Irish Coffee

Words by: Simon Difford

Sometimes called a Gaelic Coffee and properly known by its Irish name ‘Caife Gaelach’, the Irish Coffee is traditionally served in a handled or stemmed heatproof glass known as a toddy glass. It comprises hot filter coffee, Irish whiskey and sugar (preferably brown sugar) topped with lightly whipped cream. The sweetened whiskey laced coffee is drunk through the creamy head.

A good Irish coffee should be topped with a luxurious moustache inducing inch thick layer of cream. To ensure your cream floats rather than sinks into the coffee, lightly whip, shake, or blend your cream before pouring over the bowl of a spoon. It also helps if the cream and the spoon are gently warmed. Sweetening the coffee with sugar also amplifies the drinks flavours and helps the cream float. We prefer to use homemade muscovado sugar syrup in our Irish Coffee recipe.

The origins & history of the Irish Coffee

The history of alcoholic hot coffee drinks served in a glass topped with cream dates back to the mid-19th Century with the best-known examples being the Fiaker and Pharisäer served in Viennese coffee houses. By the turn of the 20th century variations called Kaisermelange, Maria Theresia and Biedermeier-Kaffee could also be found on menus at Viennese coffee houses. Combining coffee and spirits was also popular in 19th century France where such drinks were called a Gloria.

The relatively modern Irish Coffee was created in the 1940s by Joe Sheridan, a chef turned bartender originally from Castlederg, County Tyrone while working at Foynes' Port. Sheridan added whiskey to hot coffee to warm a group of American passengers disembarking from a Pan Am flying boat at Foynes on a cold and wet winter evening. The passengers are said to have asked if they were being served Brazilian coffee to which Sheridan answered, "It's an Irish coffee".

Early planes lacked sufficient flying range to make Atlantic crossings and from 1937 onwards, flying boats were used to make the journey with Foynes' Port on the west coast of Ireland the last refuelling point for the Sikorsky S-42 and Boeing 314 planes. The first non-stop New York service started on 22 June 1942 and took 25 hours 40 minutes. The planes were comparatively primitive and the flight was arduous so the restorative boozy coffees were well received by cold weary travellers.

The demise of Foynes Port was sealed in 1942 with the opening of nearby Shannon Airport, built on bog land on the northern bank of the Estuary. Foynes Flying Boat Museum is all that remains of the old port but the tradition of serving Irish Coffees to transatlantic travellers continued at the new airport, and it is here, in 1947, that Stanton Delaplane, a travel writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, enjoyed his first Irish Coffee.

Back home in San Francisco, at one of his favourite local bars, the Buena Vista Café, late on 10th November 1952, Delaplane recounted travel stories to Jack Koepple, the bar owner, and the two of them set about trying to recreate Sheridan's Irish Coffee. Despite numerous attempts the drink did not quite taste right and the cream would not float. This prompted Koepple to travel to Shannon Airport to see how the drink was made.

Upon returning back to San Francisco he continued his experimentation and also discussed the issues he was having floating the cream with the city's mayor, who was also a dairy owner. Koepple discovered that the cream better whipped and so floated when it was two days old rather than being fresh. After further experimentation Koepple arrived at the method, recipe and 6oz heat-treated goblet still used at the Buena Vista today, where some 2,000 Irish Coffees are reputedly sold every day.

Irish Coffee variations

As the drink's popularity spread across America so other spirits and liqueurs were substituted for Irish whiskey and a myriad of other hot coffee cocktails appeared on menus:

Amaretto Coffee - with amaretto liqueur garnished with sliced almonds

Bavarian Coffee - with peppermint schnapps & coffee liqueur

Café Amore - with amaretto liqueur and brandy

Café Brulot - with cognac, orange liqueur, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange and lemon peel

Calypso Coffee or Cafe Don Juan - with coffee liqueur and dark rum

Chocolate-hazelnut Coffee - with chocolate and hazelnut liqueurs

Kioke Coffee - with coffee liqueur & brandy

Maxim's Coffee - with cognac, Benedictine D.O.M. and Galliano

Mexican Coffee - with coffee liqueur & tequila

Nose Warmer - with coffee, Irish cream, orange, dark crème de cacao, and hazelnut liqueurs

President's Coffee - with cherry brandy and topped with cream whipped with a teaspoon of pomegranate/grenadine syrup for colour

Royale Coffee - with cognac and sugar

Spanish Coffee - with coffee liqueur and rum

The Irish Coffee has also spawned a number of similarly named and flavoured chilled cocktails [click on name for recipe]:

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Baileys & COFFEE

Baileys & hot coffee is the perfect go-to for any occasion!

