After Dark: The Ferrara Espresso Martini

Coffee has two lives. By day it is acceleration: a short, intense espresso between one meeting and the next. By night it slows down and becomes something more refined — a moment to share, in a lounge, at a bar, at the end of a long evening.

No drink captures that second life better than the Espresso Martini.

Why most Espresso Martinis disappoint

The cocktail is simple, which is exactly why the details show. Most bad versions come from the same mistakes: stale or cheap coffee, too much sugar, not enough ice, not enough shaking. The coffee should be the star, not an afterthought.

The Ferrara Espresso Martini

Ingredients (one drink)

• 40 ml vodka
• 30 ml freshly brewed espresso — or cold brew concentrate
• 20 ml coffee liqueur
• 5–10 ml simple syrup, to taste
• Three coffee beans, to garnish

Method

1. Chill a coupe or martini glass in the freezer.
2. Brew the espresso and let it cool for a minute — very hot coffee melts the ice too fast.
3. Fill a shaker to the top with ice, add all the ingredients and shake hard for 15–20 seconds. The shaking is what creates the foam.
4. Double-strain into the chilled glass.
5. Finish with three coffee beans on the foam — a nod to the Italian con la mosca tradition: health, wealth and happiness.

The details that matter

• Fresh coffee. The crema of a freshly pulled espresso is what gives the cocktail its thick, velvety head.
• The right roast. A bold roast with chocolate notes — like our Classic Espresso Line — cuts through the alcohol and sugar.
• Cold brew for service. Behind a busy bar, a well-made cold brew concentrate gives consistent results with a smoother, less bitter profile.
• Balance the sugar. Start with less syrup than you think; the liqueur is already sweet.

Variations

• Dark & bitter: replace the syrup with a bar spoon of amaro.
• Salted caramel: caramel syrup and a tiny pinch of salt.
• Alcohol-free: cold brew, a splash of vanilla syrup and a dash of tonic, shaken hard over ice.

For bars and hotels

We work with cocktail bars and hotel lounges to create signature coffee cocktails around our blends and cold brew. If you’d like to build a coffee menu for the evening, become a partner with us.

Please enjoy responsibly.