I wonder if anyone has tried pulling espresso shots directly with certain booze, not just dropping alcohol into an espresso shot (or vice versa), using single shot pullers.. I have a couple of them I can try this with. Alcohol is not exactly good for rubber seals, but so long as I'm not doing it all the time, and the alcohol isn't too strong, I highly doubt there will be any lasting effects on the machine.

Yeah I was going to try this in my handpresso, but expect to need warm alcohol...will try a corretto tonight as the experiment is on the todo list for a while...

As a suggestion for making a traditional caffè corretto with grappa, traditional wisdom suggests you use a grappa made with the vines of multiple vineyards instead of just one, the taste balance is supposed to be better this way. I myself have unfortunately not been in a situation to empirically validate those claims however. Caffè corretto alla Sambuca is a popular alternative as well.

Coffee with Cognac or brandy, the best winter drink.

I personally choose calvados over the two, but I've heard someone mention that taste is somewhat subjective.
Oh, and I choose to sip my calvados on the side. Not in the coffee...

Amaretto liqueur works decently with coffee.

Nick Name wrote: Amaretto liqueur works decently with coffee.

+1

Amaretto liquer also works decently with vanilla ice cream. I've served affogatos with Disaronno instead of espresso for those that can handle alcohol but don't like / want caffeine.

weebit_nutty wrote:I wonder if anyone has tried pulling espresso shots directly with certain booze, not just dropping alcohol into an espresso shot (or vice versa), using single shot pullers.. I have a couple of them I can try this with. Alcohol is not exactly good for rubber seals, but so long as I'm not doing it all the time, and the alcohol isn't too strong, I highly doubt there will be any lasting effects on the machine.

I've thought about it, (la Peppina is suitable, even if I'd probably make the entire house reek of alcohol) but figured that it'd probably be quite expensive as I'd need at least two bottles of good liquor to dial in as although alcohol is a very good solvent, it boils at a much lower temperature than water, which would mean the extraction temperature game introduces a new set of variables.

good point.

There are certainly technicalities no one has really worked out trying to extract espresso using an alcoholic beverage versus water. I think a using a hard liquor wouldn't taste too good unless that shot was mixed as an ingredient to a more complex cocktail.

But by itself, what might work best is a liqueur or other lower-proof spirit. Curacao, rum, triple sec, amaretto.. something along that line. I imagine those might be awfully taste, (or awful lol)

I like a 1:1 mix of espresso and Averna, myself. You can also do a machiatto variant (1 part spro, 1 part Averna, 1 part steamed milk).

Let's not forget the old Scandinavian coffee cocktail Plörö (in Finnish), Karsk (Norwegian) or Kask (Swedish). I've heard that on the other side of the Atlantic ocean it has sometimes been referred to as Russian coffee, but that is just silly, saying more about the person using that name than about the cocktail itself.

It is not made with espresso - naturally, it is not an Italian drink. Italians use stronger coffee for their caffe corretto, Scandinavians make it stronger with something else than coffee....

Traditionally it is best to be made with coffee brewed over a bonfire or (if you happen to be indoors) in a kettle over your stove. In an emergency, filter coffee can be used.
As for alcohol moonshine is the obvious choice, but vodka is often used (thus the misinterpretation as it being Russian). During the Finnish prohibition Plörö was made with smuggled Spiritus Fortis, but I suppose it was not such a great idea.


Traditional recipe that is often mentioned goes like:

Put a small copper coin in the bottom of your coffee mug.
Pour coffee until you can't see the coin.
Pour alcohol until you can see the coin.
Enjoy.
Don't swallow or forget to pick up your coin.

There are occasions where cognac or some other fancy colored stuff has been used, but then I would suggest a different recipe due to possible problems with visibility.