What Bartenders Wish You'd Realize About Espresso Martinis
Some cocktails take more effort to make than they're worth. Thrillist ranked dirty vodka martinis, the lemon drop, and boilermakers as some of the most frivolous mixed drinks out there. While those beverages can give any bartender a headache to make, one concoction rises above and annoys mixologists everywhere. According to Grub Street, bartenders hate whipping up espresso martinis. The drink ranks as one of the most popular cocktails of 2021 and it can feel like everyone around you loves to order this twist on a martini.
Bartenders have come to despise the drink, thanks to its ingredients. Espresso martinis require a shot of espresso, vodka, coffee liqueur, and a sweetener to get shaken together. The heat of the espresso sometimes causes the shaker to spill open on the bartender creating a mess, while many bars simply don't have an espresso machine. Some vodka bar employees also feel like the drink covers up the unique taste of their specialty spirits that get buried under the taste of coffee.
The trendiness of the cocktail can make even the most amicable mixologist vent and bartenders have flocked to Reddit to pinpoint everything wrong with the drink.
A headache in a martini glass
A recent thread popped up on r/cocktails titled, "Espresso Martini – the most hated cocktail." The Redditor who posted the thread works as a bartender, loves the drink, and wanted to know why people have a problem with it. Responses poured in from disgruntled restaurant workers and included responses like, "I love an espresso martini but I personally think it rides the coattails of the martini because of the name. This drink would not have been this popular if not for the name," and "I think it's a service industry thing. You need fresh espresso, you never get enough espresso, you gotta shake the daylights out of it, the cocktails sticks to the ice in a weird way too."
Another user summed up the frustration best, saying, "When you have to walk off the bar, pull a shot, and come back, the build time means that you can take 2 orders or more. Servers, barbacks, and managers can do the barista work but it takes extra bodies and staff time (and finding them to help)." The whole process causes management, customers, and staff to get frustrated, making for an overall bad time for everyone involved. Next time you go up to the bar to order an espresso martini, think twice before grabbing this cocktail.