One of our best-selling spirits in our tasting rooms is our Cocoa Bean vodka! We get asked all the time about the best way to drink this vodka, so if you're looking for some inspiration check out the recipes below.
At our Front Street location, we make a ton of Espresso Martinis, and we always use our Cocoa Bean vodka as the base. Because the Cocoa Bean vodka has that nice baker's dark chocolate flavor, when you add the espresso, coffee liqueur, and simple syrup to it, it enriches the cocoa flavor, which complements the coffee flavors beautifully. If you want to have a bit of fun with it, you can always opt for a different sugar other than simple syrup by adding barrel-aged Maple Syrup, pumpkin puree with some sugar and spice, lavender honey syrup, etc. With the base as the Cocoa Bean Vodka you can't go wrong with any type of Espresso Martini.
Recipe:
2 oz Cocoa Bean Vodka
1 oz Coffee Liqueur
1 oz Espresso
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
Shake all ingredients well until the coffee is agitated, and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a couple of coffee beans, and enjoy!
Another coffee-based drink that is delicious with our Cocoa Bean Vodka is a White Russian. This easy 3-ingredient drink is made even better with the addition of the dark chocolate flavor from the Cocoa Bean Vodka to complement the coffee liqueur and half & half. This is a White Russian that would make The Dude jealous.
Recipe:
2 oz Cocoa Bean Vodka
1 oz Coffee Liqueur
1 oz Half & half
To a rocks glass with ice add the Cocoa Bean Vodka and coffee liqueur, then layer on top the half and half. Give it a good mix and enjoy!
If you've ever been to our tasting rooms, you've probably sampled this 2-ingredient drink of Cocoa Bean Vodka and Cream Soda. The dark cocoa flavor and the vanilla cream from the soda blend perfectly for an easy-drinking, sweet highball cocktail.
*If you garnish this drink with some Bourbon Cherries, it tastes like an ice cream sundae!
Recipe:
1.5 oz Cocoa Bean Vodka
Top with Cream Soda
In a highball glass with ice, add your Cocoa Bean Vodka, then top with Cream Soda. Garnish with some cocktail cherries for a sundae experience!
* Northwoods Soda makes a Black Cherry Cream Soda... this with the Cocoa Bean Vodka is also excellent!
If you're someone who loves chocolate, then we recommend you give your next Chocolate Martini a try with our Cocoa Bean Vodka for an intense dark chocolate flavor! Our Cocoa Bean Vodka with a good dark chocolate syrup, simple syrup, and half & half makes for a great dessert cocktail that is pretty easy to mix up.
Recipe:
2 oz Cocoa Bean Vodka
1 oz Dark Chocolate syrup
1 oz Half & half
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
In a shaker tin, add all of the ingredients, give everything a good shake with ice, and strain into a coupe or martini glass. If you're feeling fancy, garnish with some shaved chocolate.
This old-school cocktail made with Coffee Liqueur and Orange juice is made better with the addition of the Cocoa Bean Vodka! The cocoa flavor pumps up the intensity of the coffee flavor in the coffee liqueur making for a more flavorful drink. You can also scale down the proportions of the recipe below and make it into a shot if you're looking for an easy drink to throw back quickly.
Recipe:
1 oz Cocoa Bean Vodka
1 oz Coffee Liqueur
1 oz Orange Juice
In a shaker, add all your ingredients, and give it a good shake with ice. Strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with an orange slice, or go right for a bite of a Tootsie Roll to complement your cocktail!
With the addition of our Silver Rum, combining the butterscotch flavors with the Cocoa nibs from the Cocoa Bean Vodka, along with some grenadine and soda creates a flavorful but light drink to enjoy.
Recipe:
1 oz Silver Reserve Rum
1/2 oz Cocoa Bean Vodka
1 oz Tart Cherry Grenadine
Soda Water
In a shaker tin, add the Silver Rum, Cocoa Bean Vodka, and Tart Cherry Grenadine, shake well with ice, and strain over a rocks glass. Top with soda water, or if you're looking for something a little sweeter, try topping with Cream Soda.
Head to our website to see where the closest tasting room location is to you so you can pick up a bottle of the Cocoa Bean Vodka so you can start making these delicious cocktails at home!
