee at any time of the day, you might actually fancy to add a little bit of booze after 5 pm (or at any other time you think suitable).
This is actually nothing new. If history has it right, adding alcohol to coffee goes way back to 1795 and the first to do it were the Swedes.
Today, you will find lots of different hot coffee recipes requiring a good shot of liquor, whisky or other spirits around the world.
Note: Some of the below recipes request to top up your hot coffee with whipped cream. To assure it does not dissolve, either whip the cream solid or if only lightly whipped, pour it carefully over a warm teaspoon.
Irish coffee
Easily one of the most famous alcoholic coffee beverages is the Irish coffee. It calls for – you guessed it – Irish whiskey. In fact, the one that is written with an ‘e’ and is be made on the island of Ireland.
The world ‘whiskey’ comes from the Irish uisce beatha, meaning water of life and Irish whiskey once used to be the most popular spirit in the world.
Don’t tell anybody but Irish coffee still tastes great using other type of whisky though.
Irish coffee is a favourite on St. Patricks day or during the festive season but as long as it is cold outside or you are simply in the right mood, this is a great drink to enjoy any time.
Serves one:
A large cup of hot coffee (around 175 ml)
45 ml Irish whisky
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Whipped cream
Pour hot into a coffee mug or a glass until about ¾ full than add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add whisky and gently stir again.
Top up with freshly whipped cream
Amaretto coffee
In Italy, coffee is not a simple drink. It is a lifestyle. And espresso – locally simply referred to as café – is perhaps the most favoured variety in the country.
Another local favourite is Amaretto, an almond-flavoured liquor that originally comes from the Saronno area.
Now combine the two and you will have a delicious late afternoon hot sip.
Serves one:
A freshly brewed cup of coffee
30 ml Amaretto liqueur
Whipped cream
Pour your freshly brewed hot coffee in a cup, add the Amaretto liqueur and top up with a generous tablespoon (or two) of whipped cream.
Hot French Connection
Crossing the border into France from Italy, the French have come up with a similar way to booze up their coffee.
In fact, they have come up with a hot twist to the well-liked French Connection cocktail.
The French Connection is likely one of the easiest cocktails you can find. It calls for 1.5 parts cognac and one part amaretto liqueur served on ice.
Combine the drink with a hot cup of coffee during the colder months of the year (and remove the ice off course), and you have another great alcoholic warmer for your afternoon coffee and cake.
Serves one:
A freshly brewed cup of coffee
30 ml cognac
30 ml amaretto
Whipped cream
Add cognac and amaretto to a hot cup of coffee. Top up with a generous scoop of whipped cream and garnish with shaved almonds.
Russian coffee
Freshly brewed hot coffee, vodka and cream. It’s as easy than this.
All you need to do is to prepare a cup of hot coffee. Add vodka heavy cream.
Serves one:
A cup of freshly brewed coffed
45 ml (Russian) vodka
30 ml heavy cream
Combine coffee, vodka and heavy cream.
Optionally, top up your Russian coffee with milk foam or whipped cream.
Hot maple bourbon coffee
I am not entirely sure where the origins of this coffee lie, but since it combines both bourbon and maple syrup, I might not be too far off saying North America. That said, should anybody know better, feel free to correct me.
In any case, I really love the taste of maple syrup and bourbon complementing a hot cup of coffee.
Serves one:
30 ml bourbon (or any other good whisky)
60 ml maple syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
Whipped cream
In a freshly brewed hot cup of coffee, add the maple syrup, sugar and vanilla sugar. Top up with a generous scoop of whipped cream.
Pumpkin spice whisky latte
Something I am eagerly looking forward to each year is the return of pumpkin spiced latte.
It is made using simple syrup flavoured with spices you will use to make pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin spice simple syrup:
120 ml water
65 g sugar
3 cinnamon sticks (7 cm long)
4 cloves
10 black peppercorns
In a saucepan, combine water and sugar and bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Reduce the heat, add all spices and let simmer for about five minutes.
Set aside to cool, then pour through a sieve.
Pour the syrup into a jar that can be sealed. It stores up to a month in the fridge.
Now on to making the pumpkin spice latte.
Serves one:
35 ml espresso
210 ml hot milk
2 tablespoons pumpkin spiced simple syrup
30 ml whisky
Whipped cream
Ground nutmeg
Pour hot milk into a large cup or glass, add freshly brewed coffee. Add simple syrup and whisky and gently stir to combine.
Top with freshly whipped cream and garnish with some ground nutmeg.
Do you love drinking coffee? What about adding some booze? Are you in for it?
Carrots and Tigers 