Traditional Irish Coffee
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Last Updated on June 22, 2020 by Lisa Johnson
Can you believe that St. Patrick’s Day is only two weeks away? This year is flying by…before you know it we’ll be putting up Christmas decorations again! Okay, let’s put that thought away, shall we? Today we are paying homage to my Irish heritage with this “as traditional as I can get” Irish Coffee…..
As with most cocktail recipes, there a a million different ways to prepare an Irish Coffee. Everyone claims to have the “authentic” or “original” recipe, and of course non of them are the same. The original Irish Coffee was invented and named by Joe Sheridan, a head chef in Foynes, County Limerick. A group of American passengers arrived at the small Shannon airport in southwest Ireland on a cold winter evening in 1942 and entered the restaurant. Sheridan added whiskey to the coffee to warm the passengers. When the passengers asked if they were being served Brazilian coffee, Sheridan told them it was “Irish coffee”.
How do you make Irish Coffee?
Warm 2 Irish coffee mugs by filling with HOT water for a few minutes…..
Pour out the hot water and add one heaping teaspoon of sugar to each mug…..
Pour 1/2 cup of hot coffee over the sugar, and stir until sugar fully dissolves…..
Add whiskey, stir to combine. Once the coffee is still, gently pour “whipped” cream over the back of a Tablespoon to keep the cream from mixing with coffee…..
Drink coffee through the cream without stirring…..
Notes:
- I used Jameson Irish Whiskey. Use whatever brand you have on hand, just make sure it is Irish Whiskey and not Scotch Whisky…they are very different.
- Irish Coffee recipes call for “sugar” and some actually specify brown sugar. I chose raw sugar because it is less processed and probably closer to the sugar that was available back in the 1940’s when this cocktail was created.
- “Topped with thick cream”….well that one is definitely open to interpretation, lol. I chose to “lightly” whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer until it was thick and fluffy, but before stiff peaks formed…..
I also added a Tablespoon of powdered sugar, because straight cream does not sound appetizing to me. 😉 With a bit of volume added it is also much easier to keep the cream “floating” on top of the coffee. YUM!!
Most people know that my idea of coffee is actually a mug of hot chocolate with a double shot of espresso mixed in, but I was pleasantly surprised with this Irish Coffee and I really did enjoy it. The whiskey was not overpowering, there isn’t enough sugar to make the drink too sweet, and the cream on top was perfection. My Irish ancestors would be so proud! 🙂
More delicious hot cocktail recipes:
If you need a cold cocktail for your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, this Boozy Shamrock Shake would be perfect.
Enjoy!!
Irish Coffee
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon raw sugar heaping
- 1 cup fresh brewed coffee
- 1 ounce Jameson® Irish Whiskey
- ¼ cup whipping cream lightly whipped with 1 Tablespoon of sugar
Instructions
- Warm 2 Irish coffee mugs by filling with HOT water.
- Pour out the hot water and add one heaping teaspoon of sugar to each mug.
- Pour 1/2 cup of hot coffee over the sugar, and stir until sugar fully dissolves.
- Add whiskey, stir to combine.
- Once the coffee is still, gently pour "whipped" cream over the back of a Tablespoon to keep the cream from mixing with coffee.
- Drink coffee through the cream without stirring.
Notes
- I used Jameson Irish Whiskey. Use whatever brand you have on hand, just make sure it is Irish Whiskey and not Scotch Whisky...they are very different.
- Irish Coffee recipes call for "sugar" and some actually specify brown sugar. I chose raw sugar because it is less processed and probably closer to the sugar that was available back in the 1940's when this cocktail was created.
- "Topped with thick cream"....well that one is definitely open to interpretation, lol. I chose to "lightly" whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer until it was thick and fluffy, but before stiff peaks formed.
these sound delish and i love your photos! thanks! on tttuesday w/ you today. welcomeheart
Thank you so much Sue!!
I love Irish Coffee but have never made it at home. I’ll have to make this on St. Patty’s Day! Stopping by from Show + Tell.
Not bad, very tasty! and thats from a irish cailin
In winter I really love to take coffee. These coffee looks very delicious for me.Hope I will enjoy to take these coffee’s taste.