''Caffè corretto'' () is an
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
caffeinated alcoholic drink
A caffeinated alcoholic drink is a drink that contains both alcohol (drug), alcohol (also known formally as ethanol) and a significant amount of caffeine. Caffeine, a stimulant, masks some of the depressant effects of alcohol. However, in 2010 a ...
, consisting of a shot of
espresso
Espresso (, ) is a concentrated form of coffee produced by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Originating in Italy, espresso has become one of the most popular coffee-brewing methods worldwide. It is cha ...
with a small amount of
liquor
Liquor ( , sometimes hard liquor), spirits, distilled spirits, or spiritous liquor are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through ethanol fermentation, alcoholic ferm ...
, usually
grappa
Grappa is an alcoholic beverage: a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35 to 60 percent alcohol by volume (70 to 120 Alcohol proof, US proof). Grappa is a protected name in the European Union.
Grappa is made by ...
, and sometimes
sambuca
Sambuca () is an Italian anise-flavoured liqueur. Its most common variety is often referred to as "white sambuca" to differentiate it from other varieties that are deep blue ("black sambuca") or bright red ("red sambuca"). Like other anise-fla ...
or
brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...
.
It is also known (outside Italy) as an ''espresso corretto''. It is ordered as ''un caffè corretto alla
grappa
Grappa is an alcoholic beverage: a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35 to 60 percent alcohol by volume (70 to 120 Alcohol proof, US proof). Grappa is a protected name in the European Union.
Grappa is made by ...
'', ... ''alla
sambuca
Sambuca () is an Italian anise-flavoured liqueur. Its most common variety is often referred to as "white sambuca" to differentiate it from other varieties that are deep blue ("black sambuca") or bright red ("red sambuca"). Like other anise-fla ...
'', ... ''al
cognac
Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the Communes of France, commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the Departments of France, departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Cogn ...
'', or ''corretto di Spadino'', depending on the desired liquor.
A ''caffè corretto'' is often prepared by simply adding a few drops of the desired spirit into an espresso shot; however in some cases the alcohol is served in a shot alongside the coffee, allowing the customer to pour the quantity they desire.
The
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
word corresponds to the English word 'corrected'. The term is now an Italian
phraseme
A phraseme, also called a set phrase, fixed expression, multiword expression (in computational linguistics), or idiom, is a multi-word or multi-morphemic utterance whose components include at least one that is selectionally constrained or restri ...
.
''Caffè corretto'' can also be found widely in
Eritrea
Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...
, a legacy of the
Italian colonization of Eritrea. In Asmarino, locally produced ''areki'' and ''cognac'' are used.
In Spain, a similar drink is known in Spanish as ''
carajillo'' and as ''cigaló'' in Catalan, with any local spirit; in Portugal ''
café com cheirinho'' (coffee with scent); in France ''café-calva'' (coffee and
Calvados) or ''champoreau''; in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark ''
kaffekask'', ''
karsk'', or ''kaffegök''; and in Mexico ''cafe con piquete''.
Variants
''Rexentìn''
The ''rexentin'' (or ''raxentin'', as it is known in some places) is a tradition of the
Veneto
Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
region of
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. ''Rexentin'' means 'to rinse': after drinking the ''caffè corretto'' a small quantity of coffee remains in the cup, which is cleaned using the spirit used for the beverage, that will then be drunk.
See also
*
List of coffee drinks
Coffee drinks are made by brewing water with ground coffee beans. The brewing is either done slowly, by Coffee filter, drip, filter, French press, moka pot or Coffee percolator, percolator, or done very quickly, under pressure, by an espresso m ...
*
Liqueur coffee
A liqueur coffee is a caffeinated alcoholic drink that consists of a Shooter (drink), shot of liqueur, mixed into coffee. It is typically served in a liqueur glass, often accompanied with cream and sugar. Coffee liqueur beverages are served in ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caffe corretto
Coffee in Italy
Alcoholic coffee drinks
Caffeinated alcoholic drinks
Espresso
it:Caffè espresso#Caffè corretto