The Vietnamese Espresso Martini, also known as a Vietnamese Coffeetini, has all the elements of your morning brew — with a kick.
2 oz of espresso are mixed with 1 oz of vodka, 1 oz of coffee liqueur, and a splash of syrup to sweeten the taste. Add all the ingredients in a shaker with ice.
Then shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass — adding a few coffee beans as a garnish. And that’s it! A smooth and ready to serve cocktail that will impress early birds and night owls alike.
But we’re not just here to tell you how to make the best cocktails for every occasion. What matters to us here at Cafely is how you take the finest ingredients and blend them into something better.
The Ingredients
Vietnamese coffee typically has strong, robust flavors and is made using a unique brewing method. It makes an excellent base for an espresso martini with a twist. The Sai Gon OG blend from Cafely, with a bold and smooth profile, takes this already zesty and unusual cocktail to new heights. Here’s how to make this exceptional coffee into a coffee martini that’ll steal the show…
Espresso martini is a little more demanding in terms of ingredients than a typical coffee. While some ingredients are things you may have already, others will need to be sourced before you can tackle this coffee martini.. You will also need to get a shaker and strainer ready!
Here’s what you need:
- High-quality Vietnamese coffee — Look for something with a classic, strong, bold taste. We recommend using our DaNang (arabica/robusta blend) or HaNoi (100% robusta) beans.
- Vodka — 1 oz. Go for a premium brand for the best taste. Simple but smooth is ideal. Gin also works as a good alternative.
- Coffee liqueur — 1 oz. This ingredient will add a little more depth and alcoholic zest, along with a much-needed bite of sweetness to offset the vodka.
- Simple syrup — 1/2 oz. This ingredient is optional, but recommended for rounding out the bitter qualities of the coffee.
- Ice — go for medium-sized ice chunks to make mixing and cooling the espresso shot easier without diluting your martini.
- Coffee beans — Yes, extra coffee beans. They’re used to garnish the cocktail when it’s finished.
- Espresso machine or phin filter — You’ll want to prepare about 1 ounce (1 shot) of coffee per cocktail you plan on making. A traditional phin filter works great and produces about 2–4 ounces of coffee depending on the size of your kit.
- Cocktail shaker & strainer — You’ll need these to thoroughly mix and chill the ingredients. Make sure your shaker is large enough to accommodate the ice and liquids for efficient shaking.
- Martini glasses — Chill these glasses beforehand to ensure your cocktail stays cool and refreshing upon serving.
Step-by-Step Instructions: Vietnamese Espresso Martini
Now that you have all the ingredients ready let’s start by making the coffee.
Step 1: Brew the Espresso
Start with Sai Gon OG blend, or try something more daring, like Ban Me coffee. Brew a strong espresso shot so that the martini can have an intense and unmistakable coffee flavor.
Step 2: Mix All The Ingredients in a Shaker
Combine the espresso, vodka, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup (if you decide to use it) with ice. Shake it intensely until the entire cocktail shaker is cold to the touch. This is necessary to achieve the signature frothy top every espresso martini should have.
Step 3: Strain & Pour
Strain the mix into a chilled martini glass to keep everything crisp for serving. The frothy top should form naturally.
Step 4: Add Finishing Touches & Serve
Put a few coffee beans on top for an elegant finish and a nod to the drink’s coffee essence. It’s coffee on top of a coffee. What could be more aesthetically perfect?
Why Use Cafely’s Sai Gon OG blend?
Blends like the Cafely’s Sai Gon OG blend are far more than basic coffee. These blends will give you the base to create the true, authentic Vietnamese coffee experience. And these details matter when you’re creating the unusual coffees from this coffee-loving culture.
Sai Gon OG blend, in particular, is a carefully curated robusta and arabica mix that brings the boldness of Vietnamese coffee with a smooth, sophisticated finish.
This unique character is what makes it perfect for a creative and daring coffee recipe like the espresso martini. It offers a depth of flavor that vodka and liqueur alone can’t achieve. Yet, the vodka and liqueur give the intensity and strength that make the drink something that’ll make you feel daring and perhaps even a bit rebellious. Plus, it’s a nod to authenticity, placing a traditional coffee linked with the rich coffee culture of Vietnam, in a modern cocktail.
But there are other options too.
Cafely also has Da Lat coffee, which is made with 100% arabica beans, if you’d like something a little more familiar. Alternatively, there’s the particularly dark and strong BanMe coffee, a dramatically named coffee with 100% peaberry robusta beans. Finally, if you simply can’t decide, you don’t have to. There’s the Vietnamese Awakening coffee trio pack, an all-on-one collection that includes all three.
Even Coffeetini Can Be Your Own
While this recipe will get you the closest to the original, authentic Vietnamese coffee martini, or “coffeetini” experience, you don’t have to follow everything exactly as described. Feel free to tweak the recipe to match your taste.
For example, some prefer a bit more sweetness, while others might want the coffee to take center stage.
Similarly, why not experiment with flavored syrups, and try different blends of coffee beans — keeping the basic components the same but with your own unique take.
Serving Suggestions
This cocktail is perfect for dinner parties, as an after-dinner treat, or whenever you need a sophisticated pick-me-up.
It pairs wonderfully with desserts, especially those with chocolate or coffee flavors because it blends sweet undertones with a rich hit of caffeine (though this also makes it one worth having a few hours before bed time when possible!) .
Hot Coffee Takeaway
The Vietnamese espresso martini, especially with Sai Gon OG blend at its heart, is an outstanding cocktail. The drink effortlessly celebrates coffee culture and innovation, especially that of Vietnam. By following this guide, you’re crafting an experience that’s sure to impress and delight both you and your guests.
The secret to a great Vietnamese espresso martini lies in the quality of the coffee. When you choose Cafely’s Sai Gon OG blend, you’re starting with the best.
FAQs: Vietnamese Espresso Martinis
1. What ingredients do I need to make a Vietnamese Espresso Martini?
You will need espresso, vodka, coffee liqueur, and a splash of sugar (or flavored) syrup.
2. What’s the best type of coffee to use in a Vietnamese Espresso Martini?
A strong espresso will help to balance the flavor of the alcohol. We like to use our balanced DaNang blend for making this cocktail.
3. When should I serve this cocktail to guests, and what food should I pair it with?
This cocktail is a great after-dinner cocktail, best paired with a chocolatey dessert.
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