Gunfire Breakfast Cocktails

The Gunfire Breakfast is an Anzac Day tradition which honours the dead and unites the living.

In Australia and New Zealand on ANZAC Day, a version of Gunfire with black coffee instead is served to soldiers before dawn services as part of the “gunfire breakfast”.

Archaeological evidence shows that Australian and Allied soldiers were given rum in April 1915. A fragment of a rum flagon was uncovered, bearing the letters SRD, which stand for Service Ration Depot.

Gunfire Breakfast was the name given to the breakfast taken by soldiers prior to a morning battle. During World War One, this may have included biscuits and jam served with coffee laced with rum or condensed milk. It was prepared and eaten in darkness to the likely sound of exploding munitions and served cold as any fires or smoke would have given away their position to the enemy.

To commemorate this tradition we’ve created two cocktail recipes as Australian as ANZAC Day: The Hot Spiced Gunfire and the Cold Spiced Gunfire for you to try.

Thanks to Bar Lafayette in Perth for allowing us to prepare and photograph at their premises.

Hot Spiced Gunfire Breakfast Cocktail

Ingredients: 45 ml Spiced, 10ml brown sugar syrup, 1 shot of espresso and a little hot water. 25ml double cream,

Method: Add all the ingredients (except the cream) in to a coffee mug/latte cup and stir to make sure the brown sugar has dissolved.  Then place a bar spoon or teaspoon at the top of the liquid and gently pour the double cream on to it and it should float.

Glass: Coffee mug/ latte cup

Garnish: 3 coffee beans and an Anzac biscuit

Cold Spiced Gunfire Breakfast Cocktail

Ingredients: 45 ml Spiced, 10 ml coconut cream, 1 shot of cold espresso and 15 ml dark sugar syrup.

Method: Add all ingredients into a rocks glass, then add a little crushed ice to half glass and churn. Then add more crushed ice to fill, and garnish.

Glass: Rocks glass / old fashioned

Garnish: Cracked cinnamon quill, orange peel, cinnamon powder, coffee beans,