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How to Make Irish Coffee

Irish coffee is a very unique coffee brew. It’s among the most loved coffee drinks. It originated in Ireland as an invention by an Irish man who goes by the name Joe Sheridan.

Sheridan worked in an airport near Limerick town in Ireland. Irish coffee was later introduced to the United States by Stanton Delaplane, who was an American travel writer and author based in San Francisco.

Stanton Delaplane was in the company of Jack Koeppler in a restaurant as they attempted to replicate the original Irish Coffee cuisine.

Essentially, Irish coffee is a cocktail that includes a combination of sweetened coffee, whipped cream, and Irish whiskey. It’s mostly taken as an early morning treat during holidays.

Most Irish coffee lovers prefer taking it on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning, Black Friday, and other special days. That’s why it’s a very special coffee drink.

 

Irish coffee.

To make Irish coffee, you’ll need a sweetener such as granulated brown sugar or syrup, a hot coffee of your choice, whipped cream, and Irish whiskey.

Since the coffee ingredient plays a major role to support other ingredients in the brew, ensure you brew the coffee using your favorite coffee beans. Also, the coffee must be very hot for the best results.

How to Make Tasty Irish Coffee 

First, gather the required Irish coffee ingredients. They include:

  • Coffee
  • Whipped cream
  • Brown sugar
  • Irish Whiskey

 

Irish Coffee Recipe Instructions:

Step 1 – Upon gathering the required ingredients, preheat a glass with boiling water. Put a metallic spoon inside the glass before adding hot water. That way, the glass won’t crack. Preheating the glass will keep the brew warm for a longer period.

Step 2 – Once the glass heats up, pour the water and add some Irish whiskey into the glass. You can use any Irish whiskey liquor such as Jameson or Baileys.

Step 3 – Make your preferred coffee brew. A fresh brew works best when making Irish coffee.

Step 4 –  Pour the freshly brewed coffee into the glass.

Step 5 – Add one teaspoon of sugar. Stir the mixture to ensure the sugar dissolves completely. Ensure there’re no undissolved sugar granules in the glass. You can use brown sugar or regular sugar. Alternatively, use maple syrup as it blends in easily and tastes better than brown sugar.

Step 6 – Prepare  homemade whipped cream. To do this, add cream to an empty bowl. Whip the cream. However, don’t make it too stiff as it’ll become challenging to pour over the cream. You can also use whipped coconut cream for a rich coconut flavor.

Step 7 – Take a spoon and turn it upside down. Place the spoon’s tip inside the glass containing coffee. However, only touch the top surface of the brew with the spoon. Place the spoon in such a way that its edge touches the glass.

Step 8 – Take the freshly whipped cream and pour it slowly over the spoon. Ensure you pour it in such a way that it flows over the spoon. It should land softly over the coffee. Pouring the cream slowly and gently will prevent it from sinking into the brew.

Step 9 – Sprinkle some shavings of chocolate over the cream to garnish. However, you can skip this step if you’re not a fan of chocolate.

Step 10 – Watch the cream mix with the Irish whiskey. Enjoy the drink.

 

making irish coffee.

Variations of Irish Coffee

Although Irish coffee tastes great in its classic form, there’re other great variations and recipes of this cocktail. Some of the most popular Irish coffees include:

  • Buena Vista Irish coffee In this Irish coffee version, you’ll use 2 sugar cubes. Also, whip the cream lightly with a whisk. Then pour it over the back surface of a spoon.
  • Bailey’s Irish coffee – In this variation, only use Bailey’s rather than Irish whiskey. You’ll get a fuller-bodied and sweeter brew than traditional Irish coffee. Make it rich and creamy for the best taste.
  • Irish cream coffee For this type of Irish coffee, use 1/2 Bailey’s and 1/2 Irish whiskey. The best topping for this coffee is to use Maraschino cherry.
  • Add some garnish – One of the best ways of enhancing Irish coffee is to garnish the brew. You can sprinkle a pinch of ground nutmeg or cinnamon over the brew. You can also sprinkle chocolate shavings. Avoid using lots of garnish as they can easily overshadow the notes of whiskey. Just use a few sprinkles.
  • Use decaf coffee to make an afternoon drink – If coffee disturbs your sleep when taken late in the day, consider making Irish coffee with decaf coffee rather than caffeinated coffee.
  • Serve the cocktail on ice cubes – Pour brewed coffee with double strength or cold brew into a glass containing ice cubes. Add a layer of half and half. Don’t add whipped cream in this variation.
  • Quick brew – Instead of making whipped cream, add some half and half for a quick Irish coffee brew. You can blend light cream and whole dairy milk to make half and half.
  • Lighten the brew – If you don’t want a very boozy drink, reduce the amount of whiskey in the recipe. For instance, use one shot of whiskey rather than two or more shots.
  • Alcohol-free Irish whiskey – If you don’t like alcohol, you can skip the Irish whiskey and still have a tasty coffee cocktail.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you balance the sweetness of Irish coffee?

Combining brown sugar and granulated sugar makes the sweetness of Irish coffee balanced. The molasses in the sugar brings out the sweetness of the whiskey.

However, you can contain the sweetness by using unsweetened whipped cream. That way, you won’t experience the hangover associated with consuming sugar.

Should you use syrup or granulated sugar or sugar cubes?

Granulated sugar dissolves more quickly than sugar cubes. On the other hand, sugar cubes allow for precise measurements. Syrup dissolves more easily than sugar cubes and granulated sugar.

Syrup allows for a rich flavor and consistency. Overall, the best kind of sugar to use should be the one that pleases you the most.

Which is the best coffee to make Irish coffee?

You can use any favorite coffee bean and coffee brewing method when making Irish coffee. However, avoid using strong roasts as the coffee would stand out and hide the flavor of the whiskey and other ingredients.

For instance, espresso-style brewing may give very strong coffee that’ll prevent other flavors in the cocktail from being noticed. The idea behind Irish coffee is to ensure the flavors of all the ingredients used are balanced and noticeable.

Thus, no ingredient should stand out more than the other. Preferably, use a medium coffee roast for the best results. You can roast coffee beans at home.

Which whiskey is the best for making Irish coffee?

It’s advisable to use Irish whiskey to make the best Irish coffee. It’s sweet, smooth, and affordable. However, if you can’t get some Irish whiskey, use any other whiskey booze that has a mild and sweet taste as it’ll counter the bitterness that comes with coffee.

Should you stir Irish coffee?

It’s not advisable to stir Irish coffee. Simply pour the cream over the brew and serve. The temperature difference between the cream and the hot brew makes drinking Irish coffee an awesome experience.

What’s the nutrition information of Irish coffee?

A 200 gram serving of Irish coffee contains the following nutritions:

  • Caffeine- 47.5mg
  • Total fat- 9.3g
  • Sugars- 9.9g
  • Cholesterol- 33mg
  • Sodium- 15mg
  • Protein- 0.8g

Which is the best way to serve Irish coffee?

Irish coffee is best served in a 6-ounce goblet glass. The tulip-shaped glass allows the balanced ingredients to remain intact. You should preheat the glass by pouring hot water into the glass before adding the ingredients.

That way, your Irish coffee cocktail will remain warm for a little longer. It’s not recommended to serve Irish coffee cocktails in a coffee mug or cup.

 

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