The Dude Abides
An upside-down White Russian with layered coconut, creamy, and coffee flavors that come together into a richly textured, playful tribute to the Dude’s enduring spirit. (Recipe Below)
The Dude Abides is inspired by the Lebowski that knits this whole story together. Called "The Dude Abides" the line The Dude says after all the story that turned his life upside down is over. That is why we wanted to make an upside down version of the cocktail The Dude often had in his hand whenever possible. Much like the story, this cocktail has a few layers, each with their own distinct flavors that comes together with lots of flavor and texture. The bottom layer is a clear layer made by stirring together Coconut Rum and Vanilla Simple Syrup stirring the rum softens the coconut making it a delicious base for this flipped White Russian. The middle layer is a creamy foam made with Amaretto, Lemon Juice and Half and Half giving the cocktail a nice, creamy middle layer that's sweet and bright. The top layer is a coffee foam made by frothing together Instant Coffee Granules, Sugar and Coffee Liqueur. The deep, dark and somewhat bitter flavors in this layer are so thick and foamy, it allows the layers beneath to come through and pick up the coffee with it. It's a delightfully complex White Russian turned on it's head like the Dude, and "Whelp, The Dude Abides.".
The Dude Abides
1 oz (30mL) Coconut Rum
.5 oz (15mL) Vanilla Simple
.75 oz (22.5mL) Amaretto
.5 oz (15mL) Half and Half
.25 oz (7.5mL) Lemon Juice
Droppers Saline (split)
1.5 Tbsp (22.5 g) Instant Coffee Granules
1.5 Tbsp (22.5 g) Granulated Sugar
1 oz (30mL) Coffee Liqueur
In a mixing glass, combine 1 oz Coconut Rum, .5 oz Vanilla Simple Syrup and a dropper of Saline. Add ice and stir for 1 minute. Strain into rocks glass with a sphere.
In a shaker tin, combine .75 oz Amaretto liqueur, .5 oz Half and Half, .25 oz lemon juice and a pinch of salt or saline. Add ice, a spring, and more ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Layer on top of coconut rum.
In a shaker tin, combine 1 tsp instant coffee granules, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 oz of a sweet coffee liqueur. Using a frother, whip until light a fluffy but still loose. Layer on top of cream.
Vanilla Syrup
4 oz (120mL) Water
.5 cup (200g) Organic Cane Sugar
.5 oz (15mL) White Mexican Vanilla
In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add sugar and remove from heat, stir until sugar is dissolved. Once dissolved, stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature and pour into a syrup bottle.
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Malibu Coconut Rum
42 proof/21% ABV
Pernod Ricard
A molasses based rum that is distilled and then flavored with coconut. Strongly flavored with artificial coconut flavor, this coconut flavor is ideally mixed with balancing acids or flavors that can stand up to its own.
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DeKuyper Amaretto
40 proof/ 20% ABV
Fortune Brands
A sweet almond liqueur originating in Italy distilled from stone fruit kernels and pits. Amaretto has a syrupy sweet flavor with a light toasted nut notes.
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Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
40 proof/20% ABV
Pernod Ricard
Kahlua uses 100% arabica coffee beans that are roasted and made into a coffee concentrate. The concentrate is blended with rum, vanilla and sugar and then aged for about 4 weeks then filtered and bottled. The resulting flavor is a sweet, roasty coffee flavor often enjoyed affogato style.
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Vanilla Simple Syrup
Vanilla Simple Syrup adds a recognizable tropical floral sweetness that is buttery, light and brings out the sweetness of other flavors. It can easily be made by adding White Mexican Vanilla into simple syrup.
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Half and Half
10.5% - 18% fat
Half and half is an equal parts mixture of cream and milk. Now, there are great non-dairy options in the market.
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Lemon Juice
5-6% acidity
Less acidic than lime juice, lemon juice will add enough acidity to brighten flavors without overpowering when balanced with sweetness. Usually our preference when needing acid to emulsify with egg white, aquafaba or cream.
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Salt/Saline
Salt is a great flavor booster. It can balance sweetness and bitterness, smoothing out a cocktail. It can also enhance citrus flavor and acidity without the need for more acid. It is most commonly used in rimming cocktail glasses, but a sprinkle in the cocktail shaker can really impact a cocktail. Make it into a saline solution to enhance stirred cocktails.
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Instant Coffee Granules
Instant Coffee Granules are made by freeze drying or dehydrating brewed coffee then mixed with a gum like xanthan to create a silkier texture when rehydrated. The xanthan gum allows the coffee granules to be reconstituted into a thick paste with sugar and whipped into a meringue like texture. The whip has the deep flavors associated with coffee along with varying bitterness depending on the brand purchase.
The Dude Abides: Craft Cocktails Inspired by The Big Lebowski
The Big Lebowski is a cult-classic film that helped revive the White Russian cocktail while celebrating the laid-back lifestyle of The Dude. “The Dude Abides,” is an upside-down White Russian cocktail with layered coconut, cream, and coffee flavors inspired by the movie’s central character. The second craft cocktail, “The Stranger,” is designed to taste like sarsaparilla and built from ingredients representing each major character in the film. Through creative mixology, the cocktails connect iconic Big Lebowski characters, themes, and scenes to complex, character-driven cocktail recipes. Fans of The Big Lebowski, classic cocktails, and pop-culture-inspired drinks are invited to enjoy these cocktails while rewatching this movie.
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