Cold Brew Limoncello Spritz

Coffee and citrus are better friends than you might expect and in this case we’ve paired lemon with cold brew for a spritz that’s light on alcohol and caffeine but complex and refreshing at the same time. I dreamed up this recipe wanting to make use of mainly Italian ingredients, but we’ve got some Creole in the mix along with whatever origin you use for your coffee. With a savory sweet lemon base from the Limoncello with additional sweetness and aromatics from the Liquore Strega and Peychaud’s Bitters, the alcoholic side of the ledger deliver on aromatic complexity and sweetness while the cold brew and fresh lemon add balance with some much needed acidity and umami. Floated over 3 oz of club soda, this spritz keeps things light so you can keep up with the fun in the sun.

• Complexity - Medium
• Serves - 1
• Prep Time - 5 Min
• Cost - ($$)

Ingredients

• Cold Brew - 1.5 fl oz / 44 ml
• Limoncello - 0.75 fl oz / 22 ml
• Lemon Juice - 0.75 fl oz / 22 ml
• Liquore Strega - 0.25 fl oz / 7.5 ml
• Club Soda/Sparkling Mineral Water - 3 fl oz / 89 ml
• Peychaud’s Bitters - 2 Dashes
• 1 Lemon Tricorn (cut the lemon in half horizontally, then cut one half into four pieces vertically)
• Torino Vermouth - 1.5 fl oz / 44 ml (optional)

Liquore Strega and Witchy Trivia

I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never heard of Strega. It’s an intensely flavorful herbal liqueur that is a little bit like an Italian version of yellow chartreuse. It’s sweet but also intensely flavorful with notes of anise, vanilla, mint, cinnamon, and has a beautiful rich yellow hue from the saffron used to make it. In this recipe I used it very sparingly to avoid throwing things out of balance. If you’re not looking to spring for a $35 bottle of something you’ll only use occasionally you can always substitute more limoncello. The drink won’t be as strong and the flavor won’t be as complex, but it works if you’re not looking to splurge

For a fun bit of trivia, the word “strega” is Italian for “witch” and the liqueur shares its namesake with the Bezzera Strega lever machine. The liqueur owes its name to the Benevento region of Italy where it’s produced, a region known for its legends of witchcraft. The Bezzera Strega on the other hand is a bit more subtle and was inspired by parallels drawn between the machine’s lever and a witch’s wand or broom.

Equipment

• Varia STEEP / French Press
• Cocktail Shaker
• Cutting Board
• Pairing Knife
• Citrus Juicer
• Hawthorne Stainer
• Mesh Strainer

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare Your Cold Brew

Making cold brew is easy, especially if you're using the Varia STEEP like we did. We suggest a 1:10 ratio here using 60g of coffee and 600 ml of water. If you don't have a STEEP you can also use a French press, just take care that the plunger is not in contact with your coffee while infusing to avoid imparting any metallic taste to your coffee and double filter through paper after steeping.

Prepare Your Glass

Start by filling a chilled Nick & Nora glass with 3 fl oz of club soda or sparkling mineral water. Garnish the rim with one of your lemon tricorns. You can comfortably double the recipe if you want to prepare two spritzes at once, in that case simply prep a second glass.

Measure, Combine & Shake

Combine your lemon juice, cold brew, limoncello, Liquore Strega and Peychaud’s Bitters in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake hard for 10 - 15 seconds. Shaking horizontally at high intensity will help to rapidly chill all of your ingredients and you'll produce more foam the harder you shake. Double strain into your chilled Nick & Nora (or similar style of glass). If you prefer a bit more acidity you can squeeze your lemon into the glass and incorporate with a gentle stir.

An Alternative for the Evening

When you’re ready to call it on the caffeine, the cold brew in this spritz can be substituted for a Torino vermouth (my preference is Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino) for an aromatically complex yet refreshing alternative.

Photography by Grace Walker

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