San Diego Sips: Get your coffee buzz on with cold brew cocktails

Rich cold brew, warm spices and a creamy finish make for fun dessert drinks

Espresso martinis are having a moment, but they can be difficult to make at home if you don’t have an espresso machine. By mixing drinks with cold brew, you can make a fun, coffee cocktail anytime without any of the fuss. 

While I often prepare my own cold brew at home, using a canned version makes the prep even easier. To support a local business, I like to use the canned cold brew from Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, which is roasted locally and can be found in many grocery and convenience stores throughout San Diego County.

In addition to Dark Horse cold brew, these drinks are made with a homemade Golden Spice syrup, a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg and vanilla. 

While the Dark Magic Brewman uses Henebery Whiskey — a product made from a distillery based in Vista that launched in 2012 — the Golden Hour Brew uses Fever Tree ginger ale for a nonalcoholic version. 

Finished with a velvety layer of whipped cream, both cocktails highlight the versatility and elegance of coffee-based beverages, promising to elevate your cocktail repertoire.

This is an excerpt from my newest food writing project, San Diego Tides & Tacos. Visit this article on Substack to find cocktail recipes using Dark Horse cold brew to serve for dessert.