Coffee-Infused Bourbon Recipe

Prep: 24 hrs

Cook: 0 mins

Infuse: 24 hrs

Total: 48 hrs

Servings: 12 servings

Yield: 750 milliliters

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Coffee and whiskey are natural companions—just think of old favorites like Irish coffee. Often, brewed coffee or a coffee liqueur are the ingredients responsible for the coffee flavor, but why not add that little touch of java to the whiskey itself?

Coffee-infused bourbon is a good way to get a gentle coffee flavor into whiskey cocktails. It's useful in a variety of non-infused drinks such as a Manhattan, liquid bourbon ball, fall spice cordial. Also, the coffee infusion is not limited to bourbon. Other whiskies, including blends like Canadian whisky and some Irish whiskeys are also good candidates for a little coffee jolt.

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1 (750-milliliter) bottle bourbon whiskey
1/2 cup whole coffee beans

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Pour the bourbon into an infusion jar, large Mason jar or another wide-mouthed container with a tight seal.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Add the coffee beans, seal the container and shake well.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Place the jar in a cool dark place for about 24 hours.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Taste the infusion and if you think it needs a little more time, shake it again and allow it to set for another 8 hours. Check it again and repeat this step until you have the flavor you want.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
When the infusion is to your liking, strain the coffee beans through a fine strainer from the whiskey.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Return the whiskey to its original bottle, cap it and enjoy it any cocktail you see fit.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

We prefer to use coffee beans that are darker such as Spanish and French roasts. These tend to be richer than the lighter roasts and pair better with whiskey.
To test a whiskey/bean combination without wasting a lot of whiskey, try a smaller batch first. Pour a couple of shots of whiskey in a smaller jar and add a handful of coffee beans. Allow this to infuse and see what you like. Do this with multiple whiskey and bean combinations at once, clearly labeling each, then taste each in succession and decide which you like best. After that, you're ready to infuse a large batch of your favorite.
When choosing a whiskey for this infusion, it's best to try ones that are smooth and not too spicy.
Though you may be inclined to do so, we do not recommend mixing this coffee infusion into drinks that already contain coffee. It may work, but defeats the purpose of flavoring your whiskey with coffee because coffee is already there. Instead, think of complementary flavors such as almond, banana, chestnut, kumquat and orange.
You can use the coffee beans once they've infused into the alcohol. Drain and pat them down with a clean towel. Let them dry completely before grinding them for coffee.
More infusion tips

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
126	Calories
0g	Fat
4g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	126
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 73mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate 4g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 8mg	1%
Iron 0mg	2%
Potassium 58mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.