Irish Coffee

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

A sweet, strong and creamy tipple, the Irish Coffee is a favorite for many.

If you ever went to visit my grandmother in her Brooklyn apartment, you knew right away it was an Irish home once you walked through the door. Little Irish flags, saint statues, pictures of the pope, doilies, Frank Patterson crooning on the tiny radio in the kitchen… Whenever my family would spend time there, tea and toast was usually what grandma wanted. She was a lady of temperate means, and as such didn’t keep one drop of alcohol under her roof. So tonight’s recipe, the Irish Coffee, was never on the menu.

And oddly enough it was my mother, who is Polish, that introduced me to the joys of Irish Coffee. Usually around St. Patrick’s Day, when my dad would play guitar and sing the drinking and rebel songs of Ireland in a crowded pub, my mom would order an Irish Coffee. When I was a kid, she’d let me have a sip or two, and the potency and strength were definitely hard-hitting. Once I was old enough to imbibe, I really came to enjoy the sweetness that the cream, sugar and whiskey added to the rich, beautiful bitterness of a fresh cup o’ Joe. It’s a great afternoon pick-me-up. I’m enjoying one right now as I’m writing this.

During World War II, Ireland remained a neutral country, and Foynes Airbase near Limerick was a significant stopover for transatlantic flights. Supposedly, one day in 1943, a group of passengers had become stranded at Foynes due to bad weather. Joe Sheridan, a chef at the airport’s restaurant, added whiskey to the coffee he served to the waylaid guests, hoping it would warm them up a little. They loved it, and word began to travel with them as they sang the praises of this delicious new drink.

A story goes that one of the passengers asked if what he was drinking was Brazilian coffee. Chef Sheridan winked back and said it was an Irish Coffee.

What Is Double Cream?

Popular in the United Kingdom and Europe, double cream is a heavy and dense dairy cream. While products like whipping cream and heavy cream contain a fair amount of butterfat, double cream contains around 48%. This high percentage accounts for double cream’s rich and thick texture, and why it is used in dishes like mashed potatoes and crème brûlée. Double cream isn’t widely available in the United States, so heavy cream is recommended as a substitute if you can’t find any.

What Is The Best Whiskey To Use In An Irish Coffee?

In all honesty, you can probably use any whiskey of your choice in this drink, and it could still maybe be called an Irish Coffee. But for ours, we’ll stick with tradition. Irish whiskey, such as Jameson or Tullamore D.E.W., has a smooth, buttery feel along with a sweet bite. While something like rye will add some spice, an Irish dram adds to the velvety, dessert-like flavor that a good Irish Coffee has.

WHAT GLASSWARE AND GARNISH ARE USED?

You’ll want a heat-proof glass hot chocolate mug for this beverage, and one with a handle too. Once your Irish Coffee is ready to drink, you can garnish it with some chocolate or nutmeg shavings if you like.

IS THIS RECIPE ALSO MADE WITH IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR?

An Irish Coffee doesn’t usually add an Irish cream liqueur, like Baileys. That said, there are coffee recipes that switch out the whiskey and replace it with the Irish cream as the alcohol base.

Similar Drinks To The Irish Coffee

Sometimes we all crave the strong bite of coffee with a little something extra. And I don’t mean milk and sugar. If the Irish Coffee is your type of cocktail, you may want to try out a few other caffeinated concoctions. Twist & Toast is a great place to start exploring. You can begin with these recipes below.

• Colorado Bulldog – A creamy, vodka and coffee liqueur drink, topped with cola.
• Baby Guinness Shot – This Irish cream and coffee liqueur shooter looks just like its older brother.
• Espresso Martini – This trendy treat has been around since the 1980s.
• Carajillo – This recipe combines coffee liqueur with the sweet and spicy Licor 43.