ammazzacaffè ammazzacaffè ammazzacaffè (italian pronunciation: ; italian for "coffee killer") is a small glass of liqueur usually consumed after coffee to dull its taste or the caffeine effect. it is a common italian custom, especially after a generous festive meal. amaro, served right after espresso. ammazzacaffè is the popular italian assimilation and adaptation of a usage born among aristocratic classes, where it was common to move to a different room to smoke and to serve a cognac or brandy after dinner. nowadays it is still a common custom in italy, even at lunch, and it is made of bitters or a local liqueur. in some northern zones (veneto or trentino regions) people used to rinse out the emptied coffee cup with liqueur (traditionally grappa) that they would then drink (resentin); this also happens in piedmont, where this custom is called pusacaffè (literally "push-coffee").