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The History of Irish Coffee
The history of Irish coffee and how to make this beverage.
Published December 14, 2021
Daniel Hedlund
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
Around the world, most coffee drinkers love a perfectly made cup of Irish coffee with its unique aroma, taste, and texture. However, how Irish coffee is prepared can vary depending on where you are. In many places around the world, Irish coffee is considered to be a key part of Christmas celebrations and is a very popular choice of drink throughout the holiday season. When it comes to making Irish coffee, the ingredients that are used tend to be very simple, but the amount that you use of each one will have a big impact on how the drink tastes.
While it might appear to be a simple recipe at first, the fact is that Irish coffee is one of the most difficult beverages to make perfectly. Most people need to try it a couple of times before they get the luxurious taste just right.
History of Irish Coffee
What is Irish coffee? Where delicious Irish coffee actually originates from is not clear, but it has definitely been around for more than a hundred years. In Vienna, coffee houses have been serving Irish coffee since the nineteenth century, and there is proof that a similar beverage was also served in Germany and Denmark at around the same time. Many variations of this cup of coffee have come forward over the years. During the nineteenth century in France, Irish coffee was known as ‘Gloria’, and there are many stories that go around when it comes to who Irish coffee was invented by.
One of the first stories about the beginning of Irish coffee was that it became a thing when passengers at the Foynes Flying Boat Airport on their way to New York were prepared what would later become to be known as Irish coffee by chef and bartender, Shoe Sheridan. According to another story, Irish coffee was founded by Michael Nugent in a bar in Dublin, and the third story claims that the beverage was brought to America by travel writer Stanton Delaplaine after having it at Shannon Airport.
Why is Irish Coffee Popular?
Why do people love Irish coffee so much? One of the main things that sets this type of coffee drink apart from others is the immense warmth that it provides to the drinker. Along with this, the use of Irish whiskey in the coffee gives the beverage a unique taste, with a different flavor to anything else that you will experience as the coffee and alcohol is combined. Along with this, there are plenty of benefits to consuming Irish coffee on a regular basis, which include:
Heart Health: It is well-known that drinking a cup of coffee every now and again can be beneficial for your heart health. When you drink coffee in moderate amounts, the body’s circulatory system is enhanced.
Lower Diabetes Risk: When you consume coffee, the plasma levels in your body will be considerably increased. As a result of this, you are at a lower risk of suffering from type two diabetes. Along with this, drinking coffee can also boost your metabolism and help you lose weight, which in turn reduces the diabetes risk.
Lower Stroke Risk: One of the major reasons for suffering a stroke or heart attack is blocked arteries. You may be surprised to hear that frequently drinking coffee can be a good way to avoid this life-threatening condition. Caffeine, which is a major ingredient in coffee, can help to reduce blood clots in the body and clear any blockages from arteries. As a result, it is easier for your heart to pump more blood throughout the body, helping to prevent a stroke.
Lower Parkinson’s Disease Risk: Parkinson’s Disease is a condition that is the result of a major imbalance in the brain. Research has found that compounds found in coffee are able to create balance in the brain, which could put you at a lower risk of developing this condition.
How Irish Coffee is Prepared
Drinking a cup of Irish coffee can be the ultimately warming beverage. The main ingredients that you will need to make this drink are coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and whipped cream. There are lots of different variations on this recipe to try; all you need to do is a quick internet search to get some ideas. Some ingredients, like whipped cream and sugar, are optional, but the use of Irish whiskey and coffee are essential. How to make Irish coffee:
Sugar: Sugar is an ingredient that is used most of the time in an Irish coffee to add sweetness and flavor and keep the whipped cream floating on the top. While there are some suggestions that originally, Irish coffee was made with brown sugar, either brown or white sugar will work just as well.
Cream: Cream will add some subtlety to your Irish coffee. The main challenge when preparing an Irish coffee with cream is to make sure that it makes the drink look appealing and that the cream is floating on the top. The best type of cream to use should be freshly whipped, and it’s also important to use cream that is at a lower temperature than the coffee.
Preparing Irish Coffee in the Authentic Way
When preparing an Irish coffee, there are several things that you can do to ensure that the result gives you the most authentic taste possible from this beverage. Firstly, use granulated sugar rather than sugar cubes, and combine both white and brown sugar for a richer taste. Brown sugar is essential to add if you want to bring the unique taste to your Irish coffee, so add a balanced amount of both types.
Secondly, choosing the right alcohol to add to the coffee is also important for an authentic result. It’s best to choose Irish whiskey if you want to get the most authentic taste from your coffee. However, if you want to use another type, any sort of whiskey that has a spicy and sweet flavor profile will still work.
Method
- Pre heat the mug that you are going to enjoy your delicious Irish coffee in. You can do this by adding warm water to the mug before emptying it.
- Fill your mug with freshly brewed coffee. Around 3/4th of the mug should be filled.
- Add the Irish whiskey to the coffee and stir the mixture continuously.
- Add a mixture of both brown and white sugar to your coffee and whisky mixture and stir it thoroughly before allowing it to dissolve.
- If you want to add whipped cream, you can do this step last. Use heavy cream and continuously whip it until it is appetizing to look at and pour a layer of it over the top of the coffee without altering the surface.
- Your Irish coffee is ready to drink! For the best taste, it’s recommended that you drink it immediately, while it is still hot.
Irish Coffee Culture and Variations
The popularity of Irish coffee has spread around the US, Europe, and the rest of the world. With this, more and more people started to personalize their coffee order, leading to several different variations of this beverage. Some people prefer to drink this coffee in the form of an espresso shot, while others prefer adding a special type of cream or milk to the coffee. In many cosmopolitan cities around the world such as San Francisco and New York, Starbucks coffee chains offer a wide variety of different Irish coffee types, which just shows how people enjoy this type of coffee drink differently.
Since the spread of popularity of Irish coffee all over the world, bartenders are always coming up with new ideas and inventions for Irish coffee, adding multiple flavors of this Irish heritage to delight their customers. Different types of alcohol or whipped cream may be added to create a personalized touch when making Irish coffee, and there are now plenty of more exotic options on offer when it comes to the flavors available such as cinnamon and orange, chocolate hazelnut, peppermint, and coffee made with other types of liquor such as tequila.
Typically, a good Irish coffee is topped with a heavy, luxurious layer of whipped cream. It is traditionally served warm, although the different variations of Irish coffee available today mean that getting your hands on iced Irish coffee has also become easier. This beverage is sweetened with enough sugar to truly bring out and amplify the amazing flavors in the drink.
If you’re going to a coffee shop soon and want to try a new coffee beverage or are considering making a new type of coffee at home, Irish coffee is always worth trying. If you like coffee, and whisky, then Irish coffee is certainly going to be an option that you are going to enjoy. It has a unique flavor and is one of the most incredibly warming coffee beverages that you can drink. While it is often associated with Christmas, it doesn’t have to be the holiday season to enjoy this beverage.
About the author
Daniel Hedlund
Working with the Era of We initiative and loves knowledge sharing and a really good cup of coffee.
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