To be honest, I’ve always had my suspicions as to the origin of this drink, not because the Irish wouldn’t put whiskey in their coffee, they’d put it in their soup given half a chance, but because I feel they’d see the addition of cream as a bit ‘la-dee-da.’ As it turns out, an Irishman did if fact invent the famous tipple, adding the flamboyant touch to indulge weary Americans as they disembarked from their arduous transatlantic flights. In fact, the American’s liked it so much, they went to great lengths to replicate the beverage, and effectively helped it live on in the annuls of cocktail infamy. So, without further ado, let’s add a spot of whiskey to everyone’s favourite breakfast drink with the Tasty Morsels version of the Good old Irish Coffee.
Good Old Irish Coffee
Equipment
- 1 Coffee Making Device
- 1 Teaspoon
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Whiskey Glass
Ingredients
- 15g (½oz) Soft Brown Sugar
- 145g (5oz) Freshly Brewed Coffee
- 35g (1oz and a bit) Irish Whiskey
- 35g (1oz) Whipping Cream
Instructions
- Before we start, it's important to note that many of the components will cool down the drink if added in their natural state. As a result, we will take steps to mitigate this by warming up the glass, cream and whiskey separately
- Using your preferred method, brew a batch of strong coffee, it should be black as night
- While brewing the coffee, lightly whip 35g of cold cream (warm cream will not whip, no matter how hard you try). It should thicken ever so slightly, but still maintain a pourable consistency. Then, transfer it to the small jug
- Meanwhile, pour 35g of Irish Whiskey (I use Jameson) into the whiskey glass
- Approximately 1 minute before the coffee has finished brewing, fill the Irish Coffee mug, and 2 bowls halfway, with boiling water. Then, warm the jug of cream and glass of whiskey by placing them into one each of the bowls
- Once the coffee has finished brewing, empty the water from the mug. Then add 15g of Soft Brown Sugar along with 145g of Coffee, and stir
- Pour in the 35g of Whiskey, and stir again
- At this point, I recommend moving the glass to its prime serving location in order to avoid spillage. Take the small jug of lightly whipped and warmed cream, and starting from the side, gently pour on top of the whiskey enhanced coffee
- There you go, Irish Coffee, now, sip nonchalantly while quietly contemplating the folly of mankind
Nutrition
Irish Coffee – The Fundamentals
The Whiskey – An absolutely vital component of this famous drink, whiskey will form the backbone and powerhouse of the Irish Coffee. As a result, drinkers must select a smooth and palatable bottle of booze, and above all, it must come from Ireland. For this drink, I usually opt for good old reliable Jameson Original, however, the flagship whiskeys from Tullamore Dew (used in the first Irish Coffees), Bushmills, and Teeling will also all work wonders.
Coffee – It’s no use turning to an instant coffee when making this beautiful drink, that would be like putting ketchup on your caviar. Instead, this requires a freshly brewed mug of the black stuff, however, how you make it comes down to the equipment available. This means that a coffee machine, French Press, or on the hob espresso pot will all work fine, as long as the coffee comes good and strong, and black as night night.
Cream – Basically, thanks to the laws of gravity and thermodynamics, cold cream will sink in hot coffee. Some folks get around this by whipping sugar and extra air into it to make it float, however, this method will impede on the flavour and texture of the drink. Instead, I like to warm the cream to make it float and whip it lightly to get the desired consistency, where every sip will involve the perfect mix of cream, coffee, and whiskey. This, however, comes with a small warning, warm cream won’t whip, so the Irish Coffee enthusiast must whip it lightly when still cold, before heating it up.
Try Your Luck with an Alternative Booze
In order to maintain its Irish credentials, the drink must use an Irish Whiskey. That said, however, folks are more than welcome to add something else, and call by a different name. With that in mind, dark rum, brandy, amaretto, and Kahlua will all find themselves quite at home in a mug of coffee with cream on top.
You know what goes great with an Irish Coffee? Chocolate Cake, have a go at this decadent recipe if you feel up to it!
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