Martin is a host in the first place. Then he’s a bartender. Oh, not to forget World Coffee in Good Spirits Champion 2017! And the busiest person who’s traveling for and because of coffee cocktails I know!
This is not only since he’s won the championships, but also because he’s been working for THE most famous bar at The Savoy’s in London, The American Bar that just won the title ‘Best bar in the world’ in 2017. Popular guy indeed!
This article is about two coffee cocktails by Martin Hudak, including the recipes for you to try at home / your bar / your coffee shop!
But that’s not when I met Martin for the first time. Before winning the championships he gave a very interesting lecture and workshop during CoLab: Berlin hosted by Barista Guild of Europe in early May 2017: The secret of five star hospitality.
And, boom, did he teach us well! One certain lesson I remember quite well reads as follows:
“Baristas, always keep your heads up, please! One more gram of water doesn’t kill your coffee, but not paying attention to your guests can be bad for your business…”
‘What does that mean exactly?’, I want to know of him.
“Well, many baristas are focusing way too much on the perfect extraction of their espressos, dialing in every single shot, etc. etc…,” Martin is explaining, “… in doing so, they’re not really with the guests / their customers, but more with their coffee and its preparation. So, baristas, at least heads up, when a new customer is entering the front door, to say ‘Hi! Welcome!” ;-)
The CoLab events mainly are designed for baristas and I guess, all of them learned a lot about hosting their guests with Martin applying the skills he learned behind The American Bar at The Savoy to cafes and coffee shops.
Not the only skill he took from there, in fact. All his know-how and experience from making cocktails is used in his coffee cocktail creations. And I just love his statement: Coffee cocktails are the future. I so so agree!
Coffee (cocktails) connect(s) people
Looking back to where it all started, we find ourselves in Prešov, Slovakia, where Martin was born. Pretty much all of his adult life after finishing school was spent behind a bar. That’s what I call focus! Glad, he discovered coffee, too! Otherwise I wouldn’t have come across him in May 2017…
Fate had it that our paths crossed again, even in the same year! Fast forward to November, exactly 6 months after his lecture and workshop in Berlin, he hosted a coffee cocktail night at Local Coffee Stand, one of the many wonderful specialty coffee shops in Tokyo.
I’ve already spent about 2 weeks in Tokyo, the first two of many more during my coffee journey in East and South East Asia, when I heard about him coming to Tokyo and bringing some special coffee cocktail creations with him for everyone to try.
What a fun night at The Local Coffee Stand!!! Martin created three different coffee cocktails for the crowd and made THE most classical coffee cocktail there is: Irish Coffee.
Of course I tried all of them! Besides the Irish Coffee he prepared two very different coffee cocktails, one with espresso, his very own twist on an Espresso Martini, and one with cold brewed coffee, a nice and sweet Campari cocktail.
Tadaaa! It wouldn’t be me, if I’d asked Martin to provide some recipes for the ‘Drinks’ category for my blog as well.
Recipes for coffee cocktails by Martin Hudak
And, I’m just the lucky girl; because Martin gave me the exact recipes for the two coffee cocktails he prepared that very night in Tokyo and you’re about to try at home or at your shop/bar as well! :-D
During his stay in Tokyo in November he not only hosted this event, he also offered several workshops and classes in bartending / coffee cocktail mixing, too. And, I guess, or better hope, that the attendees of those classes picked up some of the hospitality and entertainer qualities Martin owns, besides learning how to create amazing coffee cocktails, of course.
I’m really curious, when Martin and my paths are going to cross again! But I’m pretty sure, it’s gonna be on some of the great coffee stages that are in this world.
After leaving The American Bar at The Savoy in London, he’s now off to more coffee cocktail related traveling around the world, giving workshops, holding lectures and doing bar shifts, before settling down in Australia eventually.
Here are the recipes, guys:
Side Note: For the bunch of people attending the event in Tokyo he used plastic cups. But, of course, they’re traditionally served in pretty glasses as you can see in the recipes!
Coffee cocktail by Martin Hudak #1: Espresso MarTIKI
40ml Bacardi 8 years old
30ml pineapple juice
20ml almond syrup
1 freshly made espresso.
Method: Shake well!
Ice: Use ice cubes.
Glass: Serve in a couppette glass
Garnish: Finish with an edible flower. Serve!
Coffee cocktail by Martin Hudak #2: Black Eagle
30ml Dewars 12 years old
30ml Cocchi Barolo Chinato/ China or Dubonnet
15ml Campari
10ml Grenadine syrup
Cold brew coffee (Best style of coffee from Africa with light citrusy profile)
Top with Tonic water.
Method: Stir + top up
Ice: Use ice block
Glass: Serve in a Collins glass
Garnish: Finish with Orange peel. Serve!
Up for more recipes for coffee cocktails or signature drinks? Head over here or here!
© Photo credits Sonia Cao and Martin Hudak as well as me. ;-)