12 Mistakes You Should Never Make With Coffee Cocktails

Although coffee and cocktails have both been around for a long time, combining the two is a relatively new concept. In the 19th century, some coffee houses served their energizing brews with a splash of liquor. However, most cocktail enthusiasts agree that the first modern coffee cocktail was the Irish coffee, a warming tipple that didn't emerge until the 1940s. A few cocktails featuring coffee liqueur, like the White Russian, appeared shortly after. It wasn't until the 1980s, with the invention of the espresso martini, that coffee-based cocktails experienced a boom in popularity.

Nowadays, there's no shortage of fantastic coffee cocktails to choose from. As an ex-international bartender with more than a decade of professional cocktail experience, I've made more than a few of them myself. I've whipped up more classic espresso martinis than I can count and experimented heavily with twists on the recipe. I've mastered the art of the Irish coffee, played around with different roasts and beans from around the world, and crafted unique signature coffee cocktails for multiple bars. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that it's very easy to underestimate the complexity of using coffee in cocktails. Even before you add any boozy ingredients, it's a beverage that takes no shortage of skill and knowledge to get right. Below, I'm going to share the most common mistakes people make when making coffee cocktails and how to avoid them.

There's a popular saying in the culinary world that you shouldn't cook with wine that you wouldn't drink. In my experience, the same concept applies to making cocktails with coffee. That's not to say you can only rely on expensive coffee. After all, there's plenty of affordable wine that's perfectly drinkable.

The powerful flavor of coffee means that it typically forms the foundation of the cocktail, so using an inferior brew can lead to weak or unbalanced flavors. I always suggest using freshly brewed espresso where possible, and there are plenty of excellent store-bought coffee brands that are good enough for cocktails. In a pinch, you can even use instant coffee to make a serviceable espresso martini. As long as you're using a reasonably high-quality product, it's more important to focus on the type of coffee and how it complements your cocktail. While there are blends available, coffee is usually classified as robusta or arabica. Robusta coffee is often bolder, more bitter, and has an earthy quality, so it's a great choice for cocktails where you want the coffee to be the prominent ingredient. Arabica coffee tends to be sweeter and softer with more nuanced flavors, so it tends to be better when matched with less intense components. It's also important to pay attention to the type of coffee roast, as there are many different types that all impact the drink's final flavor.

If you're somewhat familiar with the particulars of brewing coffee, then you've likely heard of the term "extraction." Extraction is the fancy term for using water to pull the organic compounds out of the ground coffee beans. These compounds include things like caffeine, sugars, fats, tannins, and acids which together give us the delicious flavors and aromas of drinkable coffee.

However, you can always have too much or too little of a good thing. If the water spends too long in contact with the coffee grounds, or the grounds are too fine, it can lead to something called over-extraction. This means too many compounds are drawn out of the coffee which results in excessive bitterness. Diluting over-extracted coffee with more water can make it a little more palatable, but it's not a suitable solution when the coffee is going in a cocktail. Conversely, under-extraction occurs when the water isn't hot enough to draw out the soluble compounds, it doesn't have enough contact time with the coffee, or the grounds are too coarse. The result is coffee that tastes thin and sour, which will also unbalance your cocktail. The factors that need adjusting for perfect extraction can vary depending on your brewing method and the type of coffee, so it takes a combination of research and trial and error to get it right.

When I was running the bar at a high-end restaurant in New Zealand, I was given the opportunity to attend a coffee workshop from the company that supplied our custom-roasted beans. One of the things that surprised me most was just how quickly coffee becomes stale.

The precise time frame for how long coffee remains fresh varies, depending on who you ask. Most people agree that fresh beans stay fresh for a few weeks and can last for up to a year in a sealed, unopened bag. Storing beans at room temperature in an airtight container will increase their lifespan, but eventually, the flavor starts to dissipate. Unless the beans become moldy, they're unlikely to make you sick, but stale coffee is a tasteless affair that results in underwhelming cocktails. Once you grind your beans, the increased surface area of the coffee means they're exposed to even more air. Stored correctly, you may get a week before the grounds turn stale, otherwise, the quality can start to degrade in as little as 30 minutes. For the tastiest coffee cocktails, only grind as much coffee as you need to make your drinks.

