Dirty Chai Coffee Martini

We are most definitely lovers of coffee drinks and coffee cocktails at Charleston Coffee Roasters, but we also can’t deny that chai flavored drinks are having quite the moment right now. So we combined the best of both worlds, and created this Dirty Chai Coffee Martini that will be the hit at your next cocktail party.

Chai is simply a strong black tea that is brewed with warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, ginger and cloves. The spices are placed in a pot with milk and water, and then the mixture is brought to a boil so that the flavors blend together. At coffee shops, it is becoming increasingly popular to order your Chai with a shot of espresso, which is called a Dirty Chai espresso.

Here, we’ve taken the Dirty Chai one step further, and turned those same flavors into a cocktail. First off, we make a pourover coffee with both coffee grounds and Chai tea to infuse the flavors together. Then we make a coffee simple syrup to add a little nutty sweetness with brown sugar, and to enhance the coffee flavor in the cocktail. Finally, we combine those two things with vodka and a little cream or milk to create this delicious martini.

As for which of our coffees you should use for the Dirty Chai Coffee Martini, we recommend our Organic Peruvian. It’s a particularly pure and plush single origin coffee from Peru that is flavorful and aromatic. With a lively aroma, and a touch of natural nutty sweetness, it’s a medium roast coffee that will perfectly complement the creamy spices in the Chai tea.

Make the Dirty Chai Coffee and the Coffee Simple Syrup in advance, and keep it in the fridge (it keeps for about a week) so you’re ready to make your Dirty Chai Coffee Martini as soon as it hits 5 o’clock any day of the week!

DIRTY CHAI COFFEE

1/4 cup ground Charleston Coffee Roasters coffee
2 tablespoons loose Chai tea blend
24 ounces water, boiled and then slightly cooled

1. Place the grounds and Chai tea in a paper cone set in the top of a Chemex (or other pourover vessel).
2. Wet the grounds and tea with the water, then slowly pour the rest of the water over the grounds and tea.
3. Wait until all the water has dripped into the bottom of the vessel.
4. Chill coffee until ready to make the martini.

COFFEE SIMPLE SYRUP

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup brewed Charleston Coffee Roasters coffee
1/4 cup water

1. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan.
2. Bring to a simmer and stir just until sugar dissolves.
3. Remove from the heat and chill syrup until ready to make the martini.

DIRTY CHAI COFFEE MARTINI

1 ounce vodka
1 ounce Dirty Chai Coffee
1 ounce Coffee Simple Syrup
Splash of heavy cream or milk

Cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon, for garnish

1. Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake to combine and strain into a chilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with ground cinnamon and a cinnamon stick, and serve immediately.