Historical documents are silent about who first came up with the idea of mixing strong alcohol and coffee. But this idea, without any doubt, was brilliant. After all, the main components seem to be created for each other. Many people love coffee for its delicious smell. But the aroma of distillates is not for everyone. Strong and delicate, such an awakening bouquet of espresso combined with sweet alcohol creates a coffee liqueur. What to drink it with, when and how to serve it – our article is devoted to these issues. There are a lot of coffee liqueurs being produced now. Some - like, for example, "Sheridans" - look original. What do you need to know so as not to spoil the taste of a first-class and expensive drink? What can and what absolutely cannot be mixed with coffee liqueurs? Find out if you read the information below.
Alcohol serving culture
Of course, each person has their own taste preferences. But there are certain traditions of consuming one type of alcohol or another, developed over centuries. As for liqueurs, they are not served with main courses. Bitter varieties such as Benedictine and Becherovka serve as an aperitif. Their taste helps the secretion of gastric juice and whets the appetite. But how to drink coffee liqueur correctly? These drinks are classified as sweet drinks. And therefore they are served as a digestif, that is, at the end of the main meal. As for accompanying snacks, liqueurs do not tolerate contrasts. Egg varieties (Lawyer, for example) are served with soufflé. Vanilla liqueurs go well with the same cookies. Roasted candied almonds can be served with Amaretto. Cream or chocolate liqueurs are an excellent accompaniment to cakes, whipped cream or ice cream. Berry varieties are suitable for fresh or candied fruit. Unlike cognacs and brandy, this type of alcohol cannot be combined with cigars, tobacco and hookah.
Enjoy the tastes of exquisite alcoholic assemblages
The modern alcohol market pleases every consumer with a magnificent variety of bright alcoholic products that can satisfy the most diverse interests and requirements of tasters. Moreover, if you do not want to make a mistake when choosing a decent alcohol for an evening tasting, we recommend paying attention to the following products in the store:
- De Kuyper Advocaat. Yellow-creamy alcohol with an attractive viscous sweet texture in taste and a magnificent aroma, which is characterized by various shades of vanilla.
- Brogans Irish Cream. Light coffee alcohol, in the aroma of which you can trace aspects of dried fruits and notes of malt. Taste indicators are based on attractive tones of cream and roasted nuts.
- Beluga Hunting Berry Bitter. The alcohol has a rich mahogany color with a delicate flavor based on the nuances of lingonberries, rowan and cranberries. The aromatic bouquet is based on shades of herbs, flowers and Siberian berries.
- Chartreuse Verte. Light green alcohol with a delicate herbaceous flavor. The aromatic nature emerges with a combination of juniper berries and spicy herbaceous notes.
The taste and aromatic flavor that you will find today in representatives of the segment is so diverse that every consumer can easily find among these products the ideal accompaniment for an upcoming event. At the same time, compliance with the fundamental standards and requirements in the selection of snacks guarantees that you will receive the most vivid impressions from every sip. Do not neglect your own emotions when getting acquainted with this or that alcoholic product. Head to your nearest liquor store for the perfect gastronomic accompaniment.
How to drink coffee liqueurs
So, we figured it out: drinks of this type should be served at the end of the main meal at the dessert table. It is also advisable to include coffee cookies or cakes as snacks. But many people don't like the rich, sweet taste of coffee liqueur. What to drink it with if you want to reduce your alcohol level? There are also a number of general rules in this area. Liqueurs can be diluted with mineral water, but only with non-carbonated water. This technique will not only reduce the alcohol strength, but will also help balance the overly sweet taste of the drink. If the ambient temperature is too high, you can serve liqueur, including coffee, with ice cubes. This method is called “on the stones”. Ice cubes are first placed in the glass, and then liqueur is poured. Juices can be mixed into some varieties of this distillate. But you should be careful with them. The fact is that if the liqueur contains cream, it will instantly curdle in the acidic environment of the juice. But coffee with a few milliliters of liqueur is magically transformed for the better. Alcohol should be poured into a hot drink.
What can be diluted and mixed with?
It has been noted more than once before that many varieties of liqueurs are actively used in the process of creating bright cocktails. In the same case, if you want to pamper yourself with one of these mixes at home, we recommend that in the process of familiarizing yourself with the recipes, pay attention to such drinks as —Tornado—, Voodoo, Lambada, Panama and B 52. Each of them is guaranteed to give you a lot of bright new emotions already in the first moments of tasting.
Did you know? Today, the strongest liqueurs are considered to be products whose degree measure is 35-45% and sugar content 30-50%.
How to drink coffee liqueur correctly
We’ve already figured out what to drink with. Now let's move on to the culture of drinking coffee liqueur. The most common method is in its pure form. To do this, the liqueur is poured into a special 25 ml glass in the shape of a bowl with a stem. Don't forget: the drink is served at the end of the feast. It should help the stomach digest ingested food. Therefore, many people like to drink a glass in one gulp to feel the soft and warming effect of alcohol. But there are also people who prefer to savor the taste of liquor. Therefore, this type of alcohol is served at a temperature of +15-20 degrees. A drink that is too cold or warm does not reveal its taste. But “solo” is not the only way to drink liqueur, especially coffee. It goes well with hot drinks. It can be added to a cup of coffee. What are the proportions? Usually 5-10 milliliters of alcohol are poured into a standard cup. Many people like to drink coffee with milk. Why not dilute the liqueur with cream? Their soft, enveloping taste will make the alcohol more delicate. But there should be little milk: one part to three alcohol.
