When the chill is real, Irish coffee can get the internal motor running. The traditional recipe (a mix of rich, hot coffee, Irish whiskey and brown sugar topped with a dollop of whipped double cream) is undeniably delightful, if the ingredients are top-notch.
According to the Irish Whiskey Museum, we have chef and bartender Joe Sheridan to thank for the beverage. In 1943, Sheridan was working at a restaurant at the airport at Foynes Port, near Limerick, Ireland. When a flight bound for New York was cancelled due to bad weather, Sheridan added whiskey, sugar and cream to a coffee to warm up the weary travellers. Nine years later, travel writer Stanton Delaplane recommended the beverage to staff at San Francisco's Buena Vista hotel and the idea took off, peaking in the 1970s.
Over the years, the recipe has changed to suit current trends, the latest of which is a shift to non-dairy drinks.
Sydney coffee and cocktail bar Maybe Sammy serves a vegan version. "We've noticed that 80 per cent of demand at the moment is for non-dairy products and we love it," says co-owner Stefano Catino. "Oat milk, in particular, is becoming the most popular of the alternative milks. The shift is sometimes for health or other reasons, but there have also been great advancements in the taste and texture of alternative dairy products that are proving to be more popular for customers."
Quality Irish whiskey is also an essential ingredient. "We recommend Jameson Black Barrel for our recipe, but you could change that out for something of similar quality," Catino says. "It's also really important to use filter coffee with this recipe."
Catino predicts that cocktail trends will move towards a focus on local ingredients. "This is somewhat impacted by supply, but we're finding that people relate more to home-sourced products or cocktails that have a personal or local story to tell."
Irish coffee for breakfast? Catino says nay. "Save it for later in the day. It's best paired with any dessert, or maybe some biscotti for some extra crunch and texture."
Pro tipKeep the cream cold and make sure to use the back of a spoon to layer the cream on top of the coffee to avoid mixing it into the drink.
How to make Irish coffee at home
INGREDIENTS
- 25ml Irish whiskey
- 25ml honey-dark sugar sweet mix (5g honey, 5g muscovado sugar mix, 5g hot water)
- 120ml coffee
- 60ml Oatly oat or dairy cream
METHOD
- Combine Irish whiskey, sweet mix and coffee in a glass, stir gently to combine, then add the cream on top as layer using a bar spoon to let it sit gently.