Ingredients

Irish Cream Liqueur

DIRECTIONS

1 Combine hot coffee and Baileys in a coffee cup.

SERVING TIPS

Rinse your mug with hot water before pouring to keep your drink hotter, longer.

IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS

As legend has it, the effects of caffeine were first discovered by Ethiopian shepherds, who saw their goats вЂ˜dancingвЂ™ after eating coffee berries.

Bailey's Irish Coffee

Recipe by Annacia

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Bailey's Irish Coffee

SERVES:

Ingredients Nutrition

1 cup hot premium coffee
1 fluid ounce Baileys Irish Cream
whipped cream

Directions

Combine coffee and Bailey's Irish Cream.
Top with whipped cream and serve.
Makes 1 serving.

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Nutrition Info

Serving Size: 1 (268 g)

Servings Per Recipe: 1

Amt. Per Serving % Daily Value Calories 104.1 Calories from Fat 44 43% Total Fat 4.9 g 7% Saturated Fat 3 g 15% Cholesterol 18 mg 6% Sodium 33.4 mg 1% Total Carbohydrate 6.5 g 2% Dietary Fiber 0 g 0% Sugars 6.2 g 24% Protein 1.2 g 2%

How To Make Classic Irish Coffee

Irish coffee is a cocktail of sweetened coffee, Irish whiskey, and whipped cream that is not only acceptable but also expected as a morning treat on holidays. Sure, St. Paddy's Day sees a lot of Irish coffees, but we also enjoy them on Black Friday (staying home, skipping shopping) and on both Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Last December, assistant food editor Sheela shared her uncle's rules for making the very best Irish coffee and, being the curious cook I am, I had to give his method a try. Just a few key points made for a better Irish coffee that is perfect for celebrating the everyday.

In the most general of terms you'll need some hot coffee, sugar (brown and granulated), Irish whiskey, and some whipped cream. The coffee plays a supporting role to the other key components, so brew up your favorite bean and make sure it's hot before beginning.

Use Two Sugars for Better Irish Coffee

A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar makes for a cup of joe with balanced sweetness. Just a teaspoon of each keeps the cup from being cloying, which the molasses brings the whiskey's own sweetness to the forefront. Use unsweetened whipped cream to keep the sweetness contained in the coffee and avoid a sugar hangover later in the day.

Use Only Irish Whiskey for Classic Irish Coffee

No question: Irish coffee should be made with Jameson. It's smooth, sweet, and just a touch spicy, plus it's not too damaging on the wallet. If you've already got a whiskey collection at home you want to use, choose something in the mid-range with a mild, sweet finish to counter the bitter coffee.

Use Lightly Whipped Cream

If using lightly whipped cream, pour it slowly over a warm spoon onto the coffee, being careful not to break the coffee's surface. This takes some practice. A foolproof way to not break the surface is to whip the cream a bit more and dollop it gently on top. Enjoy while hot!

A few popular variations on Irish Coffee

Buena Vista Irish Coffee: Uses two sugar cubes and calls for the cream to be lightly whipped and poured over the back of a spoon.
Irish Cream Coffee: Calls for half Irish whiskey and half Bailey's, and is topped with a Maraschino cherry.
Bailey's Irish Coffee: Only uses Bailey's instead of Irish whiskey. This version is sweeter and fuller-bodied than the traditional.

How To Make Irish Coffee

What You Need

6 ounces hot, freshly brewed coffee

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey

Freshly whipped cream (see Recipe Notes)

Heatproof glass or mug

Instructions

Preheat your mug, then fill with coffee: Pour hot water into a mug or heatproof glass to take the chill off. Pour out the water. This will also prevent your glass from cracking. Fill the mug about 3/4 full with the coffee.
Add sweetener: Add the granulated and brown sugars and stir until fully dissolved.
Add Irish whiskey: Add the whiskey and stir to incorporate.
Top with whipped cream: If using lightly whipped cream, pour it slowly over a warm spoon onto the coffee, being careful not to break the coffee's surface. This takes some practice. A more foolproof way to not break the surface is to whip the cream a bit more and dollop it gently on top. Drink while hot!

Recipes Notes

Lightly whipped will give you a frothy cream collar on top. If you want to pile the cream high, you'll need to whip it to medium-stiff peaks.

Calories 68
Fat 0 g (0%)
Saturated 0 g (0%)
Carbs 3.6 g (1.2%)
Sugars 3.6 g
Protein 0.1 g (0.2%)
Sodium 2.4 mg (0.1%)

This post has been updated; originally published March 2012.

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