First published: 10/01/2022
We are increasingly focusing on it: quality coffee. But coffee and the cocktail have now found each other. Producers, bars and bartenders are embracing the coffee cocktail. With or without alcohol.
Table of contents
The coffee cocktail or koftail
Misc coffee producers, coffee bars, academies and coffee workshops are talking about it. The coffee cocktail. Some even talk about the koftail. And during the 'Coffee Mixologists' competition, during the Amsterdam Coffee Festival Also this year from April 4 to 6, the world of coffee and cocktails will come together again.
The festival provided a platform for more than 125 exhibitors from all over Europe, giving visitors the opportunity to taste a wide range of specialty coffees and discover the latest trends in the coffee world.
Roast Masters™ Competition
One of the highlights was the Roast Masters™ competition, in which 10 teams of coffee roasters competed in eight disciplines. Hayb Coffee from Warsaw emerged as the winner, receiving a cash prize of €2.500.
In a major step towards sustainability, the festival partnered with WeCup to eliminate the use of disposable cups, resulting in a saving of approximately 94.000 cups and a reduction of 507,6 kg in waste.
Looking ahead, the tenth edition of The Amsterdam Coffee Festival is scheduled for April 3-5, 2025 at the NDSM wharf in Amsterdam. This anniversary event promises a range of immersive experiences, including live roasting demonstrations, barista competitions, workshops, art exhibitions and live music.
Belgoo Beer 
Madagascar Vanille
NOOR & NOOR
Jeanne Gennar, Coffee with a Soul
Chef & Knife
Kyzoe Hosting & Design
Belgian Master Butchers
Lots of possibilities
So no one can get around it anymore. And the possibilities seem limitless. That is logical in itself. Coffee namely has many types, variations and washes. As well as origins, terroirs, roasts, grinds, processing times and brewing methods. These are all determining for the taste.
A light-roasted, fruity, Ethiopian Arabica filter coffee is quite different from an espresso with a dark-roasted Italian espresso blend of Robusta and Arabica beans.
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From classic to elegantly eccentric
Of course, there is the classic par excellence: Expresso Martini. This coffee cocktail almost always has the taste of genuine, dark-roasted and strong espresso coffee. But it can be different. How about a coffee with fresh, crisp fruit tones? Coffee can be elegant, but also rock-hard and not very subtle.
Coffee can produce bitter notes, but also earthy flavours, acids, full chocolate notes and/or fruitiness. Coffee also goes well with many more drinks than just whisky or cognac. Therefore, combine coffee with tequila, pisco, red vermouth or rum.
Caffè Tonic
Not that alcohol is essential in a coffee cocktail. I also learned from a barista hipster that coffee and tonic is a successful combination. In Amsterdam I tasted the Caffè Tonic last year, for example.
Caffè Tonics, also known as Black Tonics, have been on the menu for a while in the trendsetting cocktail bars of Tokyo, Toronto, Stockholm and Helsinki. But the drink is slowly finding its way to our regions.
The recipe is simple. You pour a shot of espresso gently over a glass of tonic with ice. To avoid a foam explosion, it must be done in this order.
Hotel-Restaurant De Kommel
Weilandshof
The Mastercooks of Belgium
Bulls of the Princess
Best tonic
In addition, you can't just use any combination of tonic and coffee. Kevin Bohlin, owner of the Saint Frank Coffee Shop in San Francisco who was present at the Amsterdam coffee festival last year, searched and found the ideal combination.
The best tonic to make this coffee cocktail is the one from the brand Fevertree. And a certain type of coffee from Central America which is very clean in taste and emphasises the fruity undertone of the tonic.
The result is a surprising and complex drink with a sweet and citrusy taste. But at the same time a surprisingly creamy and delicious foam layer.
Coffee cocktail menu
Coffee bars such as the Renta Vespa Bar a very creative coffee cocktail menu. And work together with artisan coffee roasters to develop flavors and aromas.
Some coffee shops surprisingly don't even have an espresso machine. There are so many ways to extract coffee other than espresso.
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Cold brew
One of those methods is Cold Brew. It is a method of making coffee in which ground coffee is mixed with cold water which is then left in a sealed container for 12 to 24 hours. After this, the water-coffee mixture is filtered.
This is often done using a French Press used to easily filter the coffee afterwards. But there are also specialized systems such as the Toddy Cold Brewer available with a built-in filter.
Cheap and easy
Cold Brew coffee is a cheap and easy way to still make a cold coffee. And it is easy to produce on a large scale.
The result can be kept refrigerated for 2 weeks. This coffee provides a very pleasant texture. And compared to espresso, the coffee contains many more aromas and flavors due to the long extraction.
Recipes
Cold Brew Milano-Torino
Ingredients: 30ml Cold Brew Coffee, 30ml Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, 30ml Campari.
Method: Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir, strain and pour into a tumbler glass filled with ice. Garnish with a dried orange slice.
Expresso Martini
With this more classic coffee cocktail you are always in good company.
Ingredients: 30ml Crème de Café, 30ml Vodka, 30ml cold Espresso, coffee beans
Method: Mix the espresso cool with the Crème de Café and the Vodka in a shaker with ice. And shake until you get an ice layer of condensation on the shaker. Pour into a chilled martini glass. And serve with a few coffee beans for the fresh experience. You can vary with your favorite liqueur such as amaretto.
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