Cold brew coffee is all the rage these days, and if you haven’t climbed aboard the cold brew train, you’re missing out. It’s naturally chocolatey and sweet because of the long, low-temperature brewing method, making it perfect for drinking black. Even if you’re an old cold brew pro, we’re willing to bet that you haven’t used cold brew as a base for mixed drinks. Cold brew takes coffee cocktails to the next level thanks to its smooth mouthfeel and concentrated flavor.
In this article, we’re going to present our six favorite coffee cocktails with a cold brew twist. When we tested these recipes, we loved all of them, and there’s a recipe to suit any taste. If you’ve never used cold brew in a cocktail, you’re in for a real treat.
Top 6 Cold Brew Cocktail Recipes:
1. Cold Brew Hot Toddy
We’re kicking things off with a warm winter’s treat. We know a hot toddy is a funny thing to make with cold brew, but despite the contradictory name, this drink is something special. Hot toddies are typically sweetened with either honey or sometimes brown sugar, but the naturally sweeter cold brew is a great fit on its own.
- 1 ounce cold brew coffee
- 1 ounce bourbon whiskey
- 6 ounces hot water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ lemon’s worth of juice, freshly squeezed
2. Cold Brew Rum Sour
This drink is an experiment in the classic sweet-and-sour flavor combo. It’s important to generously apply lemon juice to ensure you get enough of the sour to balance the sweetness. A classic rum sour uses simple syrup as a sweetener. If you don’t love overly sweet drinks, consider reducing the recommended amount of sugar slightly to balance the cold brew. You can also substitute your preferred rum, but we strongly recommend dark rum.
- 2 ounces cold brew coffee
- 2 ounces dark rum
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ½ lemon’s worth of juice, freshly squeezed
- Ice
- Lemon zest as garnish
3. Cold Brew Martini
Espresso martinis are extremely popular, and using cold brew in place of regular brewed coffee is an interesting change. Cold brew ups the smoothness considerably and makes this cold brew martini dangerously drinkable. We really like this drink and prefer it to the standard espresso martini. The three coffee beans on top are extra fun!
- 2 ounces cold brew coffee
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce coffee liqueur
- 2-3 coffee beans as a garnish
4. Cold Brew Coffee Negroni
The Negroni is a classic cocktail, and while some people might call it blasphemous to change it this way, we think they’ll change their minds once they taste it. A traditional Negroni is primarily gin, vermouth, and Campari, but this version swaps the gin for cold brew coffee. We tried a version without removing the gin, but the flavor was muddied and unappealing. Feel free to try it both ways and see what you like better.
- 1½ ounces cold brew coffee
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- Orange peel garnish (optional)
5. Cold Brew White Russian
Another classic, this one takes fewer liberties than the Negroni recipe. This drink is about as simple as it gets, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t delicious. Using cold brew is a small change, but it complements the other flavors nicely. We appreciate the added smoothness cold brew brings to the table, and the little extra sweetness plays nicely with the heavy cream. We like it with a bit of whipped cream on top for an added richness.
- 1 ounce cold brew coffee
- Ice
- 1 ounce vodka
- 1 teaspoon simple syrup
- 1 ounce heavy cream
- Whipped cream and toppings of choice (optional)
6. Cold Brew Irish Coffee
Continuing the classic cocktail theme, Irish coffee made with cold brew has a more powerful coffee flavor that we think holds up better to the strength of Irish whiskey and heavy cream and helps keep coffee as one of the prominent flavors in the mix. This one is extremely simple to make and more than worth the minimal effort. If you prefer a more traditional hot Irish coffee, try heating the cold brew before serving rather than replacing it with regular coffee.
- 1 cup cold brew coffee
- 1-2 ounces Irish whiskey
- Generous dollop of Irish cream (Bailey’s or Saint Brendan’s)
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed these cold brew cocktail recipes. Cold brew is an easy way to take coffee-based cocktails to the next level or, in some cases, make an interesting addition to a traditional drink. We love the smooth mouthfeel and concentrated coffee flavor, and the enhanced sweetness is a great bonus.
Looking for more coffee recipes?
- 10 Delicious Kahlua Coffee Recipes (With Pictures)
- How to Make a Coffee Nudge Cocktail: Recipe & Pictures
- How to Make Coffee Liqueur at Home
Featured Image: Kate | Coffee Affection
