The Ascot Lot expecting crowds at espresso martini festival

The addictive combination of coffee and vodka has made the espresso martini a popular drink. Now, an Ascot Vale bar is shaking things up, creating a host of out-there flavours for a festival dedicated to the cocktail.

The Ascot Lot's range of espresso martinis on offer for one day only.

Garnished with a few coffee beans, the addictive combination of coffee and vodka has made the espresso martini a sophisticated and popular drink.

The Ascot Lot is taking the cocktail to the next level with the Espresso Yourself festival on Saturday from noon to 10pm.

Co-owner Lachlan Taylor said he had stocked the bar with enough coffee for 1300 espresso martinis.

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“We’re expecting a lot of people. Espresso martinis are our most popular drink and they’re usually a lot more expensive than the $10 we sell them for,” he said.

Mr Taylor said his team started mucking around with different flavoured espresso martinis one day and thought it would be a great idea to dedicate an entire day to the drink.

“I had to drink a fair bit of espresso over the last few months,” he said.

The Lot is offering an ‘espresso pass’ so you can try all of them for $40.

The flavours they landed on were the Bounty Hunter with coconut, chocolate and espresso; the Mint Like You with mint, espresso, chocolate, and peppermint crisp; the Cherry Bite; and the Jaffa Smasher — as well as the traditional espresso martini.

The bar is even offering an “espresso pass” so you can try all five for $40.

Co-owner Lachlan Taylor said he was expecting quite a workout on Saturday when he shakes up hundreds of espresso martinis.

Mr Taylor said he came up with the pass because most people “can’t stop at one”.

The hardest flavour to get right was the Jaffa Smasher, he said.

“The flavour just wasn’t quite right. We tried squeezing an entire orange into the mix to try and get that balance of chocolate and orange but it wasn’t working.”

Ascot Vale burger joint The Pickle and the Patty will be at The Lot to keep you fed.

The recipe was only perfected on Wednesday when Mr Taylor and co-owner Jacob Bettio realised they had forgotten all about the orange liqueur Cointreau.

You can bring your dog and there will be food trucks all day including Sam’s Woodfired Pizza, Burrito Bae, Curry Up Now, Jake’s Kitchen, Mr Whippy, Taste of Cyprus, and The Pickle and the Patty.

DJ Lloyd Jones will be spinning tunes from 3pm at the Lot at 466 Mt Alexander Rd, Ascot Vale.

Reserve your crew a free spot here.

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