Interesting facts about the drink
Liquor appeared a long time ago . Translated from Latin, liquor means liquid. Most often it is a sweet alcoholic drink. The amount of sugar in it can range from 25 to 60%.
The first liqueurs, which were invented by French monks in the Middle Ages, consisted of medicinal plants infused with alcohol. Such drinks were consumed to improve the health of the body and with the hope of significantly prolonging life. They had one significant drawback: they were too bitter. Then the monks decided to add honey to their tinctures. This is how the first liqueurs appeared.
Gradually, the production of liqueurs turned into an art. New tastes, colors and smells began to appear. The oldest liqueur that has survived to this day is Benedictine. Its composition is kept secret. It is only known that it is based on sugar beets, alcohol, honey and more than 70 different herbs. Benedictine was created in 1510 by the French monk Bernardo Vinzelli. According to legend, when the monk tried the drink he created, he said: “To the Lord, the Best, the Greatest.” The abbreviation of these words is still emblazoned on the bottle of Benedictine.
Gradually, the medicinal properties of the drink began to fade into the background . More attention was paid to taste. In the 18th century, liqueur became fashionable at royal courts. This contributed to improving the quality and increasing the range of products. The imagination of manufacturers also grew: they began to replace medicinal herbs with fruits, berries, spices and nuts. New drinks became less strong and sweeter.
Since the end of the 19th century, the popularity of liqueurs has grown rapidly. And it is still growing. Many types of this product literally bask in the rays of fame and popularity. There are several hundred brands in the world. More than a thousand flavors. And the most popular cocktails cannot be imagined without the addition of this wonderful ingredient.
In cocktails
Representatives of the stronger half of humanity often consider liqueurs to be too weak and too sweet a drink. Therefore, they tend to combine them with other types of distillates. This can be done, but some caution must be observed. Neutral types of alcohol are best suited to coffee liqueur. What should you drink it with to increase the temperature? High-quality soft vodka is considered an ideal companion. Light rum and gin will also work. Cognac and coffee liqueur will already be rivals. Although there are fans of such a “duet”. But you will completely ruin both types of alcohol if you mix coffee liqueur with whiskey or brandy. Champagne is also not suitable as a companion. Sweet cream-based liqueurs do not like either soda or fruit juices. Therefore, cocktails based on them need to be made correctly.
Useful tips
Be bolder and more relaxed; liqueurs do not need to create an entourage in the form of semi-precious glassware or cigars for the price of a bottle of drink. Snacks are quite affordable; avoid meat or fish with a spicy taste in favor of sweet ones. If the company is in the mood to try cocktails, you will need a shaker and crushed ice; many mixtures with liqueurs are poured directly into glasses in layers, like the famous Sheridan.
Good advice in conclusion. Before you think about appetizers, consider the offer to make your own liqueur. You don’t need any expensive equipment; stock up on vodka and coffee beans, although many recipes are designed for soluble granules.
"Kahlua"
However, there is one coffee liqueur that loves the proximity of “fizzy drinks”. This is Kahlua. The drink was invented in Mexico in the first half of the twentieth century. There are now several varieties of Kahlua coffee liqueurs. How to drink such alcohol depends on the brand. Classic Kahlua (20% ABV, made from Arabica and sugar cane) is consumed in its pure form. You can rub a little orange or lemon zest into a glass. There are varieties in which the degree is increased to 35. These are “French Vanilla”, “Mocha” and “Especiale”. These brands are usually poured onto crushed or crushed ice. Nut-flavored Kahlua Hazelnut is usually added to coffee or hot chocolate. Cocktails based on this liqueur have become popular. For example, Kahlua and soda in a 2:4 ratio with the addition of lime juice. You can also fill a highball glass with ice and pour two parts liqueur. Dilute with cola to taste.
Diluted
This method allows you to reduce the strength, reduce sweetness, bitterness or astringency, balancing the taste at your discretion. You can dilute the liqueur with water (carbonated or non-carbonated mineral water), ice, milk, cream, ice cream, hot chocolate or juices. Proportions are selected individually.
Water and ice do not spoil the taste, perfectly reducing the strength. Elite liqueurs are diluted only with water without gas. Adding dairy products is appropriate for drinks based on chocolate, coffee, cocoa or cream.
Citrus juices do not go well with milk liqueurs
To get a refreshing and not cloying taste, it is customary to add orange juice to liqueurs. Other citrus or unsweetened juices, such as lemon or cherry, are also suitable.
Non-dairy liqueurs can be enjoyed with ice cream
Attention! Acidic juices should not be added to cream liqueurs such as Baileys and Sheridans, as the acid instantly curdles the cream, making the drink unfit for consumption.
How to drink Sheridans coffee liqueur
This is a special drink. Its bottle consists of two separate reservoirs. One contains creamy vanilla liqueur, and the other contains coffee or berry liqueur. The necks of the two tanks are equipped with different nozzles. As a result, when you pour Sheridans into a glass, you get the correct proportions: two parts coffee liqueur to one part cream liqueur. But you need to know how to pour such a drink. To do this, tilt a transparent, low 50 ml glass at an angle of 45 degrees. And the two necks in the bottle should be exactly above each other. This is how you get a two-layer Sheridans coffee liqueur. How to drink it correctly? You can admire the beauty and mix both layers. And then enjoy the taste of coffee with cream. You can drink Sheridans through a straw, savoring the layers one by one.
