Espresso
A concentrated shot of coffee, the base of an Espresso Martini.
Origin
Italy, where the espresso machine and brewing method were developed and refined through the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
History
Espresso was developed in Italy as engineers worked to brew coffee faster under pressure, with Luigi Bezzera patenting an early espresso machine in 1901 and Achille Gaggia's 1940s piston-lever design producing the crema (the characteristic golden foam) that defines modern espresso. Its concentrated, intense character made it a natural cocktail ingredient once espresso machines spread beyond Italy through the 20th century, most famously anchoring the Espresso Martini, created in London in the late 1980s by bartender Dick Bradsell.
Flavor profile
Intensely concentrated coffee flavor, bitter and roasty with a thick crema and far less water than drip coffee.
Tasting notes
Bold, dense, and bittersweet, with a lingering roasted intensity that stands up well against sweet or creamy cocktail ingredients rather than getting lost the way a milder brewed coffee might.
Substitutes
- Strong cold brew coffee concentrate, for a similar intensity without needing a machine.
- Coffee liqueur mixed with a small amount of very strong brewed coffee, as an approximation.
- Instant espresso powder dissolved in a small amount of hot water, for a quick substitute.
Common cocktails