|
When we first tasted Mr. Black at a trade show, it was magnificent—but only available in Australia, where it was created.
Wholesale buyers liked it too, because now it’s widely available in the U.S.
If you drink other coffee liqueurs, you’ve got to try Mr. Black.
If you know a coffee drinker who’d enjoy sipping a rich, intense, coffee liqueur, treat them to a bottle of Mr. Black.
WHAT IS MR. BLACK COLD BREW LIQUEUR?
Mr. Black is a cold brew espresso liqueur, and in our experience, one of the best coffee liqueurs you can buy.
Each bottle is handmade at the company’s coffee roastery and distillery just north of Sydney, Australia (photo #2).
Mr. Black was developed to appeal to serious coffee aficionados. It emphasizes the purity of coffee flavor using a blend of beans from the best growing regions.
Ethiopian Djimmah is a specialty coffee with a light-medium roast bringing chocolate, toffee and fruit flavors to the blend.
Papua New Guinea beans add zesty citrus notes.
Brazilian Arabica, roasted two ways, brings, fresh cold brew notes.
Next, the beans are roasted, ground and brewed.
The beans are ground with ceramic burrs.
The different ground beans are cold-brewed separately, into concentrate.
They are then blended to achieve a the best range of flavor and balance.
Brewing artisans fine-tune the water composition, temperature and time for each batch.
The difference between something good and something great comes down to the details, says the company, and they are correct.
HOW TO ENJOY MR. BLACK ESPRESSO LIQUEUR
Straight up or on the rocks.
Made into cocktails (see the recipes), including a great Espresso Martini.
Added to hot or iced coffee, cappuccino or espresso.
Mixed into mousse or whipped cream.
Over ice cream or cheesecake.
In milkshakes or floats.
In a glass of hot milk or hot chocolate.
Mixed into chocolate sauce.
Discover more own the company website.
You can find Mr. Black at stores nationwide and online. Here’s a store locator for both retail and e-tail.
THE HISTORY OF LIQUEUR
A liqueur (lih-KUR) is an alcoholic drink composed of distilled spirits and additional flavorings that can include bark, flowers, fruits, herbs, roots and spices.
|
|
[1] Our favorite liqueur, rich and complex for serious coffee drinkers (photo © Mr. Black).
[2] Make the best Espresso Martini.
[3] Filling the bottles at the distillery (photos © Mr. Black).
|
And sugar! Often served with, or after, dessert, liqueurs are typically heavily sweetened.
Liqueurs are historical descendants of herbal medicines. These alcoholic medicines were made in Italy as early as the 13th century, often prepared by monks (for example, Chartreuse).
The French word liqueur is derived from the Latin liquifacere, which means “to dissolve.”
October 16th is National Liqueur Day.
EAU DE VIE, CORDIAL, LIQUEUR & SCHNAPS: THE DIFFERENCE
Liqueur has numerous “relatives.” Here’s are their differences.
Schnaps/schnapps, a generic German word for liquor or any alcoholic beverage, is more specific in English, where it refers to clear brandies distilled from fermented fruits. The English added a second “p,” spelling the word as schnapps. True Schnaps has no sugar added, but products sold in the U.S. as schnapps may indeed be sweetened. As one expert commented, “German Schnaps is to American schnapps as German beer is to American Budweiser.”
Eau de vie is the French term for Schnaps. American-made brands labeled eau de vie (“water of life”) are often heavily sweetened, and have added glycerine for thickening.
Liqueur is an already distilled alcohol made from grain which has already been fermented, into which fruits are steeped. It is sweeter and more syrupy than a European eau de vie or schnapps.
Cordial, in the U.S., almost always refers to a syrupy, sweet alcoholic beverage, a synonym for liqueur. In the U.K., it refers to a non-alcoholic, sweet, syrupy drink or the syrup used to make such a drink. Rose’s Lime Cordial, a British brand, is called Rose’s Lime Juice in the U.S. so Americans don’t think it’s alcoholic.
|
