Home-Made Liqueurs, #3: Coffee Liqueur

'Part Three' in our Home-Made Liqueurs series brings us the long awaited, (and requested!) coffee liqueur. This is an easy recipe that yields terrific results and will certainly enhance your cocktail recipes and give them that extra special touch.

Ingredients:

1 quart 80 proof vodka

4 cups granulated sugar

3 cups water

2 ounces instant coffee mixed with 1 cup of boiling water

1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise

Directions:

Bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring frequently.

Lower heat and simmer for twenty minutes.

Allow to cool to room temperature.

Mix the syrup with the coffee mixture and vodka.

Add the vanilla bean.

Put in a glass container and shake every day for two weeks.

Chris's notes: Years ago, I received a bottle of Home-Made Coffee Liqueur as a gift. At the time, I remember thinking, "How Cool!" The liqueur itself was delicious, the drinks made with it came with the story of the ingredients' origins, and even the bottle, being an ornate receptacle, saw repeated uses.

Coffee Liqueur is a key ingredient in many specialty cocktails, including B-52s, The Nutty Irishman, and a Tootsie Roll.

Sure to punch up your next cocktail, provide a conversation topic for your uncomfortable silences, or, with the Holidays well and truly upon us, this makes an awesome gift, (I just happen to know!)

Cheers!

I am very happy about this week's video: Humble Pie, "Black Coffee!"

Oh yeah!