Is Coffee A Good Mixer For Bourbon?

It's been a long day and you've got a cocktail on your mind — preferably, bourbon. You're also dragging, and bourbon will make you sleepy. Don't be mad at the alcohol — it's just the way it's made. Healthline explains that alcohol acts as a sedative because it depresses the central nervous system. Although it may give you a restless night's sleep, it'll make you want your bed sooner than later. That explains all the yawning during your happy hour.

So, what's the solution? Should you stop enjoying cocktail time? Nonsense. Rather than give it up altogether, look for a drink that can give you a little boost as you indulge. Enter, the coffee mixer.

Coffee has long been enjoyed in cocktails, including Irish coffee and espresso martinis, per Liquor.com. At some bars, you may even find the ever-popular old-fashioned, infused with coffee. Perhaps these coffee enthusiasts are on to something. Stop cleaning out the coffee maker in the morning. You'll need to brew some more for your bourbon nightcap.

Have you ever thought about how coffee has notes just as bourbon does? Mistobox writes that understanding the flavors in your coffee, to its fullest, will help you enjoy your cup of Joe even more, especially when you break it into taste, aroma, and flavor. Taste is found on the tongue and is where you'll sense sour, sweet, or salty in your coffee. The aroma is the decadent smell that only coffee can bring to your senses. Put them both together and you've got the entire flavor.

Bourbon is tasted in a similar way but has even more levels of flavor, including how it feels on the tongue, as well as the finish that you taste after the bourbon has been swallowed. Two fantastic drinks with impressive flavor notes, but can you mix them?

The answer is a resounding, yes! Obviously, coffee and bourbon go well together. Jim beam even makes a bourbon-flavored coffee. Jim Beam can't be wrong, so go ahead and use coffee as a mixer with your favorite bourbon. According to DRNXMYTH, the bitter cocoa flavor of coffee is a perfect match for bourbon's sweet and smokey side. A higher-proof bourbon will give your coffee and bourbon cocktail an even better kick. Just add a little bourbon to your favorite coffee beverage, and you're set for a relaxing evening with less yawning.