Any seasoned cocktail bartender will tell you that the order in which you add your ingredients matters. As a rule of thumb, you should add ingredients based on their cost, in ascending order. This way, if you make a mistake, you reduce the expense of any ingredients that go to waste. However, rules have exceptions, and using coffee in a cold cocktail is one of them.

It all comes down to the temperature of coffee. Immediately pouring hot coffee over ice shocks the liquid, resulting in the kind of astringency you get from over-extraction. The ice will also start to melt, introducing excess water to your cocktail and leading to over-dilution. The key is to brew your coffee first, then give it a chance to cool slightly while you add your other cocktail ingredients to your shaker or mixing glass. Coffee should be the last liquid ingredient to go in, and the other components will help cool it further. While it will still be warm, at this point you can add your ice without worrying about it melting too quickly. Just make sure to shake or stir your cocktail immediately to avoid over-dilution.

Although it may not be suitable for every coffee cocktail recipe, bold cold brew coffee can be an excellent alternative to fresh espresso. Not to be confused with iced coffee, cold brew coffee doesn't use hot water. Instead, it involves using cold or room temperature water for extraction.

The reduced temperature of the water means cold brew coffee takes longer to make. The sweet spot is usually between 12 and 24 hours for full extraction — any longer and you run the risk of excess bitterness. Additionally, concentrated cold brew coffee is better for cocktails, as it uses less water. This means there's less risk of over-diluting your drink and the flavor intensity will be more aligned with that of espresso. Cold brew coffee is typically smoother and less acidic than regular coffee. This can make it easier to balance your cocktail when using softer ingredients; however, espresso may still be the superior choice if you want your drink to have a bit more bite. You can also refrigerate cold brew coffee, making it extremely handy from a prep perspective. Concentrated cold brew can last up to a couple of weeks in the fridge, while the diluted version stays fresh for about four days. If necessary, you can extend your cold brew's shelf life even further by freezing it.

Picking the best ingredients for your cocktail can be tricky, as it all comes down to finding the right balance between cost, quality, and suitability. I've always found that there's a point of diminishing returns with many premium ingredients. The flavor nuances that make high-end spirits and liqueurs worth the extra money are typically lost once they're combined with other components, and this is especially true when you're using an ingredient as intense as coffee.

That said, it's still best to avoid using poor quality ingredients if you don't want them to clash with the coffee's bold taste. Low-grade liquors are usually harsher tasting with more pronounced ethanol notes, so they can easily throw your cocktails flavors out of balance. You'll end up needing to use other ingredients to mask the booziness which can create a muddled, messy profile that pushes the coffee into the background. Ultimately, you should only use extra fancy ingredients if they add a dimension to your cocktail that you wouldn't get without them. Price and quality aren't always synonymous, so you can still opt for lower cost options if the recipe doesn't suffer.

I've said it before and I'll say it again — cocktails are all about balance. A recipe should round out and soften your base spirit without overpowering it. Acidity can add a mouthwatering brightness but may need to be tempered with sweet ingredients. Bitterness can be a welcome feature unless it veers into astringency. Balancing coffee cocktails can be a bit fiddly because coffee offers almost every flavor aspect, and the overall profile can vary greatly depending on the type you use and the brewing method. Failure to harmonize all of these different facets can result in a drink that's unpleasantly jarring or disappointingly one-note.

As such, there's no hard rule for balancing coffee cocktails, so you'll have to rely on research and trial and error. When choosing a base spirit, be sure to pick something that complements the coffee. Dark spirits like rum or whiskey are reliable thanks to their inherent sweet notes, such as vanilla and caramel. Neutral spirits, like vodka, can let the coffee shine through. If you're struggling to make your recipe work, it may be the coffee that's the issue. Light roast coffee is typically more acidic than dark roast coffee, so it pairs better with citrus and fruit flavors; however, dark roast coffee tends to be more bitter and may need creamy elements to even things out.

Although this mistake can technically fall under failing to balance your drink, it's worth looking at in more detail. I've found that over-sweetening coffee cocktails is the most common misstep bartenders make. If you're someone that takes four sugars in your coffee, I won't judge. However, taking the same approach to a cocktail will mask the coffee's natural complexity, which is supposed to be the main feature of the drink.

