Smoked Coffee Margarita
This drink is inspired by a toy that I forgot I had. In 2017, I had one year to prepare myself for the 2018 World Barista Championship. During that time, I experimented with different methods and recipes ... a lot.
One of my ideas included smoked chocolate, so I bought a so-called 'smoking gun'. This device only costs about 120-150 euros and can be used to add a distinguishable smoked flavour to any ingredient. This might not be an ideal flavour quality for coffee, but can really add a depth of flavour and lasting finish to other ingredients in a signature drink (or in this case, a cocktail).
I ended up not using it in 2018, because I had to withdraw from the competition. However, the idea stuck in my mind and I've been waiting for an opportunity to use it!
Recently I went through all my competition equipment and there it was: the smoking gun! I immediately had a new idea for a cocktail: the Smoked 'Coffee Margarita'.
Ingredients:
3 cl Cold Brew X
1.5 cl Parton tequila
4 cl smoked lemon juice (see more details after Method)
2 cl simple syrup
2 drops of coffee bitters from Happy Baristas
Ice cubes Tajín (Mexican spice mix)
Method:
1. Combine all ingredients into a Boston Shaker. Shake hard on ice.
2. Double strain into a margarita glass, or any fancy glass with a good surface area for the garnish.
3. Decorate/garnish with a sprinkle of Tajín. This Mexican chilli salt has a really nice citrus notes to it, and will add a spicy finish that highlights the tequila. And, it's so much fun to drink! Drink with friends and with a taco in your other hand.
Flavour notes:
Dark chocolate, sweet lemon drops, maple syrup, wood fire roasted marshmallows
What’s the used spirit?
I have used the Cold Brew X coffee liquor and blended it with a tequila. It gives a lot of body and sweetness to the tequila and smoothens it out.
To add an other level of depth I added 2 drops of coffee bitters at the end, it also will add a flavour note of dark chocolate.
How do I use the smoking gun?
So the smoked ingredient is the lemon juice. To make the juice, I freshly squeezed 2 medium sized lemons and used maple wood chips (available online) to smoke it. It is useful to have a container where you can just close the lid and let the smoke and the juice soak in for about 2 minutes. The juice will get a mild and smoky flavour. I hope you liked this cocktail recipe and enjoy making it yourself! If you have any questions, send me a message!
😎