Method
Pull the espresso:
- Pull a single shot of espresso. Use it hot. The temperature shock against the ice is what creates the famous foam.
Shake hard:
- Add vodka, Kahlua, simple syrup, and the hot espresso to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake hard for 15 to 20 seconds. You want to hear the ice break up. The foam comes from aggressive shaking.
Strain and garnish:
- Double strain into a chilled martini glass or coupe. The crema on top should be thick and tan-coloured.
- Float three coffee beans on the foam. Why three? Tradition. Health, wealth, and happiness, supposedly.
Nutrition
Notes
Cold espresso does not foam. The hot espresso hitting the ice in the shaker is what creates the dense crema you see in photos.
Skip the simple syrup if your coffee liqueur is sweet enough already. Most are. Taste before you pour.
The Dick Bradsell origin story: invented at Soho Brasserie in London in 1983, allegedly when a young model asked for something to 'wake me up and then mess me up.' That is the whole reason this drink exists.