IRISH COFFEE: HISTORY AND PREPARATION OF THE FAMOUS IRISH COCKTAIL

Irish Coffee is the most famous corrected coffee in the world, with a sweet and pleasant taste and an alcoholic note which gives it intensity and which makes it a highly appreciated drink by a vast public of admirers.

During the celebrations for St. Patrick’s night, Irish coffee is one of those inevitable drinks, born during one of the cold nights in Shannon Foynes Port , the second largest port in Ireland.

During that time, the port was a staging point for long-distance transatlantic flights to refuel and rest.

It was here that the chef, Joes Sheridan, created what would later become the most loved cocktail by the Irish and famous all over the world.

The history of Irish Coffee

In 1943 one flight, due to bad weather, had to return to Foynes base. The pilot and passengers were visibly tired and exhausted and Chef Sheridan decided to give them comfort by preparing a special drink.

He used very intense coffee , added sugar, cream and whiskey, considered a real panacea to counteract the cold of the harshest days.

According to Irish folk tales, after tasting this drink, silence fell inside the club, because the taste of the drink was so surprisingly good.

The name derives from a question that an American passenger asked the chef, asking him if the drink was Brazilian, getting the answer: No, it’s Irish.

For some time, Irish coffee was confined to the airport scene only, until 1952 , when it also began to be exported abroad.

In the USA, it was the travel writer Santon Deleplane who spoke for the first time about this drink with a bartender, Jack Koeppler , of the Buena Vista Hotel in San Francisco. The latter tried to replicate the recipe, but the cream sank into the drink. Intrigued and passionate about good drinking, he went to the chef who created the cocktail, asking him to show him the preparation.

He was so impressed that, back in the USA, he had an article about the drink published in the well-known San Francisco Chronicle.

In a short time, Irish coffee entered the menus of bars all over California, and then became one of the most famous in the USA and in the world.

Subsequently, variants were also born such as French coffee with Cognac instead of whiskey and American Coffee with bourbon.

The original recipe from 1943 called for the use of white sugar, while today, however, brown sugar is mainly used.

Ingredients and preparation of Irish Coffee

To prepare a perfect Irish Coffee you need to know the original ingredients and use all the right equipment.

The quantities given in this recipe refer to the doses needed for a single glass of Irish Coffee.

The original Irish Coffee recipe includes:

• 4 cl of Irish whiskey
• 8 cl of hot coffee (or 2 cups of espresso)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• Fresh whipped cream

As for the equipment, you need an Irish Coffee glass , a ceramic briquette, a shaker and a bar spoon (mixing spoon).

First, heat the glass by pouring hot water into it and, after a few minutes, throw it away.

Put the brown sugar in the glass and prepare a long espresso (30-35 ml) in a ceramic jug and then add it to the glass to mix it with the sugar.

Add the Irish whiskey . Whip the cream for a few seconds and then gently lay it on the surface of the liquid mixture, using a bar spoon.

You don’t have to mix, otherwise the cream will go down inside the glass. Dust using a thin layer of ground coffee or nutmeg. The cocktail is ready to be served.

Irish Coffee: the alternative in capsules

Preparing Irish Coffee at home can be complicated: in fact, the right equipment or ingredients are not always available, and this can discourage many even giving up a good cup of this drink. 

Precisely for all those who want to enjoy an Irish Coffee comfortably at home, without giving up its unique taste, DolceVita has created the Irish Coffee capsules compatible with the Nespresso® , A Modo Mio® and Dolce Gusto® systems .

Discover the range of Irish Coffee compatible capsules by DolceVita: the ideal solution for preparing an excellent Irish Coffee directly with your own coffee machine!