Trader Joe’s sells some limoncello – a wonderful Italian lemon liqueur that I use often in recipes – that is not only delicious, but an outstanding value compared to other brands. On a recent trip, I noticed that they had a Coffeecello parked on the shelf next to it, packaged in a similar bottle. Coffeecello is a similarly produce liqueur that is made by infusing espresso-roast Arabica coffee beans into a spirit, then sweetening it into a liqueur. I’ve had many coffee liqueurs and most of them start with a sort of coffee concentrate, rather than with whole beans. The liqueur tastes like very well-sweetened cold brew coffee. It is smooth and rich, with clear chocolate, toffee and roasted hazelnut notes to it and no bitter aftertaste. While it is sweet, it is not cloying and the sweetness is balanced well by the intensity of the coffee.  In short, it is delicious.
You could easily sip this over ice (they recommend chilling it before enjoying on the bottle) or drizzled over ice cream. The liqueur could be incorporated into cocktails or desserts, as well, and would make an excellent addition to a tiramisu or brownies. The liqueur is just 26% ABV (similar to other liqueurs, intended to be sipped or incorporated with other ingredients in a drink), so it’s going to provide at least as much buzz from coffee as it is from the alcohol. This bottle was just $7.99 (for 375ml) in my California store and, after tasting it, I have to admit that it seems like a bargain.
Kris
April 12, 2017“Only 26% alcohol”? Wow, to me, that’s not insignificant, where the coffee would just give me as much of a buzz than the liquor – wine has around 12-15% and gin is around 40%. Not that that’s a bad thing, but you must have a higher tolerance than I if 26% if NBD. Cheers!
Nicole
April 12, 2017Kris,
The proof is comparable to other liqueurs and compared to straight spirits it is significantly less, which is the only point I was trying to make. Unlike wine or beer, you’re likely to only have about an ounce (2 tbsp) or so of this at a time due to its richness, so it is unlikely to have a strong impact on anyone who decides to sip it. That being said, it might be better to use in baking alone as a flavoring agent if you feel that it would be too strong for you to enjoy as a beverage.
I hope that helps,
Best
–Nicole