To make a nonalcoholic version of the ubiquitous Espresso Martini, Ryan Castelaz, who heads up a coffee company and a zero-proof cocktail bar, reaches for two N/A spirits from Lyre’s that are modeled on Kahlúa and rum. He rounds out the drink with a housemade vanilla syrup and coffee that’s brewed with an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner—an unorthodox gadget used in some high-tech bars—for optimal creaminess. At home, you can use cold-brew concentrate in its place.
Espresso Martini (N/A)
Ryan Castelaz | Milwaukee
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 1/2 ounces Lyre’s Coffee Originale
- 1 1/2 ounces cold-brew concentrate (see Editor’s Note)
- 1/2 ounce Lyre’s White Cane Spirit
- 1/4 ounce vanilla syrup (see Editor’s Note)
Garnish: 3 coffee beans, lemon peel
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in the small half of a shaker tin.
- Dry-shake for 15 to 20 seconds to aerate the mixture, then fill the small half of the shaker tin with ice. Seal and hard shake for 12 seconds.
- Double-strain into a coupe or small Martini glass.
- Garnish with 3 coffee beans and an expressed and discarded lemon peel.
Editor's Note
Cold-Brew Concentrate
110 grams coffee beans
990 grams water
1. Grind the coffee coarsely and place it in a large resealable container.
2. Heat 110 grams of the water to 205°F and add it to the coffee grounds. Give the resulting slurry a stir to make sure the grounds are evenly saturated.
3. Add the remaining 880 grams of cold water, then stir to evenly incorporate.
4. Allow the coffee to infuse in the fridge overnight.
5. After 14 to 16 hours have elapsed, strain the cold brew through a chinois and store for up to 14 days in the fridge.
Vanilla Syrup
500 grams granulated sugar
400 grams water
12 grams vanilla bean paste, preferably Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
1. Bring the water to a boil, then remove it from heat.
2. Mix the granulated sugar into the water, then add the vanilla bean paste and thoroughly incorporate. Keeps, refrigerated, for up to 14 days.