Coffee Cocktails are the Fanciest Way to Day Drink in the Park.
Coffee cocktails you say?
Hold my beer: This is going to be one classy picnic!
Drinking alcohol in the park (and a couple of pop-up plazas) is now officially allowed in Vancouver!
To celebrate I’ve put together some super easy summer coffee cocktail recipes featuring our other favourite beverage – coffee!
Specifically, homemade cold brew coffee.
Cold Brew Coffee Recipe for all your Coffee Cocktails
This recipe calls for a 1:4 ratio of coffee to water.
Play with the ratios to get the coffee tasting the way you like it.
If it’s too strong add more water.
If it’s too weak, add more coffee.
Ingredients for Cold Brew Coffee
1 cup of coarsely ground coffee
4 cups of cold water
How to Make Cold Brew Coffee for Coffee Cocktails
1: Add all the above ingredients to a mason jar and screw on the lid.
2: Shake, cover, and let steep in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
3: Strain through a filter over a large enough container with a lid. This can be anything, you just want to separate the coffee from the grinds.
That’s it!
Your cold brew coffee will keep for at least ten days in the fridge.
Alternative Method to Make Cold Brew Coffee
Use a French Press for less mess.
Let the cold brew steep in the press, then plunge after 12-24 hours.
Another alternative to Make Cold Brew Coffee
Ain’t nobody got time for making cold brew at home.
Pick up some pre-made cold brew instead!
Classic Cold Brew Martini Recipe
Fill a shaker with ice.
Add 1 part vodka, two parts Kahlua and three parts cold brew.
Shake together for 15 – 20 seconds to make the velvety foam.
Strain it into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with three coffee beans (represents the three blessings of health, wealth and
happiness)
Coffee Recommendation: The Kalhua brings a heavy sweet coffee flavour to the cocktail, so keep the coffee light but not too crazy. This Honduran from Smoking Gun is a fantastic choice.
Cold Brew White Russian Recipe
Fill a shaker ½ full of ice.
Add 2 oz. Vodka, 1 oz. Kahlua, 1 oz. Cold-brew.
Shake vigorously.
Strain into a glass, add a few ice cubes and top with 1 oz. of heavy cream (or non-dairy alternative).
Coffee Recommendation: We’re working with cream here, so aim at a coffee with some deeper caramel notes. Benchmark from Pallet Coffee is a real crowd-pleaser for this.
Refreshing Cold Brew Gin and Tonic Recipe
Fill a shaker with ice.
Add 1.5 Oz. Gin, 1.5 Oz. cold brew.
Shake it up and pour it into a glass.
Add lemon tonic and garnish with a lemon peel or orange slices.
Coffee Recommendation: For this coffee cocktail A cold brew made with a fruitier coffee tends to pair beautifully with the quinine in tonic. For example this Ethiopian from Notch Coffee.
Dublin Iced Coffee Recipe – Coffee Cocktails for the Guinness lover
Pour 1.5 oz. Irish whiskey, 2 oz. Guinness and 2 oz. cold brew into a glass with ice.
Pour ½ oz. cream gently over the top, so it sinks into the coffee.
Coffee Recommendation: We have some huge flavours going on in this drink, so a chocolatey coffee would really compliment this lineup. Caffe D’arte have you covered here, with their Meaning of Life roast.
Caffeinated Dark ‘N Stormy Recipe
Fill a glass with ice.
Pour in 1 oz. Dark rum, 3 oz. Ginger beer and 1 oz. cold brew.
Stir and garnish with a wedge of lime.
Coffee Recommendation: House of Funk has a roast called Technicolour Espresso that will provide the necessary punch to compliment the firey taste of ginger beer.
What to Pack in Your Picnic Basket
You’ll need a cocktail shaker, shot glass, and glasses for serving your cocktails. Pick up ice on the way to the park.
Perfect Picnic Spread: What to Eat With Your Coffee Cocktails
Nothing could be easier than making a stop at your favourite deli to put together an epic charcuterie board; meats, cheeses, olives and savoury dips. Add grapes and a couple of baguettes, and your picnic guests will have plenty to eat as they sip their cocktails.
The 5 Coffee Cocktails to sip at 22 Parks in Vancouver post is partner content. What this means is that it’s a paid post from Espressotec and Roaster Central. Their generous contributions towards these posts help me pay to keep this site free to use and read.