Why it's a good idea to double-brew an espresso martini
At home, an espresso martini has a perfect balance between sweetness, the taste of espresso and the alcoholic touch, but the decisive step does not depend on the ingredients.
Making espresso martinis at a bar can be tricky, but at home, for one or a few people, it's easy to achieve a frothy and well-balanced one. You can use a good espresso or even cold brew coffee for an extra smooth touch.
Double straining is the technique that gives homemade cocktails a sophisticated flavor. It consists of first filtering through a standard cocktail strainer, such as a Hawthorne strainer, and then through a smaller, fine-mesh strainer. This removes all traces of ice from the glass, creates a smoother texture, and produces a foam that a single strain cannot achieve.
If you don't have the right equipment, a small kitchen strainer will also do, although a fine mesh cocktail strainer specifically designed for bars is more practical.
Shaking a drink incorporates air and creates a light, frothy texture. Straining adds even more aeration, as the liquid passes through the filters and forms small, uniform bubbles. A Hawthorne strainer already provides some aeration, and a fine-mesh strainer adds even more. It all comes down to the reasons for shaking cocktails, and that aeration is what contributes to the foam of the perfect espresso martini.