In my experience, less is more. The secret to enhancing coffee cocktails lies in choosing a sweetening ingredient that's complex and interesting. For example, a simple syrup made with brown sugar is far richer and has a deeper flavor than one made with white sugar. Honey or maple syrup are also excellent alternatives that can be used in moderation, and I've made some delicious drinks with date syrup. You should also be aware of the sweetness of any liqueurs you use. There are heaps of delicious coffee liqueurs that add excellent depth to cocktails, but they can vary hugely in their sugar levels. Although a specific liqueur might have the flavor you're after, you want to be sure that using it won't make your cocktail too sweet or cloying.

Regardless of the cocktail I'm making, I always ask myself the question — would this be better with bitters? More often than not, the answer is a resounding "yes." Overlooking cocktail bitters is a mistake because just a few dashes can level-up a drink from good to great, and coffee cocktails are no exception.

Cocktail bitters are usually split into two categories — lifting bitters and binding bitters. Lifting bitters tend to have one or two dominant flavor aspects that add something to your cocktail that your other ingredients can't provide without overhauling the whole recipe. Meanwhile, binding bitters tend to be more complex tinctures that act as the missing link in a recipe. They tie together the various components to create a cocktail that's greater than the sum of its parts. Both types can work in coffee cocktails, and you may even want to combine bitters to upgrade your recipe. Not every type of bitters will suit coffee cocktails but I suggest choosing flavors that highlight the key flavors in the coffee. For example, cocoa bitters have a rich, warming spice that highlights the chocolate notes in the coffee. My go-to is Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters which were the first of their kind. Bittercube's Cherry Bark Vanilla bitters are excellent for creamier cocktails, while orange bitters, like Regan's No.6, are superb for fruitier recipes.

People wonder whether coffee cocktails should be shaken or stirred. Ultimately, it all depends on the type of drink you're making. Hot coffee cocktails, like an Irish coffee, should always be stirred. You'll also likely want to stir simpler, spirit-forward cocktails to avoid over-diluting them. When you're employing a multitude of ingredients, shaking helps combine them properly. When you're using fresh espresso or cold brew, shaking can help the proteins and emulsified oils in the coffee trap air. This results in a light and frothy texture, similar to what you get when adding egg whites to a cocktail.

That said, for the best results, your shaking technique needs to be on point. For coffee cocktails, I start with a dry shake, which involves shaking all of your ingredients without ice. This lets you shake longer and harder to create the fluffiest texture without worrying about over-diluting your cocktail. It also gives the coffee time to cool down before introducing the ice. Then, add your ice and shake until your mixture is sufficiently chilled and diluted. I also recommend double-straining your cocktail to ensure the smoothest mouthfeel and keep any stray ice chips out of the finished drink.

Picking the right glass to serve your cocktail in is about far more than aesthetics. Some glasses are tailored to highlight complex aromas while others are designed with temperature in mind. Visual appeal is certainly a factor that shouldn't be ignored but you're doing your cocktail a disservice by using the wrong vessel.

For starters, if you're serving a hot coffee cocktail, you'll want a glass that will protect the drinker's hands. The glass should also be thick enough to retain and withstand the heat. Irish coffee glasses are designed with all of these considerations in mind, so they're always a dependable choice. For chilled cocktails, you have a bit more flexibility. However, one of the best features of coffee cocktails is the rich, fragrant aroma, so a wide-rimmed glass is best. This also allows for larger sips that let you better appreciate a creamy mouthfeel. If you're serving your cocktail over ice, I suggest using a double rocks glass. For drinks served straight up, a martini glass or coupe is ideal.

Although they're an extremely effective way to enhance the appearance of a drink, cocktail garnishes serve a more important function. A great garnish will also contribute to the flavor or aroma of your cocktail, or potentially both.

If you've ever ordered an espresso martini, there's an extremely high chance it was served with three coffee beans resting on top. I have nothing against simple, classic garnishes but there are plenty of superior and more interesting options. Plus, I've always found it fiddly trying to line the beans up nicely. One of my signature espresso martinis used to feature a torch marshmallow on top which complemented the coffee with rich notes of caramel and campfire smoke. Lighter coffee cocktails can benefit from the fragrant oils of citrus peel or dehydrated citrus wheels. A dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg can highlight the coffee's spicy notes. Coconut shavings will sweetly elevate the nuttiness of coffee, and a margarita-style salt rim can reduce a cocktail's bitterness. If your cocktail has a fluffy white head, you can also add a few drops of your preferred bitters and use a cocktail stick to create elegant swirls. Don't be afraid to ditch the coffee beans and get creative — your cocktail will thank you for it.