Black Russian Cocktail: Darkly Delicious

The Black Russian cocktail is more than just a White Russian without cream. Whether you're curious about the dark drink or if you're simply looking for a Black Russian recipe, you've come to the right place.

Black RussianPhoto by2foodtrippers

The Black Russian isn't just a sophisticated sipper that's ridiculously easy to craft at home. It's also the bol'shoy papa (i.e. big daddy) of a cocktail category that includes the White Russian, Mudslide and Mind Eraser.

While the Black Russian's story is almost as short as its recipe, the vodka drink's flavor is as big as Siberia.

What Is a Black Russian Drink?

In simple terms, a Black Russian is a two-ingredient cocktail made with vodka and coffee liqueur plus ice cubes. While it's not necessary to measure the ice, the vodka and coffee liqueur must have a 2:1 ratio.

Although it's easy to confuse a Black Russian cocktail with a White Russian cocktail, the two drinks have distinct differences. For starters, the Black Russian is as dark as coffee while its counterpart has a milky complexion. The chocolate brown cocktail also provides more of a kick without any mixers to dilute its alcohol components.

Plus, as a bonus, the Black Russian ticks the box for cocktail drinkers who are vegetarian and/or lactose impaired.

History of the Black Russian

The Black Russian and White Russian cocktails are the opposite of a 'chicken and egg' situation. Unlike their poultry peers, we know which drink came first - the Black Russian.

Cocktail lore attributes the creation of the Black Russian to a Belgian bartender named Gustave Tops.

The creative mixologist, who worked at the Hotel Metropole in 1940s Brussels, likely had no ties to Russia. Instead, he named the drink a Black Russian in recognition of the drink's dark color and the homeland of vodka, one of the drink's two liquors.

Ingredients

The Black Russian isn't just easy to craft, it also has a super succinct ingredient list with the following three ingredients:

• 2 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce coffee liqueur
• ice

Keeping to theme, we like to use Stolichnaya vodka. However, although Stoli sounds Russian, it's actually produced in Latvia.

There's nothing remotely Russian about Kahlúa, our preferred coffee liqueur. Dark and rich, Kahlúa is produced in Mexico.

How to Craft a Black Russian Cocktail

The first step in this recipe is to add ice to the lowball glass. We typically use ice 'crafted' by our refrigerator's automatic ice maker.

The second step is to measure the two liquid ingredients. We use a Japanese Jigger to ensure accurate measurements and avoid spillage.

The third step is to pour each liquor directly into the ice-filled glass. You'll want to do this doing this immediately after measuring each.

The final step is to stir the drink for a few seconds - no garnish or flourishes necessary.

Variations

We recommend trying a Black Russian in its pure form before adding additional ingredients. When you're ready, the following alternatives will get you started:

• Add lemon juice to craft a Black Magic cocktail.
• Add Irish cream liqueur to craft a Blind Russian cocktail.
• Add ginger ale to craft a Brown Russian cocktail.
• Add club soda to craft a Mind Eraser cocktail.
• Add cream to craft a White Russian cocktail.

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