Best Substitutes for Coffee
Out of Coffee? Here are the best alternatives that work in cocktail recipes.
Original Ingredient
Coffee
Mixer
Bold, roasted nose with dark chocolate, caramel, and toasted nuts. Palate is bittersweet with earthy depth and a rich, warming body. Long finish with roasted bitterness and subtle sweetness.
Recommended Substitutes
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Espresso
Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.
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Coffee Liqueur
Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.
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Kahlua
Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.
General Substitution Tips
- → Match the alcohol level: a 40% spirit needs a similarly strong replacement or adjust volume.
- → For liqueurs, dilute spirits + simple syrup can replicate sweetness and proof.
- → Citrus substitutions: lemon and lime are mostly interchangeable at a 1:1 ratio.
- → For bitters, Angostura is the most neutral substitute for most other aromatic bitters.