The Espresso Martini Just Got a Matcha Makeover

Name: The Espresso Martini Just Got a Matcha Makeover
Ingredients: 1 ounce vodka, preferably Haku; 1 ounce green tea (brewed and cooled); 1 ounce oat milk; ¾ ounce honey syrup (1 part water: 2 parts honey; mix until honey dissolves); 1 teaspoon matcha powder; 1 pinch kosher salt

By Kara Newman

Going Green Cocktail — Photography by Tom Arena

There’s a running joke that bartenders hate making espresso martinis—the 1980s’ juggernaut drink that’s having a revival. Yet, Harrison Ginsberg, bar director at NYC’s sky-high Overstory bar, says he loves a well-made espresso martini (and not ironically, either). While his team can’t pull fresh shots of espresso (the 64th-floor bar has a tiny footprint and no espresso machine), he designed an alternative: the Matcha Shakerato. Instead of fresh espresso, he uses a combination of oat milk and matcha powder to mimic the texture, viscosity and weight of a freshly pulled shot. At the bar, a house-made green tea liqueur adds sweetness and complexity; this home-friendly version offers a similar flavor with cooled green tea and honey syrup.

Vodka remains the base spirit. Ginsberg prefers Haku, a Japanese brand distilled from rice, as it’s a natural complement to the matcha.

The end result is a vibrant green counterpart to its coffee-based cousin.

Matcha Shakerato

Courtesy Harrison Ginsberg, Bar Director, Overstory, NYC

Ingredients

1 ounce vodka, preferably Haku

1 ounce green tea (brewed and cooled)

1 ounce oat milk

¾ ounce honey syrup (1 part water: 2 parts honey; mix until honey dissolves)

1 teaspoon matcha powder

1 pinch kosher salt

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Whisk or buzz with a milk frother until all matcha powder is dissolved. Add ice and shake hard, for 15–20 seconds. Double strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. No garnish.

This article originally appeared in the May 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

Published on May 11, 2023

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