Espresso Martini Has Become a National Favorite
The martini is one of the world’s most popular cocktails and enjoys about a 150-year existence. There are more than 50 martini recipes, and a dirty martini enables many more versions that can be mixed based on the personal preferences of those who choose to drink it. A more recent variation of the classic martini recipe is proving to be among the most popular martinis of all.
The espresso martini has joined the classic martini as one of the 10 most popular cocktails in the United States, according to sales tracking done by CGA NielsenIQ. CGA tracks the sales of cocktails at various bars and publishes an annual report. The margarita remains the king of cocktails, but the espresso martini elevated its prior status by five positions to secure a spot among the 10 most popular cocktails in the United States.
What Goes Into the Espresso Martini
The silky smooth goodness and full flavor of the espresso martini have elevated its status since it was invented about 50 years ago in the UK by bartending legend Dick Bradsell. Bradsell says a customer who later would become an internationally popular supermodel asked for a cocktail that would wake her up and have a strong kick. Thus, the espresso martini became a new type of martini.
The espresso martini is fairly simple to make, which an easy espresso martini recipe clearly shows. You just need some ice cubes, vodka, Kahlua, and espresso. A cocktail shaker blends them all together. Once mixed and poured into your favorite espresso martini glass, you top it off with a garnish of three whole coffee beans. The result is a very delicious and very effective cocktail that will wake you up while delivering the usual flavorful effects of a quality martini.
Popularity of Gourmet Coffee Coincides with Espresso Martini’s Rise
The rising popularity of the espresso martini coincides with the rise in the popularity of high-end coffee in the United States. CNN Business says rising interest in gourmet coffees is adding to adults’ seemingly renewed interest in the espresso martini. The gourmet coffee even helps people to use an easy espresso martini recipe to create the cocktail at home.
It would appear more people are making the espresso martini as well as ordering the cocktail in greater numbers at their favorite drinking establishments. Kahlua is a key ingredient in the easy espresso martini recipe, and its sales are rising while reaching younger consumers, partly due to the espresso martini’s rising popularity. A Kahlua brand manager also says younger consumers are showing nostalgia for cocktails that were popular in the ‘90s, which is elevating sales of Kahlua.
Why Espresso Martinis Are Garnished with Three Beans
You might wonder why the espresso martini is often garnished with three whole coffee beans. The practice is borrowed from Italy, where the three-bean garnish represents happiness, wealth, and health. The foamy top layer of the espresso martini makes it ideal for placing the three-bean garnish on the cocktail. The flavorful and foamy top provides a nice contrast to the dark whole beans, which you can chew and consume along with the espresso martini that they decorate.