Bottle & Barlow dropped its new drinks menu last week, and it includes the “It cocktail” of the pandemic era: the espresso martini. “We’re bending to the pressure of the crowd,” jokes owner Jonathan Modrow, noting that Sacramentans are positively crazy for caffeinated martinis. He attributes the drink’s popularity to the reality TV show “Below Deck,” where it’s a favorite with both the entitled yacht charter guests and the yachtie cast members who cater to them. Bottle & Barlow’s version, called Espresso With an S, is made with vodka, chicory liqueur and cold-brew concentrate from Camellia Coffee Roasters (B&B’s neighbor at next door’s WAL Public Market). Note for history buffs: The espresso martini was reportedly created in the 1980s by a London bartender for a young model who asked for a drink that would “wake me up and f*** me up.”
