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Mind Eraser Cocktail – Impossible To Forget

You’ll never forget the Mind Eraser cocktail thanks to its easy recipe and fun flavors.

Mind Eraser with Straw from Above
Image: ©2foodtrippers

We have vague memories of drinking Mind Eraser cocktails back in the 1990s, a decade after the layered cocktail was a star at NYC discotheques and lounges around the world.

However, now that we’ve crafted Mind Erasers at home, we can’t forget the caffeinated cocktail with stark similarities to the Black Russian.

What Is A Mind Eraser?

Mind Eraser with Straw and Black Background
The Mind Eraser cocktail is tamer than its name implies. It’s also delicious. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

It would be easy to call the Mind Eraser a fizzy Black Russian or a Black Russian with bubbles since that’s essentially what it is. But not exactly.

Yes, the Mind Eraser drink starts with the Black Russian’s two ingredients, coffee liqueur and vodka, and adds soda water to the mix. But, unlike the Black Russian, the Mind Eraser’s ingredients are layered. Plus, it’s typically served with a straw.

In other words, the Mind Eraser is its own tasty thing.

Fun Fact
The Mind Eraser shot is a smaller version of the Mind Eraser cocktail.

History Of The Mind Eraser

Mind Eraser with Liquor Bottles
The Mind Eraser’s history may be a mystery but most bartenders are familiar with this layered variation of the Black Russian. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

It seems that the inventor of the Mind Eraser has been erased from cocktail history.

We can easily trace the Black Russian’s creation to Gustave Tops at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels back in 1949. But we don’t know who layered the Black Russian’s two liquors while finishing the resulting cocktail with fizzy water.

Did that barman or barwoman come up with the Mind Eraser’s name and did he or she serve the original Mind Eraser with a straw? We simply do not know the answers to these questions. Does it really matter? No, it does not.

Ingredients

Mind Eraser Ingredients
The Mind Eraser’s recipe list includes fizzy water, vodka and coffee liqueur. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

The Mind Eraser’s ingredient list is so short that assembling them shouldn’t hurt your brain. In fact, we won’t be surprised if you have already have the following required ingredients:

  • Vodka
  • Coffee Liqueur
  • Fizzy Water
  • Ice Cubes
Kahlua Bottle
Kahlúa is our preferred coffee liqueur for crafting Mind Eraser cocktails. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Coffee Liqueur

Not only does coffee liqueur taste delicious over ice, it’s also a key ingredient in Black Russian, Espresso Martini, Mudslide and White Russian cocktails. We typically use Kahlúa when crafting those cocktails as well as Mind Erasers

Sure, you could use another coffee liqueur like Australia’s Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur or Jamaica’s Tia Maria, but Mexico’s Kahlúa is a classic cocktail ingredient. Although most Kahlúa bottles have a 16% ABV, ours has a 20% ABV. We’re not sure why our bottle’s ABV is higher but we’re not complaining.

Vodka

Absolut Vodka Bottle
We’re absolutely fans of Absolut Vodka. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Since any vodka will work in our Mind Eraser recipe, we recommend using your favorite brand. We typically use Absolut Vodka since that’s our current vodka of choice. Distilled in Sweden, this vodka has a 40% ABV.

Discover our favorite vodka cocktails.

How To Craft A Mind Eraser Cocktail

Mind Eraser Mise en Place
One you assemble the ingredients and basic bar tools, you’re just a few minutes away from mind erasure. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Start this recipe by adding ice to a lowball glass.

Adding Ice Cubes to Mind Eraser
You don’t need fancy ice cubes when you craft a Mine Eraser cocktail. We used ice cubes from our freezer’s automatic ice cube maker to craft this one. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Measure the coffee liqueur and pour it into the ice-filled glass. We use a Japanese jigger to measure this and other cocktail ingredients to ensure accurate measurements and avoid spillage.

Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.

Measuring Coffee Liqueur for Mind Eraser
We poured Kahlúa into an ice-filled lowball glass as soon as we measured the iconic coffee liqueur. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Float the vodka by slowly pouring the clear liquor onto the back side of a bar spoon. This floating approach creates a vodka layer on top of the coffee liqueur

Floating Vodka into Mind Eraser Cocktail
Floating the vodka is an easy pro move that keeps the Mind Eraser’s layers intact. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Top the glass with fizzy water by floating the fizzy water on the back of a spoon just like you did when you floated the vodka.

Floating Fizzy Water into Mind Eraser Cocktail
We topped this Mind Eraser with sparkling water but you can use club soda instead. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

No garnishes are necessary though you’ll want to add a short straw both for decoration and sipping.

Variations

Crafted Mind Eraser with Ingredients
Our Mind Eraser recipe won’t overly tax your head but we understand if you wish to make this layered drink your own. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

If your mind is up to the challenge, mix things up by trying the following Mind Eraser variations:

  • Omit the fizzy water to craft a Black Russian cocktail.
  • Omit the fizzy water and add cream to craft a White Russian cocktail.
  • Reduce the three ingredients from 2 ounces each to 0.5 ounce to craft a Mind Eraser shot.
  • Replace the fizzy water with lemon juice to craft a Black Magic cocktail.
  • Replace the fizzy water with Irish cream liqueur to craft a Blind Russian cocktail.
  • Replace the fizzy water with ginger ale to craft a Brown Russian cocktail.
  • Replace the fizzy water with lemon-lime soda or ginger ale to craft a sweeter Mind Eraser cocktail.

Discover 10 essential bar tools for the home mixologist.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Mind Eraser cocktail?

A Mind Eraser is basically a fizzy Black Russian that’s crafted in layers.

Where was the Mind Eraser invented?

The Mind Eraser’s history is a mystery.

What are the ingredients in a Mind Eraser?

Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, Fizzy Water and Ice Cubes

What’s the best vodka for a Mind Eraser?

Any vodka will work in the Mind Eraser recipe. We recommend using your favorite vodka.

Is Mind Eraser shaken or stirred?

The Mind Eraser is neither shaken nor stirred.

What’s the best glass for a Mind Eraser?

We like to serve this cocktail in a lowball glass but a highball glass would work too.

Will the Mind Eraser really erase your mind?

No. The Mind Eraser will not erase your mind unless you drink too many of the tasty tipples. As always, moderation is the way to go when imbibing Mind Eraser cocktails.

Did you craft this cocktail? If so, please rate the recipe below.

Mind Eraser with White Background
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5 from 2 votes

Mind Eraser Recipe

The Mind Eraser recipe will taste familiar since the Mind Eraser is essentially a fizzy Black Russian. Learn how to craft the tasty tipple at home in just a few minutes.
Prep Time3 minutes
Total Time3 minutes
Course: Drink
Cuisine: Cocktail
Servings: 1
Calories: 325kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 2 ounces coffee liqueur
  • 2 ounces fizzy water
  • ice cubes

Instructions

  • Fill lowball glass with ice half way to the top.
  • Pour coffee liqueur into the glass.
  • Slowly pour vodka into the glass by floating the vodka on the back of a spoon.
  • Top the drink with fizzy water that you float on the back of the same spoon.
  • Serve with a straw.

Pro Tips

  • You can use either club soda or sparkling water in this recipe.
  • Do not stir the cocktail as this will negate the layering effect.

Estimated Nutrition

Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 2mg | Sugar: 27g | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.02mg
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About The Authors

About The Authors

Daryl & Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers their unique taste of the world.

Disclosures

Article Updates
We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.

Funding
We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft this cocktail.

Original Publication Date: December 20, 2022

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