Exploding the heart: Caffeinated booze
Stay up, stay drunk
It's no secret that booze is a depressant. Drink too much and motor skills malfunction, eventually ending in a 12-hour alcohol-induced slumber. But a recent crop of drinks indicates that Chicago bartenders are stocking up with caffeine to counter the sluggish effects of getting drunk. Decider investigates a handful of drinks that turn barflies into every bartenders dream: a tireless drunk. (And no, Red Bull and vodka doesn't count.)
Fueltini at Fuel
Manager Jon-Girl and her team at the newly opened Fuel experimented with all types of mixtures in order to figure out the proper proportions for this martini-style drink, which combines Ciroc vodka, hazelnut liqueur, Irish cream, and an entire shot of steamed Lavazza espresso—all topped with cappuccino foam. Sure, the caffeine levels are high, but if that’s not enough, you can always lick the sugar from the rim of the glass.
Jitteriness factor: Definitely delivers both the buzz of alcohol and caffeine. A shot of espresso has about 100 milligrams of caffeine, which is just less than a cup of coffee, and the dusting of cocoa powder atop the Fueltini only ups the energizer ante.
Manager Jon-Girl and her team at the newly opened Fuel experimented with all types of mixtures in order to figure out the proper proportions for this martini-style drink, which combines Ciroc vodka, hazelnut liqueur, Irish cream, and an entire shot of steamed Lavazza espresso—all topped with cappuccino foam. Sure, the caffeine levels are high, but if that’s not enough, you can always lick the sugar from the rim of the glass.
Jitteriness factor: Definitely delivers both the buzz of alcohol and caffeine. A shot of espresso has about 100 milligrams of caffeine, which is just less than a cup of coffee, and the dusting of cocoa powder atop the Fueltini only ups the energizer ante.
Peach Tree Tea at Fat Cat
The crew at Fat Cat brings a bit of caffeine into this sweet cocktail by steeping loose earl grey leaves in simple syrup. While there is a healthy amount of vodka, amaretto, and schnapps in this pint glass-sized concoction, the fresh, in-house peach puree overshadows the booziness. While the drink's caffeine levels are not that high, the fruity flavor makes it easy to suck them down. Be warned, though: The slight acidity of peach puree along with the sugariness of the simple syrup could inflict some unwanted heartburn.
Jitteriness factor: Minimal, as tea contains less caffeine than coffee or a can of Jolt. Fat Cat does, however, serve Van Gogh double espresso vodka, which—if you couldn't tell by the name—is caffeinated vodka that frighteningly (and deliciously) tastes more like espresso than vodka.
The crew at Fat Cat brings a bit of caffeine into this sweet cocktail by steeping loose earl grey leaves in simple syrup. While there is a healthy amount of vodka, amaretto, and schnapps in this pint glass-sized concoction, the fresh, in-house peach puree overshadows the booziness. While the drink's caffeine levels are not that high, the fruity flavor makes it easy to suck them down. Be warned, though: The slight acidity of peach puree along with the sugariness of the simple syrup could inflict some unwanted heartburn.
Jitteriness factor: Minimal, as tea contains less caffeine than coffee or a can of Jolt. Fat Cat does, however, serve Van Gogh double espresso vodka, which—if you couldn't tell by the name—is caffeinated vodka that frighteningly (and deliciously) tastes more like espresso than vodka.
Meantime Coffee Beer at Small Bar
A glass of this porter could easily substitute for a morning cup of joe. Each bottle of the dark, thick brew contains enough Rwandan coffee beans to be the caffeine equivalent of one serving of coffee. Meantime’s coffee beer was the first U.K. beer to sport a fair trade logo on its label, but has since lost this hippie badge of honor since changing recipes. At $9 a bottle, though, it’s better to stick with a sobering cup of black in the morning.
Jitteriness factor: Surprisingly high. A few too many Meantimes on an empty stomach means annoying foot tapping and excessive finger drumming.
A glass of this porter could easily substitute for a morning cup of joe. Each bottle of the dark, thick brew contains enough Rwandan coffee beans to be the caffeine equivalent of one serving of coffee. Meantime’s coffee beer was the first U.K. beer to sport a fair trade logo on its label, but has since lost this hippie badge of honor since changing recipes. At $9 a bottle, though, it’s better to stick with a sobering cup of black in the morning.
Jitteriness factor: Surprisingly high. A few too many Meantimes on an empty stomach means annoying foot tapping and excessive finger drumming.
Hot Chocolate For Adults at The Fifty/50
This brunch-only drink hits you with caffeine from three different sources: melted bars of bittersweet Valrhona chocolate, a bit of espresso, and Tia Maria, a liqueur made from coffee beans. Splashes of Stoli vanilla and Young’s Double Chocolate Stout provide this hot chocolate with an alcoholic edge. To tone down the caffeine and increase the drunkenness, swap out the Tia Maria for a stronger peppermint schnapps.
Jitteriness factor: A nice brunch time pick-me-up, considering a liqueur made from coffee beans is being mixed with melted chocolate and espresso. So, maybe dessert.
This brunch-only drink hits you with caffeine from three different sources: melted bars of bittersweet Valrhona chocolate, a bit of espresso, and Tia Maria, a liqueur made from coffee beans. Splashes of Stoli vanilla and Young’s Double Chocolate Stout provide this hot chocolate with an alcoholic edge. To tone down the caffeine and increase the drunkenness, swap out the Tia Maria for a stronger peppermint schnapps.
Jitteriness factor: A nice brunch time pick-me-up, considering a liqueur made from coffee beans is being mixed with melted chocolate and espresso. So, maybe dessert.
