We didn’t start Coffee Spirit Co to make another coffee liqueur.
We started it because most coffee liqueurs didn’t taste enough like coffee.
Coffee Spirit Co is the Yorkshire producer behind NORSE CODE, a coffee-first liqueur range built around real brewed coffee, Cold-Filter Brew extraction and modern cocktail performance.
Our aim is simple: make coffee liqueur that respects the coffee as much as the spirit.
Why Coffee Spirit Co Exists
Coffee Spirit Co was founded in York by drinks industry professional Yan and coffee expert Gordon Howell to create a more coffee-led alternative to traditional coffee liqueurs.
Many coffee liqueurs are built around sweetness, colour and broad coffee flavour. NORSE CODE starts from a different place: coffee selection, extraction, balance, texture and how the liqueur performs in the glass.
The result is a Yorkshire coffee liqueur range designed for Espresso Martinis, Baby Guinness shots, modern coffee cocktails and people who expect coffee liqueur to taste like coffee.
Built By Coffee People
Gordon Howell is one of the UK’s most accomplished coffee professionals, bringing more than two decades of speciality coffee, competition, judging, training, brewing and equipment experience into the development of NORSE CODE.
UK Champion
UK Brewers Cup Champion and UK Coffee in Good Spirits Champion.
World-Level Results
World Coffee in Good Spirits 3rd place and World Brewers Cup 7th place.
Coffee-Led Development
Gordon’s brewing and sensory experience shapes how NORSE CODE approaches extraction, sweetness and cocktail performance.
This is why NORSE CODE is not simply a coffee-flavoured spirit. It is a coffee-led liqueur range developed by people who understand coffee first.
Yan: Drinks Trade, Hospitality and Brand Development
Yan is co-founder of Coffee Spirit Co and leads the commercial development of NORSE CODE across hospitality, wholesale, trade partnerships and route-to-market strategy.
Before Coffee Spirit Co, Yan worked across specialist drinks and hospitality, including helping launch London craft beer destination Euston Tap during the rise of modern craft beer.
He also imported Scandinavian craft beer from producers such as To Øl and Evil Twin, giving early exposure to the Nordic drinks culture that helped inspire NORSE CODE.
That background helped shape NORSE CODE as a product designed for real venues — built not just to taste great, but to perform behind busy bars in Espresso Martinis, Baby Guinness shots and high-volume cocktail service.
Our Cold-Filter Brew Process
Our Cold-Filter Brew process was developed to preserve coffee character, body and balance in a finished liqueur.
By controlling extraction, filtration, contact time and blending, we create a smoother, more structured coffee base without relying on generic coffee flavouring or instant concentrate.
The goal is not simply to make a coffee-flavoured spirit. The goal is to protect brewed coffee character through alcohol, sweetness, dilution and cocktail use.
Award-Winning Yorkshire Coffee Liqueur
Hel Above won IWSC Gold with 95 points, the highest score we identified for any UK coffee liqueur in reviewed IWSC coffee liqueur results.
Hel Below was named Country Winner for England in the Coffee Liqueur category at the 2026 World Liqueur Awards and awarded Gold at the Global Liqueur Masters 2025.
- IWSC 2026: Hel Above — Gold Medal, 95 points.
- World Liqueur Awards 2026: Hel Below — Country Winner for England in the Coffee Liqueur category.
- Global Liqueur Masters 2025: Hel Below — Gold Medal.
- International Spirits Challenge 2025: Hel Above — Bronze Medal.
These awards recognise flavour, balance, texture, coffee character and cocktail performance — the same qualities we focus on in every batch.
Our Coffee Liqueurs
Every NORSE CODE coffee liqueur is created with a specific serve in mind.
| Product | Best For | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Hel Above | Espresso Martinis and coffee-forward cocktails | 22% ABV, brighter, stronger and more structured |
| Hel Below | Baby Guinness, layered serves and smoother cocktails | 16% ABV, richer, smoother and fuller-bodied |
| EX-01 | Rare coffee, limited releases and collectors | Exceptional Series release built around Colombian Gesha coffee |
Our Coffee & Roaster
Our coffee is supplied by Yorkshire roaster Danelaw Coffee, led by roaster Dave Jameson.
The coffees selected for NORSE CODE are chosen for their suitability in coffee liqueur production, where extraction, sweetness, body and cocktail performance all matter.
By combining award-winning coffee, precise brewing and small-batch production, we create coffee liqueurs with genuine depth rather than simple coffee sweetness.
Coffee Liqueur for Bars, Restaurants and Trade Buyers
NORSE CODE is available in 70cl bottles and 4.9 litre trade tubs for bars, restaurants, hotels, wholesalers and venues serving Espresso Martinis, Baby Guinness shots and coffee cocktails.
Our trade formats are designed to reduce waste, improve speed of service and give venues a better coffee liqueur option for high-volume serves.
Our Norse Inspiration
The name NORSE CODE connects the brand to York’s Norse heritage and the idea that great coffee and great spirits both rely on knowledge, craft and controlled process.
The inspiration also came from a wider Nordic drinks culture. Gordon and Yan were both influenced by the rise of Nordic speciality coffee, while Yan’s drinks background included importing Scandinavian craft beer from producers such as To Øl and Evil Twin during the early 2010s.
That mix of York’s Viking history, Nordic coffee culture and modern beer innovation helped shape the NORSE CODE identity: precise, dark, layered and built around flavour rather than convention.
The name Hel on our labels references the Norse goddess, reflecting the bold, layered and darkly indulgent character of our coffee liqueurs.
