Pousse Café
/

Pousse Café
Cocktail recipe

Rating

4.7 / 5
This is a great-looking layered drink. An eye turner for sure! This is a great-looking layered drink. An eye turner for sure!
Check out all our FAQ's on this cocktail

Microbadges

Cocktail Of The Day
Invented
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1941
Base ingredient
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Triple Sec
Alcohol content
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
25.83% | 1.24 units *
Details
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Classic

Cocktail Colin says:

5/5

The Pousse Café is a true spectacle in a glass, showcasing its vibrant layers from grenadine to floating rum, each contributing a distinct hue and flavor. The harmony between the sweet grenadine, herbal crème de menthe, citrus-infused Triple Sec, robust bourbon, and bold rum creates a complex and multifaceted taste experience, though the combination can be quite potent and sweet for some palates.

Method
How to make a Pousse Café

Serves 1 · Takes 3 minutes
Layer the ingredients into a chilled glass, starting with the grenadine, then the Kahlúa, crème de menthe, triple sec, and bourbon
End with floating the rum on top, then serve
~ The drink is named after the pousse café glass, in which it should be served if possible. //All ingredients should be chilled. ~

Learn more about some of the mixology terms used in this cocktail

·  Layer  · 

Your private tasting notes

~ Register as a user to create tasting notes, save your bar and more ~

Can you make this?

Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.

Comments

No comments yet…

You need to be a user with a verified email to comment on cocktails. Login / register

Featured in

  • New Year's Eve: Cocktail Extravaganza

Get ready to dazzle your guests this New Year's Eve with a collection of cocktails that are as spectacular as...

Go to collection

FAQ's

ORIGINS_HISTORY

What is the origin of the Pousse Café?

The Pousse Café is a type of layered cocktail that originated in France in the late 19th century. Its name translates to 'coffee pusher', referring to its initial purpose of being consumed after coffee to 'push' or aid in the digestion process. It became popular for its visually appealing layers, each ingredient having a different density.

FAQ

How do you layer the ingredients in a Pousse Café?

Layering the ingredients in a Pousse Café requires a steady hand and patience. You should start with the heaviest ingredient, which has the highest sugar content or the lowest alcohol content, and gently pour it into the shot glass. Subsequent layers are added using the back of a spoon or a pourer to gently float each ingredient on top of the previous one, minimizing mixing. The order in this recipe might start with Grenadine, followed by Crème de Menthe, Triple Sec, Coffee liqueur, Bourbon, and finally topped with Overproof rum.

FAQ

Why is the Pousse Café served in a shot glass?

The Pousse Café is traditionally served in a shot glass to emphasize its layered appearance, showcasing the distinct layers of different ingredients. The small size of the glass is also suitable for the rich and flavorful ingredients, making it a perfect after-dinner drink that's meant to be sipped and savored slowly, rather than consumed in one gulp.

ALCOHOL_CONTENT_COMPARISON

Is the Pousse Café a strong cocktail?

Yes, the Pousse Café can be considered a strong cocktail due to its high alcohol content ingredients like bourbon and overproof rum. However, the total alcohol content of about 25.83% is mitigated by the small total volume (48ml) and the inclusion of non-alcoholic or less alcoholic layers like Grenadine and Crème de Menthe. It's a drink where strength is balanced with flavor.

CUSTOMIZATION_IDEAS

Can I customize the layers in a Pousse Café?

Absolutely! Pousse Café is known for its versatility in ingredients, allowing you to experiment with different spirits and liqueurs as long as you pay attention to their density to maintain distinct layers. Customizing the layers lets you tailor the flavor profile to your liking or create visually stunning combinations. Just remember that the key to a successful Pousse Café is the careful layering of ingredients based on their specific gravity.

Upgrade your mixology

Become a member for free taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11.

  • Save your bar forever
  • Access to our Cocktail Creator, allowing you to create your own wonderful concoctions.
  • Save cocktails to personalised 'Tried' and 'Want to try' lists
  • Create and record tasting notes on cocktails
  • Create lists of cocktails to share with friends and family
  • A pesonalised MyBar URL, allowing you to share everything you can make with friends
  • And much more ... (what to buy next, measurement choices, search personalisation...)
Register now

Olympic Cocktails and More

Discover a host of cocktails inspired by the Paris 2024 Olympics, meet the bartenders behind the cocktails and win yourself some juicy Amazon vouchers.

Our Olympic Cocktail Hub
build your bar

Create a cocktail

Choose a theme and some ingredients, give us some description and we'll create an amazing cocktail for you.

Register as a Premium Make Me A Cocktail community member and get access to an even more powerful creator.

Start creating

Build your bar

Tell us what you have at home and we’ll find a delicious cocktail for you to make right now.

Register as a Make Me A Cocktail community member and we’ll save your ingredients list so you can come back to it at any time.

Create My Bar
build your bar