ADD SOME REMY & ESPRESSO TO YOUR SHAKER – RIFFS ON THE REMY ESPRESSO MARTINI

By Sophia DeVito

Chilled 100 bartenders in New York and Houston mixed up Rémy Espresso Martinis in honor of Espresso Martini Day!

In honor of our first annual Espresso Martini Day, and we partnered with Rémy Martin to challenge 16 bartenders in eight markets to create a riff on a Rémy Espresso Martini. For the rest of the month, we will share what the bartenders have created and their version of the cocktail.

Let’s see what our bartenders in New York and Houston came up with for cocktails.

Zev Glesta in the New York market created an Espresso Martini with vanilla honey syrup.  “A honey variant of your classic “Wake Me Up” that takes the glow of a sunset to reset your mind frame. The flavor and color of honey draw you out from your long, syrupy, dragging day into a vibrant and bittersweet night.”

Sunset Reset

Sunset Reset

Sunset Reset

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 oz. Vanilla Honey Syrup
  • 1/2 oz. Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur
  • 3/4 oz. Freshly Brewed Espresso
  • 1 1/4 oz. Rémy 1738

Preparation: Shake/double strain/coupe: garnish with honeycomb crumbs.


Samantha Casuaga in the New York market created a creamy banana cocktail.

Willow's Peak

Willow’s Peak

Willow’s Peak

Ingredients:

  • 1 bar spoon malted milk powder
  • 1 tbsp. Vanilla ice cream
  • 1 oz. Espresso
  • 1/4 oz. Cinnamon syrup
  • 1/2 oz. Banana syrup
  • 1 oz. Walnut Milk
  • 1 1/2 oz. Rémy Martin 1738
  • 2 oz. Soda water

Preparation: Shake all ingredients without soda. Strain into glass and top with soda. Grated Nutmeg garnish.


Justin Ware in the Houston market crafted another banana-inspired drink.

Tropical Morning 

Tropical Morning

Tropical Morning 

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 oz. High-Quality Cold Brew Coffee
  • 1 oz. Water
  • 1 oz. Rémy Martin 1738
  • 3/4 oz. Giffard Banana Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz. Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur
  • 1/4 oz. Smith and Cross Jamaican Rum
  • 1/4 oz. Light Agave Nectar
  • 2 dashes Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • 1 dash Salt Solution (20%)*
  • Top with Coconut Lemon Foam**

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a cream whipper. Charge with Nitrogen. Chill in an ice bath for 10 minutes OR chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Dispense directly into an 8 oz. Coupe or glass of choice. The drink will bubble up. Wait for the bubble to settle before adding more liquid. Continue until all of the cocktails is now in the glass. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes and a banana chip.

Salt Solution (20%)*

  • 80g Water
  • 20g Kosher salt
  • Yield 3 oz.

Preparation: Combine and stir to dissolve the salt. Once clear, transfer into a cleaned bitters bottle. Store in the fridge for indefinite shelf life.

Coconut Lemon Foam**

  • 2 oz. Heavy Cream
  • 2 oz. Full Fat Coconut Milk
  • 1 oz. Lemon Simple Syrup***
  • 2 dash Lime Acid****

Preparation: Combine in a separate cream whipper charged with Nitrogen and shake vigorously to distribute the gas. Chill in an ice bath for 5 minutes OR in a fridge until ready to serve.

Lemon Simple Syrup***

  • 250g (about 1 cup) White sugar
  • 125g (about 1/2 cup) Water
  • 20g (2 medium lemons) Lemon Peel
  • Yield: 1 cup

Preparation: Peel Lemons with as little pith as possible. Combine peels, sugar, and water stir and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain out peels and store them in a fridge for up to 1 month. 

Lime Acid****

  • 94g water
  • 4g citric acid
  • 2g malic acid
  • Yield: 3.5 oz

Preparation: Combine and mix well until acids dissolve and store in the fridge. Indefinite shelf life if kept cold.


Rebecca Burkhart from the Houston market added citrus to her riff.

E&T (Espresso & Tonic)

E&T (Espresso & Tonic)

E&T (Espresso & Tonic)

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 oz. Rémy Martin 1738
  • 1 oz. Espresso
  • 3/4 oz. Fresh Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
  • 1/2 oz. Turbo (2:1)*
  • 1/2 oz. St. George Nola Coffee Liqueur
  • Topped with 2 oz. Fever Tree Indian Tonic

Preparation: Combine all ingredients except for the tonic in a tin and shake. Add 2 oz. of tonic to the tin and strain over fresh cubes. Garnish with a Grapefruit slice or half-moon.

*2:1 Turbo

  • 2 parts Turbinado Sugar (Sugar in the Raw)
  • 1 part water

Preparation: Add both ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir to combine. When all of the sugar dissolves, remove it from heat and let it cool before using.

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