Black Russian
Cocktail of vodka and coffee liqueur
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Black Russian is a cocktail of vodka and coffee liqueur. It contains 50 ml vodka and 20 ml coffee liqueur, per IBA specified ingredients.[1]
- 50 ml Vodka
- 20 ml Coffee liqueur
A black Russian cocktail | |
| Type | Cocktail |
|---|---|
| Ingredients |
|
| Standard drinkware | Old fashioned glass |
| Served | On the rocks: poured over ice |
| Preparation | Pour the ingredients into the old fashioned glass filled with ice cubes. Stir gently. |
The drink is made by pouring the vodka and coffee liqueur over ice cubes or cracked ice in an old-fashioned glass and stirring.[2] The Black Russian is often garnished with a lemon slice and a Luxardo maraschino cherry on a stick.[3]
History
The Black Russian cocktail first appeared in 1949 and is ascribed to Gustave Tops, a Belgian barman, who created it at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels in honor of Perle Mesta, then United States Ambassador to Luxembourg.[4] The cocktail owes its name to the use of vodka, a typical Russian spirit, and the blackness of the coffee liqueur.
Variations
- Dirty Black Russian, Tall Black Russian, Australian Black Russian or Colorado Bulldog: served in a highball glass and topped up with cola.[5]
- Black Magic: served with a dash of lemon juice and a lemon twist to garnish.[6]
- Irish Russian or Smooth Black Russian: served with a head of Guinness.[4][7]
- Brown Russian: served in a highball glass and topped with ginger ale.[8]
- Belarusian or white Russian: served with milk or cream.[1]
- Mudslide: served with Irish cream, either fresh cream or ice cream, with or without chocolate sauce rim.[9]
- Mind Eraser: topped up with sparkling water.[10]
- Paralyzer: Made with cola and milk in addition to vodka and coffee liqueur.[11]
Cultural impact
- The cocktail is mentioned by the Italian judicial and criminal witness Alberto Biggiogero during testimony in the trial concerning the death of Giuseppe Uva, a case covered by the television program Un giorno in pretura.[citation needed]
- In the film The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, the protagonist Frank Drebin (played by Leslie Nielsen) orders the famous drink in one scene.
