The Irish are loved for often taking a different approach to the rest of the world, in most things that they do! This is where I introduce the best Irish coffee recipe, so you can pull it off at home.
But, what is an Irish coffee? It's a special twist on a hot coffee drink and over the years, it has undergone many variations. So, grab a glass and sit back. We're going to use some "Luck of the Irish" to learn all we need to know about it!
What is Irish Coffee?
Irish coffee is actually a cocktail that uses hot coffee as its base. You then add some Irish whiskey, sugar and thick cream. It's a unique drink and it has to be made properly, otherwise, it can taste really bad!
You can choose which type of Irish whiskey to use in your drink. Many popular brands market their beverage by providing consumers with an Irish coffee recipe that is unique to their brand. This could account for the many variations that have come about over the years.
The drink has become associated with Christmastime, almost by accident. This may be down to the luxury of the added alcohol, and the warmth of the hot coffee. If the coffee isn't strong and the whiskey isn't Irish, it can't be called an Irish coffee.
It is served in a glass so you can see the impressive layering. The white cream on top of the black coffee looks a little like the other famous Irish drink, Guinness.
Want to make your own Irish coffee cocktail at home? It's not an easy drink to get right, so might take some practice. I have found the perfect and best Irish coffee recipe. Follow that and you'll have an alcoholic coffee to be proud of!
The History and Origins of Irish Coffee
Year | Events |
|---|---|
1942 | The old tale goes that Irish coffee began in Limerick, by a barman, back in 1942. The barman, Joseph Sheridan, created the drink to welcome Americans that were visiting. It was a cold, winter's night and Sheridan wanted a drink that would warm up the Americans. Apparently, Sheridan was a bartender in an airport. During the winter of 1942, a transatlantic plane couldn't continue because of storms. Passengers were VIP Americans from Hollywood and politics and were stranded at the old Foynes Flying Boat Airport. That was when Joe Sheridan invented the drink. He called it "Irish coffee". One other version of its history comes from a history professor from Harvard University, John Gallagher. In an essay, Gallagher wrote that Irish coffee was invented in a bar in Dublin. The owner of the bar came up with the drink in order to cover up the nasty time of wartime coffee. |
1952 | In 1952, Irish coffee was brought back to America, to a bar called the Buena Vista. A travel writer from San Francisco tasted it at an Irish airport and had to bring it over to the States. At first, the Americans struggled to re-create the drink as the cream kept sinking into the coffee mixture. Jack Koeppler, a bartender in San Francisco, traveled to Ireland to discover how to make it properly. Joe Sheridan eventually emigrated to the United States and took up a position at the Buena Vista. |
Present Day | Now, the Buena Vista is still well-known all over the US for its Irish coffee. They make around 2000 of them each day and, thanks to Sheridan's influence, the cream never sinks anymore! A plaque stands at Shannon Airport in the Joe Sheridan cafe to mark his achievement. The Foynes Flying Boat Museum pays tribute to the past with a yearly Irish Coffee Festival. This attracts participants from bars and restaurants around the world. The festival includes an Irish Coffee Championship! |
Best Irish Coffee Recipe
Before I get started on a formula of Irish coffee you can make at home, let me tell you about some of the challenges you may face! It's good to identify these first, so you know how to avoid mistakes.
First of all, in order to get the layering right, you have to get the physics right. The cream has to float over the mixture of coffee and whiskey, so has to be less dense. To achieve this, the coffee must be strong. That way, it will be more dense and you avoid cream that sinks into the black coffee.
The sugar should also be strong enough to help the cream stay on top.
Kevin Hurley, a worldwide brand manager for Teeling Whiskey has some advice. Ensure the cream is "lightly aerated, not heavily whipped". When adding the cream, pour it over the curved side of a hot spoon. This is a way to ensure you achieve the right viscosity.
Joe Sheridan's original recipe had some pretty strict, but poetic, guidelines. You need:
- Cream (rich as an Irish Brogue)
- Coffee (strong as a friendly hand)
- Sugar (sweet as the tooth of a Rogue)
- Whiskey (smooth as the wit of the land)
Here's Irish coffee ingredients and recipe so you can make the coffee at home:
You will need:
- Irish whiskey (one shot/2 oz)
- Brown sugar (2 tsp)
- Freshly-brewed, strong black coffee (5-6 oz)
- Half whipped cream - not too stiff, not too liquid (2 tsp)
- Hot teaspoon
- Glass (preferably a whiskey goblet)
The Method |
|---|
Heat the teaspoon. You can let the teaspoon sit in a bowl of hot water until you're ready to use it. |
Heat the whiskey goblet. Fill it with boiling water until it's hot enough. Then pour out the water and your glass is ready to use. |
Add the sugar. Add the brown sugar to the bottom of the goblet. |
Mix the coffee. Remember: the coffee needs to be strong! Add it to the glass so that around an inch is left at the top. Stir it gently until all sugar is dissolved. |
Add the alcohol. Now it's time to pour in the Irish whiskey. Stir it again and let it sit until the mixture is still. |
Pour the cream. This is where you add in the half-whipped cream you've already prepared. Place the hot teaspoon in the goblet with the back side up, hold it just above the coffee's surface. Gently pour the cream over the back of the teaspoon. As you pour, gradually raise the spoon. This will give you the layer of liquid cream that floats on top of the coffee. |
Do not stir! Irish coffee is unique and authentic because you drink it through the layer of cream. |
Where Can You Buy Irish Coffee?
Don't have the time to learn how to make Irish coffee at home? There's no need to stress! You can purchase an Irish coffee in many cocktail bars around the United States and the rest of the world. This can be a risk though - make sure you're getting a good, proper Irish coffee cocktail!
The original and best Irish coffee recipe states that only un-whipped cream should be used. However, many bars around the world still sell Irish coffee with whipped cream. If made correctly, it should still taste delicious. Does it matter if it's not staying totally true to its roots?
Irish coffee has become a popular drink in many nations across the globe. Its popularity continues to rise. In fact, it is predicted that in 2020, trade value sales will rise to €176 million!
Mixing coffee with alcohol was a new and innovative idea back in the 1940's, but it's a practice that has grown somewhat since. The director of the Foynes Flying Boat and Maritime Museum, Margaret O'Shaughnessy, stands by the drink's status. She says:
"It's the best-known drink in the world. No matter what country in the world you go to, Irish coffee will be on the menu."
Nutrition Notes
First and foremost, Irish coffee contains alcohol so you should only drink it in moderation! It's a drink that's doused in whiskey, cream, and sugar. So what are the Irish coffee calories and other nutritional information?
The nutritional facts in the table are for an 8 oz coffee cup.
Calories | 205 |
Fat | 10.43 g (81%) |
Carbohydrates | 4.71 g (16%) |
Protein | 0.74 g (3%) |
Cholesterol | 38 mg (13%) |
Sodium | 15 mg (1%) |
Potassium | 91 mg |
The Bottom Line
Irish coffee has such an interesting and authentic history, a history that is still being honored and preserved to this day. It seems that when the Americans met the Irish on that cold night in the airport, a magical cocktail was born!
Nowadays, countries all over the world have Irish coffee on their menu. Each place may have a slight variation on the drink and I doubt that anyone does it better than the Buena Vista in San Francisco. For this is the place that the drink's creator, Joe Sheridan, worked in, bringing it to life in America.
It's a difficult drink to master, and physics plays a big part in not messing it up! Save it for Christmas or drink it during every season, but if you get it right, it's sure to be a hit!
