Coffee can do more than "just" coffee. As a liqueur, it bridges the gap between the world of spirits and the world of coffee. With Cold Brew, in which aromas are extracted in cold water for several hours, a new possibility has opened up for producers of coffee liqueurs, or those who want to become one, to bring the taste of coffee into the bottle.
In addition to the market leaders Kahlúa and Tia Maria, there are now also a large number of Cold Brew liqueurs, some of which are also produced in Switzerland. Most Swiss coffee liqueurs are the result of a collaboration between a spirits producer and a coffee roasting company.
In spring 2019, the Locher Brewery, the producer of the Säntis Malt, entered into a collaboration with Mövenpick Kaffee. Although "The Gull" has lost its first name in the meantime, two products have already joined the original Cold Brew whisky liqueur; a rum-based bottling and a cream liqueur.
The new Brooster series based on cold brew is also a collaboration between two traditional Swiss companies. While Illy Café from Thalwil contributes the coffee, the high-proof spirit comes from Distillerie Studer in Escholzmatt. Brooster" was launched with three new products, each with a base of rum, Williams and gin. A rooster/cock adorns the label of the Brooster. A nod to the term cocktail, as well as to the rooster, whose crowing has a similar effect to an extra portion of caffeine.
Sweet and creamy or strong and aromatic? Coffee liqueurs also harmonise in twists of sours or old fashioneds.
Florian Wicki's Skvader is also on the move. The mythical creature made of hare and capercaillie adorns the Cold Brew liqueur as well as the Cold Brew chocolate liqueur and the Cold Brew coffee tonic. Both Skvader and the coffee liqueur from The Seventh Sense come from the Basel region. The coffee liqueur from The Seventh Sense , however, has only recently become a liqueur based on Cold Brew.
The fact that coffee and distillates harmonise excellently is shown - in addition to well-known classic cocktails such as the Espresso Martini - by the large variety of coffee liqueurs. These are usually based on distillates from sugar cane, whisky or neutral alcohol.
But some tequila producers, such as Sierra or Patrón, also have a coffee liqueur in their range. Not a liqueur, but a Cold Brew coffee gin is the result of a collaboration between Turm Kaffee, Matter Spirits and Rolf Caviezel.
Coffee and acid? Sure!
There are drinks that look exactly like they taste. This is the case with the most common coffee cocktails. Deep black to cappuccino brown, maybe a little foam, three coffee beans or a little cocoa powder as decoration. It is no coincidence that classic coffee cocktails and other mixed drinks with coffee liqueurs are usually in the league of sweet and creamy or characterful after-dinner drinks.
But they are also suitable for adding complexity to twists of classics such as the Old Fashioned, the Negroni or even a sour. They can also come into their own in combination with fruit juices or carbonated ingredients. Especially if a cocktail is transparent, carbonated or has a special colour, you can surprise the guest with the aromatics of coffee.
"We can look forward to seeing which roasters and distilleries will launch their coffee liqueur next."
Anyone who uses coffee liqueurs should know their aroma well. In addition to coffee and sugar, coffee liqueurs also consist of a base spirit, which can sometimes have a very intense aroma of its own. It is not uncommon for spices to add complexity to the coffee liqueur.
Another aspect is the aroma of the coffee itself, which was used for the liqueur. In some bottlings of coffee liqueurs, the label tells you which beans were used and where they were roasted.
It will be interesting to see how this category develops in the future and which roasters and distilleries will launch their coffee liqueurs next.
This article appeared in
Issue 5-2020
BAR NEWS magazine as single issue
