Russian Coffee: a vodka and coffee sipper

Looking for a warm drink with a little caffeine? Try out this Russian coffee which is a perfect addition to your next brunch.

What is a Russian Coffee?

A Russian coffee is a combination of hot coffee, vodka, Kahlua and amaretto. It is a hot drink that tastes like coffee infused with a nutty sweet cherry and it has a bite of vodka as it goes down.

First, don’t confuse this alcohol infused Russian coffee with a raf coffee which is also sometimes called a Russian coffee but does not have any alcohol in it.

Kahlua is a liqueur that has a sweet coffee flavor. It is made from arabica coffee beans, rum and sugar. In this drink, it helps bring in a sweetness while doubling down on the coffee flavor.

Amaretto is a type of liqueur that has a slightly bitter almond-like flavor with notes of cherry. It provides a little bit of the nutty fruit flavor that infuses this drink.

The name of this drink is due to the fact that the main liquor used is vodka. Though it’s not known for sure, vodka is thought to have originated in Russia and is a very popular liquor there. Therefore, some drinks with it is the main liquor have Russia or Russian in the name.

When selecting the hot coffee to use for this drink, you can use any type of brewing method that you prefer. It’s recommended to use a strong, high quality yet unflavored coffee bean for this cocktail.

When to Make This Drink:

With the warmth and caffeine that is packed into this cocktail, you might want to think about serving it at times such as:

• brunch
• after dinner drinks
• winter holidays
• fall celebrations

Variations:

If you are interested in trying out some ways to change this drink up, test out a few of these ideas:

• Leave out the amaretto. And mix in some red wine. This is an interesting way to add the slight sweet fruity flavor.
• Substitute the Kahlua. Kahlua is one of the more well-known brands of coffee flavored liqueur. However, it’s not the only brand available. Try another brand such as Tia Maria.
• Add a sweet garnish. Ramp up the sweetness and add a little creaminess to this coffee by adding a large dollop of whipped cream on top.
• Amp up a sweetness. Mix in a little sugar or simple syrup if you want to have an even sweeter drink.

A few similar hot coffee cocktails are: Mexican spiked coffee, Spanish coffee and Brandy coffee.

How to make this drink:

The thing that will take the longest to make this drink is brewing a cup of coffee. If you have 10 minutes you can get this drink mixed up and ready to go.

Equipment:

• Coffee mug or Rocks Glass
• jigger
• bar spoon

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Vodka
• .5 oz Kahlua
• .5 oz Amaretto
• 4 – 5 oz Coffee

Instructions:

Step one

Start out by making sure you have everything gathered together including vodka, Kahlua, amaretto, hot coffee, rocks glass or coffee mug, bar spoon and jigger.

Step two

Choose your favorite brewing method and brew up a cup of your favorite hot coffee.

Step three

Use the jigger to measure 1 and ½ oz of vodka. Pour that into your rocks glass or coffee mug.

Step four

Use a jigger to measure 0.5 oz of Kahlua. Pour that into your rocks glass or coffee mug.

Step Five

Use a jigger to measure .5 oz of amaretto. Pour that into your rocks glass.

Step Six

Grab your pot of hot coffee and measure out 4 to 5 oz with a jigger. Then, pour it into your glass.

Alternatively, you can pour the coffee directly into the glass just topping it off.

If desired, give everything a little stir with a bar spoon and add a dollop of whipped cream if you want to garnish it.

Recipe