Two Different Things People Mean by “Coffee-Infused Spirits”
Before getting into specifics, it helps to separate two related but different categories:
- Coffee infused into alcohol — coffee beans or grounds are steeped in bourbon, whiskey, or another spirit to pull coffee flavor into the liquid. The result is a full-strength alcoholic drink.
- Coffee flavored to taste like wine or a spirit, with no alcohol — flavored coffee beans or grounds carrying tasting notes inspired by wine or dessert flavors, sold and brewed exactly like regular coffee, with no alcohol content.
This article covers both, since searches for “coffee infused bourbon” and “wine infused coffee” each tend to span both meanings. As a general note, this is a standard reference on how these combinations work and are made — it isn’t a recommendation to consume alcohol, and nothing here should be read as a health claim about alcohol or caffeine.
Coffee-Infused Bourbon and Whiskey
How Coffee Gets Infused Into Bourbon
The basic method mirrors other spirit infusions: whole or coarsely ground coffee beans are added to bourbon and left to steep for a period of time — commonly ranging from several hours to a day or two, depending on the desired strength — then strained out through a fine strainer or coffee filter. Some home recipes use cold brew concentrate instead of whole beans for a smoother result. As with any infusion, steeping time is adjusted to taste; longer isn’t automatically better, since over-steeping can pull out excess bitterness.
Does Coffee-Infused Bourbon Contain Alcohol?
Yes. Infusing bourbon with coffee doesn’t remove or significantly reduce the alcohol — it’s still a standard-strength alcoholic spirit, just with coffee flavor added. The same applies to commercially bottled coffee-infused or coffee-flavored whiskeys: they’re sold and regulated as alcoholic spirits, not as low- or no-alcohol novelty drinks.
Commercial Coffee-Flavored Bourbons and Whiskeys
Several whiskey and bourbon brands sell coffee-flavored expressions as part of their regular lineup, generally described as combining a base whiskey or bourbon with coffee flavoring during or after distillation. Because product lineups and availability change by region and over time, and because this article avoids endorsing specific brands, it’s best to check a liquor retailer’s current selection rather than rely on a fixed “best” list — what’s available and well-reviewed shifts over time.
Wine-Infused Coffee
Can You Add Wine to Coffee?
There’s no technical reason you can’t combine coffee and wine, and some home recipes and specialty cafés do pair the two — for example, a small amount of red wine reduced and stirred into coffee, or coffee served alongside a dessert wine. That said, this is a less standardized combination than coffee-infused bourbon, and results vary a lot depending on the wine and ratios used. Treat any such recipe as something to try cautiously and adjust to taste, not as an established drink format the way coffee-infused bourbon is.
The “20-Minute” Infusion Reference
Some recipes and discussions reference a “20-minute rule” for infusing wine-based flavors into coffee or similar beverages — generally meaning a short steeping or reduction window rather than a long infusion. This isn’t a verified, universal standard, so it’s best treated as one informal guideline among several rather than a fixed rule to follow exactly.
Alcohol-Free Wine-Flavored Coffee
Separately, and more commonly available commercially, several coffee roasters sell wine-flavored coffee — roasted coffee beans or grounds flavored to evoke wine and dessert notes (for example, a Moscato or Cabernet-inspired flavor profile) using food flavorings, with no actual wine or alcohol content. These are brewed exactly like any other flavored coffee and are a more accessible way to explore the “wine and coffee” flavor pairing without alcohol.
Does Whiskey-Infused Coffee Have Alcohol?
If it’s whiskey infused with coffee (the spirit is the base), yes — it retains the alcohol content of the whiskey. If it’s coffee flavored to taste like whiskey (flavored beans or grounds, with whiskey notes added as a food flavoring, and no actual whiskey), it does not contain alcohol. The naming can be ambiguous, so it’s worth checking a specific product’s label or recipe to see which category it falls into before assuming either way.
Is “Coffee Wine” a Thing?
The phrase can refer to a couple of different things: some small producers make a fermented or coffee-cherry-based wine using the fruit that surrounds coffee beans (coffee cherries) rather than grapes, which is a niche fermented beverage distinct from a wine-and-coffee cocktail. Separately, “coffee wine” is sometimes used loosely to describe wine-flavored or coffee-flavored novelty drinks. Given the ambiguity, it’s best understood as a general term covering a few different niche products rather than one standardized drink.
If you’re more interested in coffee flavored with sweet, non-alcoholic add-ins, this cluster’s guide to vanilla bean coffee and the piece on maple syrup in coffee cover more everyday flavoring options.
FAQ
How do you infuse coffee into bourbon? Whole or coarsely ground coffee beans (or cold brew concentrate) are steeped in bourbon for several hours to a couple of days, then strained out, with steeping time adjusted to taste.
Is there alcohol in bourbon-infused coffee? If the base is bourbon infused with coffee, yes, it retains the bourbon’s alcohol content. If it’s coffee flavored to taste like bourbon with no actual bourbon added, it does not contain alcohol.
Is there a coffee-flavored bourbon? Yes, several whiskey and bourbon brands sell coffee-flavored expressions as standard retail products; availability varies by brand and region.
Which brand offers the best bourbon-infused coffee? This varies by taste and availability, and this article doesn’t rank or endorse specific brands; checking current reviews and a retailer’s in-stock selection is the most reliable approach.
Can I add wine to my coffee? There’s no technical barrier to combining them, though it’s a less standardized pairing than coffee-infused bourbon — results vary by wine type and ratio, so it’s best approached as an experiment rather than a fixed recipe.
Does whiskey-infused coffee have alcohol? If whiskey is the base that coffee is infused into, yes. If it’s coffee flavored to taste like whiskey with no actual whiskey added, no.