Calypso Coffee Recipe: The Perfect Warm Treat For A Cool Day
What do hot chocolate, coffee, and rum all have in common? They’re all warmly comforting on a cool, gray day. The Calypso cocktail combines the essence of all three into the ultimate soothing drink. It’s sweet, caffeinated, and boozy – everything you need to get you through the harsh days of the winter season.
Learn about Calypso Coffee ingredients and how to enjoy this drink with our simple three-step recipe.
WHAT YOU NEED
- 6 ounces strong brewed coffee
- 1 ounce dark rum
- 1 ounce coffee liqueur, such as Tia Maria
- ½ ounce chocolate liqueur, such as Crème de Cacao
- 1 ounce heavy cream
- Coffee bean and/or shaved chocolate, for garnish
AT A GLANCE
Time:
5 minutes
Yield:
1 drink (10 ounces)
What Is Calypso Coffee?
Calypso Coffee drink is a coffee with alcohol served warm, similar to Irish Coffee. It combines strong brewed coffee, rum, coffee, and chocolate. While the latter ingredient is optional, we love the classic coffee and chocolate flavor combination. It’s topped with a float of heavy cream and decorated with a single coffee bean and/or shaved chocolate.
The hot Calypso drink might lose its appeal on a steaming hot day. In that case, consider an iced cocktail like as Coffee Negroni instead.
How To Make A Calypso Coffee
You don’t need any bartending skills or special equipment to prepare this straightforward recipe. If you can brew coffee, you’re most of the way to this Calypso Coffee cocktail recipe. So let’s get started with this step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Brew Coffee
Brew 6 ounces of strong hot coffee. To get it stronger than a typical cup, use a higher ratio of coffee grounds to water than normal.
You can use any available brewing method, but we recommend a French press or Aeropress for the most intense flavor.
Pro tip: A darker roast coffee is the best choice for this beverage. The more bitter and toasted flavors of a darker roast perfectly balance the sweetness of the liqueurs.
Step 2: Mix The Cocktail
Pour the coffee into a 12-ounce heat-proof glass. Add the coffee liqueur, chocolate liqueur, and rum, and stir it together.
There are no specific brands of liqueur required for this drink. We use Tia Maria and Crème de Cacao because they are readily available. Feel free to substitute your favorites.
Pro tip: Preheat the glass with boiling water while you brew coffee to ensure your Calypso cocktail stays toasty warm as you sip it.
Step 3: Top, Garnish, And Serve
Pour the heavy cream onto the cocktail carefully over the back of a teaspoon so it settles neatly onto the surface. Float a single coffee bean in the center for an elegant presentation and/or sprinkle chocolate shavings on top.
Pro tip: Add some body to the heavy cream by first frothing it. Use a handheld frother or whisk, or shake it in a Mason jar. The aerated cream floats better and adds a lovely rich mouthfeel to the drink.
Final Thoughts
The Calypso Coffee Cocktail is the perfect warm drink to soothe the soul. It suitable for a winter brunch, a cool summer’s evening, and everything in between.
This easy recipe requires no special tools, and if you start now, you’re only five minutes away from a warm, comforting, and boozy treat. What are you waiting for?
FAQs
Yes, Calypso is alcoholic as it contains rum and liqueur. To prepare a virgin Calypso:
1. Brew 7 ounces of strong coffee.
2. Replace the rum with a non-alcoholic rum, and add 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup, ½ teaspoon brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.
3. Keep the cream on top the same.
Yes, Tia Maria is gluten-free, as is the entire Calypso cocktail (1). Tia Maria is vegan-friendly, while other popular coffee liqueurs, such as Kahlua, are not. If you enjoy Tia Maria coffee liqueur, learn how to make a Tia Maria coffee. It’s a simple drink easily made suitable for all diets if you skip the whipped cream.
You can have a vegan Calypso Cocktail by replacing the heavy cream with an equivalent amount of full-fat coconut milk. It will have a different flavor, but we think the coconut pairs very nicely with the rum. If you don’t enjoy the flavor of coconut, any suitably thick non-dairy cream substitute will work.
References
- Adams, S. (2021, January 22). Kahlua and Other Top Gluten-Free Coffee Liqueurs. Retrieved from https://www.celiac.com/celiac-disease/kahl%C3%BAa-and-other-top-gluten-free-coffee-liqueurs-r5423/
