Pousse Café is a visually striking layered cocktail built from six equal-part liqueurs—grenadine, yellow chartreuse, crème de cassis, white crème de menthe, green chartreuse, and brandy—stacked in a specific gravity order to create distinct color bands.
Recipe Source
Visit Mr. Boston DrinksFrom Mr. Boston Drinks · by Mr. Boston Official Bartender's and Party Guide
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Pour carefully, in order given, into pousse-cafe glass so that each ingredient floats on preceding one.
barspoon or teaspoon · liqueur glass or shot glass
Pour each ingredient slowly over the back of a barspoon held just above the previous layer, working from heaviest (grenadine) to lightest (brandy). Speed and a steady hand are critical.
Grenadine first, then yellow chartreuse, crème de cassis, white crème de menthe, green chartreuse, and brandy on top—arranged by specific gravity from densest to lightest.
A narrow, straight-sided liqueur glass or shot glass works best for layering; wider glasses make maintaining distinct layers harder.
It's traditionally sipped slowly to appreciate each liqueur's flavor as the layers blend gradually, though it can be consumed as a shot.
