How to make the Campfire Coffee, a drink for Labor Day Weekend gatherings

An espresso drink we could cozy up with

By Mark Stock Published August 29, 2025 11:12 AM

Stranahan's Blue Peak. — Stranahan's

Labor Day Weekend means camping for a lot of people. It’s a great chance to enjoy good weather, the great outdoors, and a refreshing summer cocktail.

Here’s one for the campfire crowd. We hunted down a cocktail that’s perfect for outdoors adventures and stargazing. You can pack it into your site as it does not involve too much in the way of ingredients.

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But even if you’re staying home this holiday weekend, this cocktail is worth a try. It offers a garnish that your friends will want to mimic at home and some big flavors to boot. And you can even mess around with the template a bit, trying out different versions of chocolate liqueurs or espresso types.

At the core is Stranahan’s whiskey, a big player in the single malt movement. We like the spirit on its own but it’s fun to mix with too. Especially when coffee is one of the main complementary ingredients.

This drink comes courtesy of the amazing Colorado whiskey scene. We think it would not only make for a great nightcap cocktail recipe, but an ideal one around some flickering flames. It’s like liquid dessert for a long holiday weekend spent with pals.

Campfire Coffee

Campfire Coffee cocktail. — Stranahan's Whiskey

What’s not to like about this drink? Bourbon, chocolate, and coffee. And you even get a roasted marshmallow.

Ingredients:

2 ounces Stranahan’s Blue Peak
1/2 ounce chocolate liqueur
1 ounce espresso
1/2 ounce vanilla simple syrup
Roasted marshmallow for garnish

Method:

Combine all ingredients into shaker and strain into coupe glass.
Garnish with toasted marshmallow.

Contributor

Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…

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