Conker Spirit makes Cold Brew coffee liqueur

Dorset gin distillery, Conker Spirit, is launching a coffee liqueur, Cold Brew coffee liqueur. The release is its second permanent offering.

Following on from Conker Spirit’s Dorset Dry gin, founder Rupert Holloway claims to have deliberately avoided expanding into flavoured gins and has instead focussed on creating a coffee-based.

Holloway claims that he couldn’t find a single so-called ‘coffee liqueur’ that resembled espresso, and so produced one – a Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur.

Holloway says: "To capture the true taste of freshly roasted coffee in a liqueur, you’ve got to master a complex balancing act of roasting, blending and brewing. One wrong move, one shortcut, and the taste will be compromised."

Conker Spirit has worked with Dorset’s Beanpress Coffee Co., and  Brazilian and Ethiopian coffee beans. The Brazilian beans are roasted darker and
for longer to accentuate the cacao and caramel notes. The Ethiopian coffee is roasted faster and lighter.

By brewing the liqueur cold, Conker Spirit don’t extract any of the acidic, bitter elements of the bean.

Just demerara sugar is added to complete the production.

Conker Spirit Cold Brew coffee liqueur has an ABV of 25% and an RRP of £30 for 70cl, available online and from specialist independent retailers.

22 March 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor