Whether it’s to be added to heavy cream for a dessert libation or it’s a component of a more complex cocktail, coffee liqueur is not only simple to make—it’s one cocktail ingredient guaranteed to make you friends.
(This article was originally published in the 2018 January A issue of The Tulsa Voice, under the title “Morning cup or night cap? – Make this homemade coffee liqueur and you can have both”.)
The first and most crucial step to making homemade coffee liqueur is to use fresh cold brew coffee concentrate, which retains the distinct coffee flavors but offers less bitterness. Making cold brew is as easy as making regular coffee; the only difference is the temperature of the water and extraction time (how long the water is in contact with the coffee grounds). Several companies offer devices specifically designed for making cold brew, but a French press will also do a decent job.
Measure 179 grams of coarsely-ground coffee and add it to a French press with 757 milliliters of cold water. Place the French press in the refrigerator and let it extract for 12–15 hours.
Filter the cold brew concentrate from the French press and transfer 10 ounces of the liquid to a large measuring cup. Total yield should be about 13 ounces. Add a half-ounce of vanilla extract (not to be confused with imitation vanilla flavor) and ⅛ of a teaspoon of salt.
Coffee liqueur needs a base spirit, and rum, with notes of vanilla and molasses, will provide the most complementary flavor profile. There are several styles of rum, but the common thread is that all are made with byproducts of sugarcane production. Using a blackstrap rum is recommended because it is made using dark molasses—other styles will dramatically alter the liqueur. For this recipe, use 7 ounces of Cruzan black strap rum, Gosling’s black seal rum, or Myer’s dark rum.
Building on the bold flavors contributed by the blackstrap rum, brown sugar is the preferred sweetener since it’s refined sugar with molasses added. Traditional simple syrups are equal parts sugar and water, but to keep the coffee flavor dominant, combine 180 grams of the remaining coffee concentrate (roughly six ounces) with 180 grams of brown sugar, and dissolve the mixture over low heat.
Add the coffee–brown sugar syrup to the cold brew, rum, and vanilla mixture, and stir to combine. Funnel into a bottle for storage—glass swing-top bottles work well.
The most iconic cocktail you can make with this coffee liqueur is the White Russian. Simply combine 2 ounces of vodka and 1 ounce of coffee liqueur in a rocks glass filled with ice, and top it with ¾ ounces of heavy cream.
For those looking for a slightly more refined cocktail, the Revolver is a simple solution. Created by Jon Santer to coincide with the release of Bulleit bourbon, the drink contains 2¼ ounces of bourbon, ¾ ounces of coffee liqueur, and 2 dashes of orange bitters. Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an expressed orange peel.
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First, make cold brew coffee concentrate.
DIY Homemade Coffee Liqueur
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cold brew concentrate
- 7 ounces blackstrap rum
- 6 ounces coffee brown sugar syrup 6 ounces of this comes from the above coffee concentrate total
- ½ ounce vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Notes
The hard work is done. Now enjoy the coffee liqueur in a few cocktails!
White Russian
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce coffee liqueur
- ¾ ounce heavy cream
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and a shake until chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Alternatively, you could combine the ingredients in the glass, and layer the cream on top, then stir to combine.
Notes
Revolver
Ingredients
- 2¼ ounces bourbon
- ¾ ounce coffee liqueur
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Instructions
- Stir ingredients in a mixing glass with ice until chilled.
- Strain into chilled coupe glass and garnish with expressed orange peel.
