Caffè Corretto Recipe: A Zesty Italian Coffee Cocktail
Let’s make one of Italy’s most popular coffee-and-alcohol drinks!
The caffè corretto is a classic Italian espresso drink that combines a shot of espresso with a splash of liquor, usually grappa. It is often described as a cocktail, but in reality, it has just enough alcohol to boost the flavor of the coffee. You won’t be getting tipsy.
I’ll teach you how to make this espresso with a twist – and a bit about its backstory and variations – in this simple caffè corretto recipe.
What Is A Caffè Corretto In Italy?
The caffè corretto is an Italian drink made by adding a small amount of alcohol to an espresso shot. The Italian word corretto means “corrected”, with the idea that you’ve corrected the coffee by the addition of alcohol. Outside of Italy, the drink is sometimes known as an espresso corretto.
Grappa is the most popular liquor for the drink, but other types of brandy like cognac and liqueurs like sambuca are also common. You might even consider a coffee liqueur. You can specify what you want when ordering by asking for a caffè corretto alla grappa or caffè corretto alla sambuca – for example.
The combination of coffee and alcohol goes way back, but the corretto cocktail is thought to have originated around the 1930s. At this time, coffee was scarce and expensive and often supplemented by chicory or orzo – the splash of grappa was vital for “correcting” the bitter flavor (1).
Caffè corretto is often served with the grappa already added. But some cafes may serve you the alcohol in a separate shot glass, so you can add it to suit your taste.
How To Make A Caffè Corretto
Making a perfect caffè corretto at home is no more difficult than pulling a shot of espresso.
Caffe Corretto Ingredients
- 9 g espresso beans
- 5 ml grappa
- Coffee grinder
- Espresso machine
- Demitasse cup
At a Glance
Brew time:
5 minutes
Yield:
1 serving
Tips For The Best Caffe Corretto
The traditional caffè corretto is as simple as a shot of espresso with a dash of liquor, but a few guidelines will help you get the best coffee cocktail experience.
The amount of alcohol is entirely to taste, but the general rule is just a few drops (less than 5 mL). Coffee should be the predominant taste. Whatever tipple you choose, make sure it’s at room temperature. Cold alcohol can disperse the crema on the espresso.
You can use your favorite freshly roasted coffee beans for this recipe, but I like to use an authentic Italian espresso blend. These are typically darker roasts with a heavy body and bold bittersweet flavor profile of nuts and chocolate.
Step-By-Step Caffè Corretto Recipe
Here’s an easy-to-follow guide to making caffè corretto. If your espresso machine has a double-spouted portafilter, you can easily double the recipe to serve two.
1. Grind the beans
Even with the addition of alcohol, the taste of this drink relies on high-quality espresso, so freshly ground espresso beans are a must. Add the 9 grams of whole bean coffee to your burr grinder and grind to a fine grind.
2. Brew the espresso
Preheating your demitasse by rinsing it with hot water. Add the ground coffee to your portafilter, distribute it evenly, and tamp. Pull the espresso shot directly into the serving cup.
3. Add the grappa
Add the grappa immediately before drinking to avoid the alcohol evaporating. Start with just a few drops and add more to the taste.
How Do You Drink Caffè Corretto?
The caffe corretto is a small drink, typically consumed quickly in a few sips before it cools. The Rexentin (sometimes raxentin or rasentin) is a variation specific to the Veneto region of Italy.
The espresso is served on its own with a shot of grappa on the side. The drinker pours a little of the grappa into the espresso to make the caffé corretto, which is drunk leaving only the foam on the inside of the coffee cup. Then, the remaining grappa is poured into the glass to “rinse” it – rexentin meaning “to rinse” in the local dialect.
Other Coffee Drinks With Alcohol
The combination of coffee and alcohol is popular worldwide; we love our intoxicants. If you liked the caffe corretto, you might also enjoy the classic espresso martini recipe, the more extravagant flaming Spanish coffee, or one of the many coffee cocktail recipes below:
Final Thoughts
The corretto coffee is a traditional Italian coffee drink combining freshly brewed espresso and grappa – or another spirit of your choosing. It’s a humble but comforting coffee experience that’s easy to enjoy at home, the perfect way to cap off an authentic Italian meal!
FAQs
You can drink the Caffe Corretto at any time of day, as the actual alcohol content is very low. It’s most commonly consumed as a digestif after a meal, particularly after dinner if you plan to continue drinking into the night.
A caffe con schiuma is an Italian drink consisting of espresso topped with a layer of coffee-flavored foam – schiuma being the Italian for “foam.” The foam is made by whipping together espresso and castor sugar, similar to making Dalgona coffee or a Cuban cortadito.
Most Italians make their coffee using a Moka pot, an icon of Italian coffee culture (2). Also known as a stovetop espresso maker, it brews very strong espresso coffee, but it doesn’t produce enough pressure to make true espresso.
References
- Parla, K. (2018, October 26). A Brief History of the Caffè Corretto. Punch. https://punchdrink.com/articles/brief-history-italian-caffe-corretto-espresso-coffee
- Storr, T. (2019, November 8). How The Moka Pot Influenced Coffee Consumption. Retrieved from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2019/11/how-the-moka-pot-influenced-coffee-consumption/
Your description of Rexentin is wrong. When you order it, you get a an espresso and a separate shot of grappa. First, a little of the grappa is poured into the espresso, making it a caffé corretto, This is drunk, but leaving a little bit of coffee in the cup (most drink it entirely, leaving only the foam remaining on the insides of the cup. Then, the remaining grappa is poured into the cup, “rinsing” (rexitin) it.
Thanks for the clarification George!