Hi, Friends of Cocktails! We’ve all been there, it’s getting late but you still get the urge to order an Espresso Martini. You love the taste or you just want to feel like an ‘80s supermodel. Either way, in the back of your mind you probably know that caffeine at this hour isn’t a great idea. There’s great sides to coffee, of course, and the taste of an Espresso Martini is for sure one of them, but there’s also possible side effects like increased heart rate, anxiety and of course… disrupted sleep.
If you have ever found yourself wondering if there is a better way, then I got you covered ! And since this is Cocktail Time we’re not just throwing in decaf coffee and calling it a day, so instead I’ll show you how to create 2 coffee substitutes using Chicory and Acorn. We’ll then use these substitutes to make a delicious, caffeine-free fall-inspired twist on the Espresso Martini, which I’ve even featured in a cocktail menu before.
It was quite a hit, but I still improved a few things after finding the recipe in my notebooks… but first, what even is a coffee substitute? Coffee is one of the most prized commodities, but during World War II, the American Civil War or the continental blockade by Napoleon, its trade was limited. That’s when roasted and ground acorns, chicory and grained were used to make drinks similar to coffee, which were similar in many aspecs except caffeine!
That’s what we’ll take advantage of today, starting with making an Acorn Liqueur. For this you’ll of course need acorn coffee substitute, which is typically made with a blend of ground acorns and spices, and we’ll craft the rest with a Sous Vide. Let’s get started - and keep reading for more coffee alternatives that you can use for your cocktails - it’s Caffeine Free Cocktail Time!
Acorn Liqueur
● 315mL · 10.5oz Jameson
● 125g Water
● 50g Acorn Coffee Substitute
● 80g Demerara Sugar
● 80g White Sugar
● 0.3g Ceylon Cinnamon
● 1.6g Crushed Cacao Beans
● 0.8g Vanilla Bean
So into a sous vide bag add all of the ingredients, and don’t forget to split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds for a better infusion of the liqueur. Now vacuum seal the bag with a double seal, as always, to prevent any leaks, and place in the sous vide bath set to 70°C or 160°F. We’ll let this cook for 3 hours, giving the bag a shake once or twice in between to make sure everything infuses evenly. Once it’s done, chill the bag first, then cut it open and strain out our non-coffee liqueur.
You know the drill with DIY liqueurs by now, since we’ve created a whole playlist’s worth of them - bottle, add a label, and give it a taste, to enjoy the fruits of your labor. We made a rich, full-bodied liqueur, with notes of coffee, nuts, and spices. The tannins will work well in the Espresso Martini, but if you want less of them, cook the liqueur with a higher temperature for a short time… but we’re not quite done yet, we still need to brew chicory coffee!
To do this next part I’ll use the classic pour-over procedure.
Chicory Coffee
● 25g Ground Chicory
●300g Water
First, I’ll dampen the coffee filter, pour out the water, then add the ground chicory to it. We’ll pour 80g of water on top to let it bloom before pouring the remaining water, this time 220g. Once the chicory coffee has filtered through, let it cool completely and that’s ready to be used for our cocktail. If you can’t get your hands on ground chicory and acorn, there are plenty of other coffee alternatives, like barley, rye, dandelion, and even peanut coffee.
I have to warn you though, James Hoffmann, the king of coffee on YouTube is not a fan. But today’s cocktail though, I think even he would enjoy it. Let’s make the Nightfall Espresso Martini.
Nightfall Espresso Martini
● 45mL · 1.5oz Jameson Black Barrel
● 37.5mL · 1.25oz Acorn Liqueur
● 37.5mL · 1.25oz Chicory Coffee
● 7.5mL · 0.25oz Maple Syrup
● 7.5mL · 0.25oz Super Foam
● 2 drops 20% Saline Solution
As always with a shaken cocktail I like to start with a chilled shaker, and the stemmed coupe glass is of course already waiting in the freezer. So into the shaker I’m adding the ingredients, with maple syrup adding more Fall notes and Super Syrup being an optional ingredient that will give us the crown of foam that an Espresso Martini is known for. Now, instead of doing a dry shake I’ll froth up the cocktail with one of my favorite cocktail hacks, a milk frother.
Afterwards add plenty of ice and give the cocktail a good shake to chill and dilute. Double strain into the chilled coupe glass to keep out any bits of ice. And to make sure it really has that classic Espresso Martini look, garnish with 3 coffee beans - caffeinated or decaf, your choice, it won’t really affect the drink. It does look good though, and the flavor is creamy, rich, decadent, with a wonderful burnt caramel note. It’s even better than I remember it, and an ideal alternative to the Espresso Martini.
With that we’ve reached the Bottom of The Glass. And since I mentioned a few coffee alternatives before, we can’t ignore its biggest rival: tea. So if you want to make a caffeine-free Espresso Mar-tea-ni, then check out this recipe using Rooibos. I’ll see you next time, Friends of Cocktails!