Do you remember how old you were when you first tasted straight black coffee? Until then, perhaps you could only drink café au lait loaded with sugar, but when you started to appreciate the taste of black coffee, it felt like a rite of passage into adulthood.

One such "grown-up pleasure" is alcohol. Coffee and alcohol have long been enjoyed together. In this article, we'll discuss alcoholic beverages made with coffee.

Why Do Coffee and Alcohol Pair Well? Coffee is known for its aroma, bitterness, and acidity. Distilled spirits, on the other hand, possess their own unique flavors, sweetness, and acidity. When combined with coffee, these spirits create complex and delicious tastes. Coffee cocktails, which we'll introduce later, mainly use distilled spirits.

Many people find that coffee helps them stay alert and focused. Conversely, alcohol has a relaxing effect. When consumed together, they can create a pleasant atmosphere for conversation.

That said, both are strong stimulants, so please drink responsibly.

Examples of Coffee-Based Alcoholic Beverages Now, let's take a look at some examples of coffee-based alcoholic drinks.

■ Kahlúa and Milk Kahlúa and milk, also known as a White Russian, is a classic coffee cocktail. It consists of coffee liqueur "Kahlúa" mixed with milk, and its sweet, easy-to-drink flavor makes it popular. However, be cautious, as its alcohol content is not low.

■ Irish Coffee This sweet cocktail is based on Irish whiskey and includes coffee, fresh cream, and sugar. It was first created by a pub chef at an Irish airport to warm up shivering passengers, hence its nickname, the "cocktail of kindness." As its origin suggests, it can be enjoyed hot.

■ Black Russian "Russian" refers to the fact that vodka, the primary ingredient, was originally from Russia. This sweet and easy-to-drink cocktail also has a high alcohol content.

■ Coffee Shochu Let's also introduce a Japanese alcoholic beverage. This simple recipe involves soaking 10g of coffee beans (adjust to taste) in 100cc of shochu for 3 days to 1 week. After a week, the beans will not release any more flavor, so remove them. You can experiment with different shochu bases (sweet potato, barley, rice) and coffee bean varieties to find your preferred taste.

How did you find these ideas? Coffee cocktails are special drinks that can only be enjoyed by adults. With many unique origin stories, they can be a fun conversation topic to enjoy with your drinks. Give them a try and experience the delightful combination of coffee and alcohol.