Why we love this shaft drink
We accidentally discovered this cocktail while we were visiting family in British Columbia. I picked up a pack of pre-made shaft cocktails to bring on our camping trip.
They honestly weren’t great, but I soon discovered that the cocktail is well known in the Victoria area and it’s even better when it’s freshly made with Irish cream and fresh brewed espresso.
More coffee infused cocktails: tequila espresso martini / duck fart shot / peppermint white Russian / Bailey’s espresso martini
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Vodka – The shaft drink is usually made with plain-old vodka, but I recently got a bottle of chocolate vodka at a local distillery and it works really well in this drink. Really any flavor that you would put in your coffee will work in this drink.
- Coffee liqueur
- Irish cream
- Espresso – If you don’t have the ability to brew fresh espresso, you can substitute cold brew, but the fresh espresso creates a really nice texture in the drink.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make a shaft drink
Brew the espresso. If you’re brewing your own espresso, make sure you do this ahead of time. You don’t want it to be hot when you add it to the drink. Give it some time to come to room temperature.
Mix the drink. Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake until cold. You could also add the ingredients to your glass with ice and just stir until cold, but I like the frothy texture you get when shaking it.
Garnish and serve. Strain your cocktail into a glass filled with ice. There’s not wrong glassware for this time of cocktail, but it’s usually served in a lowball or highball glass.
Typically shaft cocktails aren’t garnished with anything. But I like to pull from an espresso martini and garnish with some coffee beans.
Frequently asked questions
Where did the drink shaft originate?
The shaft cocktail originated in Calgary, Alberta, but it’s become very popular on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, which is where I first tried the drink.
More creamy cocktails to try: spiked eggnog / dirty banana cocktail / Pink squirrel / coconut creamsicle cocktail
More strong cocktails you’ll love: brandy manhattan / blue motorcycle cocktail / French gimlet / last word cocktail
Shaft Drink
Ingredients
- 1 ounce vodka
- 1 ounce coffee liqueur
- 1 ounce Irish cream
- 2 ounces chilled espresso
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add drink ingredients. Shake until cold.
- Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with coffee beans before serving.
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