This is a rich, bittersweet version of an Irish coffee.  I’ve used coffee syrup, which is easy to make and works much better than hot brewed coffee in cold cocktails.  The flavors are coffee first with a background of bittersweet and a creamy texture.

• 2 oz. Cold brewed coffee syrup – see below
• 1 oz Irish whiskey – I used Tullamore Dew Special Reserve 12 yr.
• 1 oz. Licor 43
• 1/2 oz Montenegro
• 1/2 oz 2:1 Simple syrup
• 1/2 oz Cream
• Coffee beans for garnish

1. Chill a large Coup with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients, except garnish, in a cocktail shaker with ice
3. Shake to chill
4. Double strain into chilled glass
5. Allow the foam to rise to the top for 15-20 seconds then carefully drop three coffee beans on top for garnish

Cheers!

Mixology Monday

Well, it’s Mixology Monday and this Month’s theme is “Spring Break.”  Brought to us by the Southern Gentleman himself, Joel DiPippa of the Southern Ash blog, we are challenged to imagine winter is over and turn our thoughts to Spring Break.  I know that Spring Break generally evokes thoughts of sandy beaches, warm water and something with rum that you can hide in a Solo cup.  But for me, we always took the kids Spring Skiing.  Now I really love to ski.  But snow skiing in my mind requires snow.  So, for me, Spring Break meant sliding down the ice in the early morning followed by a couple of hours of really great snow.  Then, after lunch, that great snow turns to slush and I’m done!  Thus, I would find a deck on the mountain and sit in the sun wearing a short sleeve shirt.  There I would enjoy the site of the sun on the snow and the magnificent blue sky, listening to the melting snow form little streams, all while sipping an appropriate libation.  I also gained great vicarious pleasure watching people try to ski in the slush which was more like swimming with sticks on their feet!  With that in mind, I wanted to create a cocktail to complement that location and season.  A cold coffee drink sounds perfect.

I prefer to make cold coffee cocktails with cold brewed coffee.  This cocktail will work with whatever coffee syrup you like to use for cold coffee.  I used a DIY syrup using Starbucks Sumatra.  With the Sun and Snow, you have the flavors of coffee, coconut and vanilla with a hint of cinnamon and a touch of smokey spice from the chipotle.  Take it easy with the agave, unless you like it sweet.  Here then is the recipe:

Sun and Snow

• 2 oz. Cold brewed coffee syrup – undiluted
• 2 oz. Water
• 1 oz. Kalani Coconut Liqueur
• 1 oz. Licor 43
• 3/4 oz. Cream
• 1 dash Agave syrup
• 1 pinch Cinnamon
• 1 pinch Chipotle powder

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake to chill and froth the cream – about 20-30 seconds
3. Double strain in to the chilled cocktail glass
4. Try not to get sunburned

Cold Brewed Coffee Syrup

• 3 1/2 cups coarsely ground coffee
• 5 cups water

1. Combine coffee and water in a container stir well and let sit for 12 hours at room temperature.
2. Strain, first through a fine mesh filter, then through a paper filter
3. Keeps refrigerated for 1-2 weeks

PS: It’s 80º today in San Antonio, so I’m headed out to sit in the sun!

Cheers!