🥃 Coffee liqueur
Sweet liqueur made from spirit, coffee infusion and sugar; in the EU at least 15% ABV and 100 g/l sugar; well-known brands are Kahlúa and Tia Maria.
Coffee liqueur is a sweet, strong drink in which spirit is combined with coffee extract or infusion and sugar. Under EU Regulation 2019/787, any liqueur must have at least 15% ABV and at least 100 g/l sugar. The best-known brands are the Mexican Kahlúa and Tia Maria, which comes from Jamaica.
How it is made. Roasted beans, most often arabica, are ground and steeped in spirit or water, then mixed with spirit, sugar and flavourings such as vanilla. The base is often rum or neutral cane spirit. Tia Maria, according to Difford’s Guide, is extracted cold: ground coffee is steeped for 6–12 hours at room temperature.
Brands. According to Difford’s Guide, Kahlúa was created in Veracruz in 1936, and since 2005 the brand has belonged to Pernod Ricard. Tia Maria was invented in Kingston after the Second World War; today it is made in Italy and has 20% ABV. A stronger style also exists: Kahlúa Especial is 35% ABV. Spain has its own protected name: the coffee aperitif Alcoyana.
In cocktails. Coffee liqueur is the base of the Espresso Martini: according to the IBA, 50 ml vodka, 30 ml liqueur, 10 ml sugar syrup and espresso. Difford’s Guide credits this cocktail to London bartender Dick Bradsell, 1983. The liqueur is also added to desserts, ice cream and coffee.
Why this matters to you. The coffee flavour and sweetness mask the alcohol, and caffeine can reduce the feeling of drunkenness, although alcohol acts the same way. A serving of liqueur also contains a lot of sugar. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Raw material | coffee (most often arabica), spirit or rum, sugar, sometimes vanilla |
|---|---|
| EU category | liqueur (cat. 33); with sugar from 250 g/l — crème de (cat. 34) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | in the EU from 15% ABV; common brands 16–35% |
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787, Annex I |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Coffee liqueur → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Maceration
- Previous step
- 🥃 Infusion
- Made from
- ☕ Coffee, 🥃 Rum
- What it contains
- 🍬 Sugar
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍸 Liqueurs
- Related to
- 🌍 Latin America
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Kahlúa, 🥃 Tia Maria, 🥃 Aperitivo Café de Alcoy, 🥃 Irish Coffee
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that coffee in a liqueur cancels intoxication?
No. Caffeine may mask tiredness, but the amount of alcohol in the blood and the risks remain the same.
How strong is coffee liqueur?
In the EU a liqueur has at least 15% ABV; Kahlúa Original is about 16–20%, Tia Maria 20%, Kahlúa Especial 35%.
How much sugar is in coffee liqueur?
EU rules require at least 100 g/l sugar in a liqueur; a “crème de” must have at least 250 g/l.
Which coffee liqueur brands are well known?
Kahlúa (Mexico, since 1936) and Tia Maria (Jamaica, after the Second World War); in Spain there is the coffee aperitif Alcoyana.
Which cocktails use coffee liqueur?
The best known is the Espresso Martini with vodka and espresso; the liqueur is also added to coffee and desserts.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🥃 Rum — A distillate of sugar-cane molasses, syrup or juice: in the EU at least 37.5% vol., no flavourings or added alcohol, up to 20 g/l of sugar.
- 🌍 Latin America — A region from Mexico to the south of South America: about 9% of the world's milk, dulce de leche and fresh cheeses, Argentine and Chilean wines, olives.
- 🍷 Maceration — Steeping the juice with the skins to extract colour, tannins and aroma.
- 🥃 Irish Coffee — A hot cocktail of Irish whiskey, hot coffee and sugar under a layer of chilled cream; legend says it was created in 1943 at Foynes airport in Ireland.
Similar
🥃 Génépi · 🥃 Goldwasser · 🥃 Nocino · 🥃 Limoncello · 🥃 Xtabentún · 🥃 Hüttentee
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I: cat. 33 liqueur — min. 15 % vol., min. 100 g/l sugar; cat. 34 crème de — min. 250 g/l sugar
- Difford's Guide: Kahlúa — history (created 1936 in Veracruz, Mexico; Pernod Ricard since 2005; Espresso Martini by Dick Bradsell, 1983)
- Difford's Guide: Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur — created in Kingston, Jamaica after WWII; 100 % arabica, cold brew 6–12 h; 20 % alc./vol.; made in Italy by ILLVA Saronno
- IBA — International Bartenders Association: Espresso Martini (50 ml vodka, 30 ml Kahlúa, 10 ml sugar syrup, 1 espresso)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)