Can you use instant coffee or espresso instead of cold brew and ground coffee in a milk-washed liqueur?

Expanded Explanation

Cold brew and medium-coarse ground coffee are used together here because they give layered coffee character without pushing too much bitterness or sediment into the final drink. Cold brew brings smooth dissolved coffee flavor, while the short infusion with ground coffee adds fresh roasted aromatics that would be harder to get from cold brew alone. This combination works especially well in a milk-washed recipe, where clarity and balance matter as much as intensity.

Espresso can be used, but it usually makes the profile darker, sharper, and slightly more bitter. Instant coffee can work in a pinch, especially a good freeze-dried one, but it tends to flatten the aroma and can make the result taste more one-dimensional. If using espresso, reduce the quantity and taste carefully before adding cocoa and sugar. If using instant coffee, dissolve it completely before blending so no fine particles interfere with clarification.

The safest substitution is to replace the cold brew portion with a small amount of strong cooled espresso, while still keeping the separate coffee-bean infusion for aroma. Avoid using finely ground brewed coffee directly in the jar, because it can overextract fast and make filtering much harder during the milk-wash stage. In this style of recipe, cleaner coffee inputs usually lead to a smoother and more elegant final bottle.