If you haven’t tried an shakerato yet, you’re missing out. This wildly popular summertime drink is all over Italy and we’re starting to see variants in specialty cafes in the US. We’re a little bit past the summertime drink season here in the US, but it’s worth checking this one out anyway.

Shakerato Recipe

• Ice
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
• Double shot of espresso or 3 oz Black Ice Brew cold brew concentrate

Put the ice in a cocktail shaker. Add the simple syrup (two pumps if it’s in a pump bottle). Pour the espresso or Black Ice Brew over the ice. Shake violently for 20 seconds. Strain into a small gibraltar cup and serve.

Some variants that we’ve seen:

• Add between 1/2 and 1 oz of grapefruit San Pelligrino sparkling water to bring out the citrus notes of your espresso.
• Instead of straining, serve the whole drink – ice and all – in a cold to-go cup.
• Use flavored syrups instead of simple syrup – hazelnut seems to be a popular choice.
• Serve it in a martini class for a touch of ultimate class.

Give it a shot (pun intended) and let us know how it works for you.

What is espresso? Is it a process? Is it a type of bean? How do you get an espresso? And, more importantly, what is it not?