Top o’ the morning! Today we celebrate National Irish Coffee Day. This steamy, invigorating cocktail was introduced to Americans in the 1940’s after a group of U.S passengers disembarked a Pan Am flying boat one blustery evening. Joe Sheridan, head chef in the airport bar of Foynes, County Limerick added whisky to the coffee to warm the passengers, stating that it was “Irish Coffee.” But variations of this energizing concoction pre-date the modern version by at least 100 years.
Warm the cockles of your heart by mixing up one of our Irish coffee recipe variations. Enjoy!
Classic Irish Coffee
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 jigger Irish whiskey (1 1/2 ounces or 3 tablespoons)
- Heavy cream, slightly whipped
Directions
- Fill a mug with hot water to preheat it, then empty.
- Pour piping hot coffee into warmed glass until it is about 3/4 full.
- Add the brown sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Blend in Irish whiskey.
- Top with a collar of the whipped heavy cream by pouring gently over the back of a spoon. Serve hot and enjoy!
Buena Vista Irish Coffee
Ingredients
- 2 C &H sugar cubes or 2 teaspoons sugar
- 6 ounces very hot brewed coffee
- 1 1/3 ounce whisky
- Heavy cream
Directions
- Put heavy cream into a glass or stainless steel bowl and whip it using a handheld mixer until it has thickened but is still pourable. You want it to float on top of the coffee, not sink. Set aside.
- Next, pour steaming hot water into whatever glass you will be using. Once the glass is heated, pour out the water. You can also zap your glass in the microwave for 15 seconds to warm it up.
- Once the cup is warm, place the sugar in the glass and pour the coffee in. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved and add the whisky.
- Finally, run a spoon under hot water and pat it dry. Slowly pour the whipped heavy cream over the back of the spoon, holding it so it’s right above the coffee. Serve.
Chocolate Irish Coffee
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) heavy cream
- 1 1/2 ounces chocolate syrup, divided
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey
- 6 ounces hot coffee
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk cream vigorously until it begins to thicken. The cream should be thick, but still pourable.
- Whisk in 1/2 ounce chocolate syrup until completely combined. Set aside.
- In an Irish coffee glass, combine remaining chocolate syrup, sugar, whiskey, and hot coffee. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Top with a 3/4″ collar of chocolate whipped cream.
Maple Irish Coffee
Ingredients
2 ounces (1/4 cup) heavy cream
1 ounce maple syrup, divided
1 1/2 ounces Irish whisky, (we recommend Tullamore Dew)
6 ounces hot coffee
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk cream vigorously until it begins to thicken. The cream should be thick, but still pourable. Whisk in 1/4 ounce of the maple syrup. Set aside.
- In an Irish coffee glass, combine remaining maple syrup, whiskey and hot coffee. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Top with a 3/4″ collar of thickened whipped cream. Serve immediately.
That’s it for now, be sure to swing into your local Spec’s and ask one of our Specsologists to help you select the best ingredients. Post a pic of your Irish Coffee creation on social media using the hashtag #IrishCoffeeDay.
Cheers!
