Name: Shaft Cocktail Recipe
Prep time: 4 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 60 ml Cold Brew Coffee (strong and chilled); 30 ml Vodka; 30 ml Irish Cream; 15 ml Coffee Liqueur

Shaft

Description

What it is: A cold-brew coffee cocktail with vodka, Irish cream and coffee liqueur: creamy, caffeinated and built for a short, cold serve.

The story: The Shaft is generally credited to bartender Mark Smith at The Living Room in Calgary around 2000. Early versions were simpler espresso-based pick-me-ups; the drink evolved as it spread through western Canada, particularly Victoria, where vodka and Irish cream became common.

Why it works: Cold brew gives a smooth coffee base, vodka provides structure, Irish cream rounds the edges and coffee liqueur reinforces roasted sweetness. Its appeal is less about garnish and more about temperature and texture.

Ingredients

60 ml Cold Brew Coffee (strong and chilled)
30 ml Vodka
30 ml Irish Cream
15 ml Coffee Liqueur

Equipment needed

Cocktail Shaker – For chilling and integrating coffee with cream liqueur. Fine Mesh Strainer – For a clean pour.

Instructions

Chill a lowball glass and fill it with fresh ice.
Add cold brew coffee, vodka, Irish cream and coffee liqueur to a shaker with ice.
Shake briskly until very cold.
Fine strain over the fresh ice in the lowball glass.
Serve without garnish so the coffee aroma remains the focus.

Recommended glassware

Lowball Glass (recommended)

A short, sturdy glass for spirit-forward cocktails served over ice.

180–300 ml Short, wide, heavy-bottomed tumbler.

Best for: Old Fashioned, Negroni, Boulevardier, Whiskey Sour over ice, Rusty Nail.

Garnish: Great for orange twists, cherries, and large clear ice cubes.

Quick facts

4 mins Easy Approx. 11.8% ABV 2.2 units 220 kcal Fresh cubed ice Batch friendly

Shaft recipe.